Getting rid of stuff from the past

I have been spending some time clearing out some of my old stuff some of which I didn’t even realise I had! I do have a tendency to do this from time to time but it’s been quite a while since my last clear-out, confirmed by the self sufficient eco system that seemed to have developed under my bed!!

In the past I used keep hold of stuff, whether I felt I needed it or not and stored it wherever I could find room. You just never know when something might come in handy! This all changed between 2004 and 2006 during which time I moved on a far too frequent basis for reasons that is a separate post in itself. It did however teach me a lesson on the hassle of holding on to material possessions purely for the sake of when whatever particular item may come in handy! A time that, in my experience, have yet to materialise.

When I moved to the place immediately prior to where I am now, everything in my possession could fit in my car, which i got rid of before moving to where I am now.

There is a strange sense of freedom (at least for me) in having less around me and having a clear out also gives me a strange sense of relief. It is as if by clearing out physical stuff I am at the same time clearing out clutter in my head (trust me – it can be cluttered at times) and after a clear out I always feel much calmer and and more at ease.

There are of course some items I would not get rid off nor am I on a crusade against material possessions and clutter. I just seem calmer in myself when my home is free from clutter. That said, clutter in itself doesn’t bother me and it does build up around me until I get to a point where I need a clear out.

Sometimes it brings back memories and whilst i sometimes have a tendency to label some memories good and some bad, in the end they are just memories.

During my clear-out I came across a birthday card and the message within felt worth recording;

There comes a time in your life when you realise that if you stand still, you will remain at this point forever. You realise that if you fall and stay down, life will pass you by.

Life’s circumstances are not always what you might wish them to be. The pattern of life does not necessarily go as you plan. Beyond any understanding, you may at times be led in different directions that you never imagined, dreamed, or designed. Yet if you had never put any effort into choosing a path, or tried to carry out your dream, then perhaps you would have no direction at all.

Rather than wondering about or questioning the direction your life has taken, accept the fact that there is a path before you now. Shake off the “whys” and “what ifs,” and rid yourself of confusion. Whatever  was ~ is in the past. Whatever is ~ is what’s important. The past is a brief reflection. The future is yet to be realised. Today is here.

Walk your path one step at a time ~ with courage, faith, and determination. Keep your head  up and cast your dreams to the stars. Soon your steps will become firm, and your footing will be solid again. A path that you never imagined will become the most comfortable direction you could have ever hoped to follow.

Keep your belief in yourself and walk into your new journey. You will find it magnificent, spectacular, and beyond your wildest imaginings.

I will leave you with these words as I am strapping on my “clutter defeating” helmet ready for another round with stuff from the past! Who knows what might surface….