Clear Clutter

It is the space between the issue and the desired outcome where the real goodies are and where the real clearing happens. ~  Stephanie Bennett Vogt

Clutter is everywhere — in our homes, in our minds, in our hearts and on our bodies.  It’s insidious and builds silently and subtlety behind the scenes until one day we go WHOA NELLY, what happened?  My bedroom is a mess; I am overwhelmed in paperwork; these thoughts rolling around are depressing me; and worse yet; I HAVE GAINED 20 POUNDS.

There are scads of tips and tricks everywhere on how to become less filled with clutter, whatever your clutter challenge happens to be.  Books galore, videos abound, and the advice?!?  OMG, it comes from EVERYWHERE.  Try the Kondo method; follow Taming the Paper Tiger system; learn to meditate; and you absolutely must eat KETO PALEO.

Recently I learned a little trick which is helping enormously in the various decisions I must make concerning all my clutter.  It’s called CLARITY.

This article’s initiating quote is one I am using constantly these days … I am discovering if I simply stop and think of my desired outcome in any given situation, that space, that pause, leads me to some fascinating enlightenments.

Stop and think about that for just a moment.  When you come across a challenging situation, do you think “What is my desired outcome?” … I have to admit, I didn’t.  But adding or inserting that little question to everything I do now is causing things to fall into place as if by magic.

Please take note the quote didn’t say, the space between the problem and the solution — it says the space between the issue and the DESIRED OUTCOME.  Let me give you an example. One that has been sustainable for almost 6 months now and describes this simple statement’s power.

In my entire adult life, it seems I have spent half of it in the kitchen.  In all that time you would think I would have discovered a way to keep it consistently clean.  Not so much.  Every time I would walk in to start making any meal, I would have to wash something or clear a counter, in order to have room to prepare.  It would drive me nuts and it would lead to all sorts of not wanting to cook or icky feelings. My solution was to grab some chips and salsa to ease the hunger.  Can you relate to this scenario? I’m betting I am not the only one? Ha!

Almost six months ago, I was prompted to try another way. That being, focus on the desired outcome.  As I was standing at my sink washing dishes one day, thinking about the issue (a dirty, cluttered kitchen) and my desired outcome (a clean, inviting kitchen where I could go in and cook at any moment) … and in that space, I discovered what those icky feelings were all about.  I was able to NAME them, and in so doing, could start working on them.  These feelings were what was holding me back from realizing my desired outcome.

The feelings were bitterness and resentment.  And as I stood there, I remembered having felt this way for a very long time.  Every single time I walked into the kitchen, I brought with me bitterness and resentment spanning decades … against people and situations which were not even in my life anymore!  I stood there for a moment, realizing what I just learned, and I got a little teary-eyed. However, almost instantaneously, I started laughing out loud at myself.  I said, “What the heck?  THIS is what is holding you back from having a clean kitchen?”

Right then and there, I decided having a clean kitchen trumped all those ick feelings I had built over the years.  Since that day, for almost 6 months, I have had a clean kitchen.  I can walk into the kitchen for any meal and viola, everything is in place; the counter is clear; and my fridge and pantry is stocked.

All this from spending a few moments looking at the issue and what was my desired outcome.  Miraculous!

This formula can work with anything in your life, try it on for size.  Next time you have a decision to make, think of the issue, then think, what is my desired outcome?

And in that space, watch what happens.

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One Comment on Clear Clutter

  1. Marcia DesRosiers says:

    love this!! great idea so easy to do too

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