Here’s your Words of Wisdom (WOW) Message of the week for Aug. 13-20, 2023.

Outer order contributes to inner peace.

Definition: purging, letting go, releasing, clearing away.

Other: lighten up, visual peace, freedom.

Opposite: hoard, hold onto, stifled, chaos.

Both Becky and I have been decluttering our homes recently. Perhaps you have too.

Decluttering is an act of transformation and requires a lot of effort. It is tougher on some of us than others.

Just the everyday maintenance of balance in our homes is a task. We’ve all been spending much more time at home and perhaps ordering more items online which comes with additional packaging to get rid of. It seems we have so many cardboard boxes at the end of the week! Thank goodness we have a curbside recycling program which makes disposal easier.

We are remodeling our bedroom this month. We’ve lived in our house for 32 years and have not been good about releasing items. We tend to hold on to things too long. We have way more stuff than we need.

We have boxes of our son’s toys from his childhood, books, and photos that require my attention. The good news is that we are making progress.

Decluttering can be healing and invigorating. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

My former boss shared a funny sentiment with me, our items are stuff, and our partner's stuff is junk (to us.) It’s easier to get rid of someone else’s items because the emotional attachment is not there.

I recently decluttered my workspace and the difference is dramatic. Not only does it look better, it feels better. Clearing away has created a spaciousness that has enabled more creativity and prosperity to flow to me. I am loving it. I’m definitely feeling that outer order contributes to my inner peace.

Marie Kondo, Founder, and Author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” talks about releasing anything that no longer brings you joy. She invites the reader to hold an object in their hands and if it no longer brings joy, it’s time for it to go. It’s a good question to ponder. You can find out more about her process by visiting https://konmari.com/

Our items may have tremendous sentimental value or market value. They may have no value to you any longer. You can bless another person with your cast-off items or they can be recycled, repurposed, or disposed of.

By clearing away the excess, we gain a sense of spaciousness, a feeling of freedom.

This week’s invitation is to do a bit of decluttering. Start small, your purse, a drawer, your workspace, a computer file… I have committed to decluttering at least 15 minutes a day and I even manage to do that most days.

Decluttering also applies to our hearts and minds. What are we holding onto that no longer benefits us? It could be time to release a grudge, forgive someone (maybe even ourselves), or a belief that weighs us down. Are you tired of lugging that heavy burden around all the time? If so, now is the time to release it.

How can the act of decluttering bring more peace, love, joy, and ease in your life?

Find the Good,
Becky and Janette


Originally posted on Aug. 12, 2020, written by Janette Stuart.

Check out the Words of Wisdom Guidance Cards HERE. 52 Inspiring words and messages to help you live life better.

Find out about Well-Being for ME in 2023. A year-long program of self-discovery to Live Life Better through peace, love, joy, and ease HERE. It’s not too late to join us. This month we focus on SELF-CARE.

You can also sign-up to receive my free Self-Care Rituals ebooklet to give you more ways, tools, and practices to prioritize self-care in your life. You are so worth it, dear heart. Get it HERE.

Remember, self-care is not selfish. It is a way to honor the precious gift of your life.

Blessings of love, joy, and peace.

Love,

Janette