Who...Marie Kondo? Yes, the Tidy-lady from Netflix and best-selling books is influencing the appearance of our wardrobes, closets, drawers, keep-sakes, bookshelves around the world and I wonder WHY!
Inspired by my friend Lisa, who mentioned Marie Kondo I undertook the experiment to transform our house, well parts of it, in her unique way. I watched a few episodes and soon it was clear, why this is so popular. Marie Kondo has a talent and obviously packaged her offerings right!
When you combine elements which are fundamentally important for well-being such as JOY GRATITUDE RESPECT
POSITIVE ENERGY
with the neccessity of cleaning and tidying, you have a juicy recipe for Happiness and Transformation.
Clients go through the process of learning which item elicits positive feelings, and if it 'SPARKS JOY' you keep it, if it does not spark JOY you thank it for all the good memories, and you let it go. This is applied to clothing, kitchen utensils, books, etc. There is a visual bonus in her textile folding method. You end up with little square-shaped t-shirts, trousers, jumpers, underwear, and admittingly it pleases the eye to glance at a tidy and perhaps even colour-coordinated drawer.
From now on you wish all your guests, will open your drawers! No more stacked and not-to-be-found t-shirts, as the pile builds too high and you rather pick up the top one before the mountain collapses.
Of course, you can tidy in any way and form, it does not need to be in Kondo-style. Magazine editions of January and February are regularly full of tips and tricks on how to declutter. It comes at a time of the year, when we naturally want to feel fresh, new and TIDY. If you feel stuck in an unhealthy relationship, have a hard time making decisions, love to procrastinate, have difficulty with being on time and always run late, or many other lifestyle hurdles......consider a clear-out! There is potential in the art of tidying to be a catalyst. It is an easy start, and from here you can see clearer, have regained connection to your belongings and made hundreds of decisions based on 'Does it spark JOY!' I belief when we approach our entire life with the decider question... DOES it SPARK JOY!
....we are better of. Literally: Watch out, pay attention to your choices in life and in every day situations. When do you say Yes and wanted to say No. Does the idea of a night out with the strange neighbors spark JOY? Does it spark JOY to read the book your brother-in-law gave you for your birthday. Look after yourself. This is your life.
You are the creator of your life, daily.
And you are the collector of stuff too.
Be mindful.
Ask: Does it spark JOY.
Surround yourself as much as even possible ONLY with people, things, thoughts which help you feel GOOD, light you up, help you grow.
If you are still not so keen on tackling your whole house for a declutter trip, then here is a challenge for you:
Actionable Challenge: Give yourself and a buddy the challenge to clear out, on day one of the month you each take one item out. On day two it is going to be two items. Day three challenges you to three pieces. By day 15 you might start to struggle. Keep going as you reach the end of the month, you will have decided for an impressive amount of more than 450 pieces of your private collection to be passed on, disposed, or given to charity. FREEDOM! Common Side-effect: you feel lighter, brighter and reconnected to the stuff around you with greater appreciation and a sense of value.
If you need help, search for declutter specialists in your area. If you sense a deeper issue stopping you in the tracks, seek help from a coach who is trained to address and help you transform the subconscious patterns which are limiting you from expressing your true, authentic shining best version of yourself.
Change is possible.
Always believe in your strengths.
Peace of mind, and peace with your stuff.
"The art of being happy lies
in the power of extracting happiness
from common things." Henry Ward Beecher
Any questions please send me a message julia@mindyou.today
and leave comments if the stuff above resonates with you.
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