“Anxiety arises from not being able to see the whole picture. If you feel anxious, but are not sure why, try putting your things in order.” – Marie Kondo
Best-selling author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy Marie Kondo offers much more than a space organization method. She makes the connection between decluttering external spaces and the outcome it has on decluttering our internal space and reframing our perspective. Less is more, a place for everything, choosing joy.
“The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one's hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.” – Marie Kondo
During the pandemic lock-down of 2020, many people decluttered and organized their spaces since they couldn’t leave them. In spring, I decided to replace old linoleum, carpet and laminate flooring with vinyl plank flooring throughout my first floor. To prepare for the project, I had to move everything from the first floor into the garage. That required clearing space in the garage first. While I was at it, I decided to also repaint the walls as well. It took a month to get ready for the floor installation including a lot of trips to donate and discard items. Unknowingly, we collect a lot through the years, inside and out. We don’t realize how much until we have to create space for new things.
When the project was complete, I was mindful of what I put back into my new space, preventing clutter and piles. My home office, kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms are complete with pictures back on the walls and a few new ones to brighten the space. The living room is the last space to complete with new furniture and pictures for the walls. The garage and basement also need one final sweep of decluttering this spring.
This project has “sparked” a lot of joy over the past eight months. Moving my desk to the corner with two windows to look out has made working from home even more enjoyable than it already is with no commute, walking ten feet to my office and my dogs as the best office mates ever. Decluttering and creating order both in our external and internal spaces provides clarity, insight and direction. Letting go of the past and creating space for the present pulls us forward into the future through daily action.
“There are two reasons we can’t let go: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” – Marie Kondo
Not sure where to start?
Take inventory of what already exists in your life right now. What clutter have you created both internally and externally through the years? Limiting beliefs, old narratives, negative mindsets? Create two buckets – “keep” and “discard” and begin sorting. When filled, get rid of the discard bucket to create more space for the “keep” bucket and begin additional categorizing to further progress.
Commit to daily habits, non-negotiable rituals to foster growth and expansion. Focus your time and energy by saying “no” so you can create capacity to say “yes” to what’s most important to you, those “joy-sparking” activities.
Both Start3Things and Cast-Light spark joy for me. It took me almost two years to launch “Start3Things” because of overthinking and assuming that I needed the entire map before I started. After launching, I am still refining and defining exactly where this will go, but I am farther along because I executed imperfectly. Over the past 9 years, I’ve been writing two to three posts per week for Cast-Light, for a total of 1163 posts. On January 1st, I committed to writing every day no matter what - a non-negotiable. As a result, I have a new energy level and ideas percolating to launch, while I improve my writing skills through deliberate daily practice.
Lately, I’ve been focusing on “level setting” in many areas of my life – taking inventory, assessing what’s most important and where I want to invest my time, creativity and energy. Root and clarity work that goes beyond mere pivoting into lasting transformation, moving ahead and not looking back. You have to “level set” before you can “level up” so ceilings can become floors.
Three daily “non-negotiable” activities that have fueled my progress:
Morning pages, a method created by author Julia Cameron which is a simple daily practice of writing three pages each morning upon waking. No editing. No stopping. Freefall words landing on a blank page. No judgment or delay. The results usually include an enhanced sense of gratitude, expanded perspective and new patterns and connections;
Meditation using Insight Timer app has been a game-changer. I’ve had starts and stops over the years dabbling in mindfulness and meditation. It hasn’t stuck until I started using Insight Timer. 130 consecutive days and counting. There’s plenty of research on the value of meditation, quiet contemplation and observing thoughts rather than being controlled by them. Insight Timer simplifies the practice with a variety of options and timeframes including guided meditation, music and lessons in as little as 3 minutes to hours. 10-20 minutes in the morning and evening before bed has made a measurable difference on my focus and energy levels;
Daily exercise and movement releases endorphins and enhances overall well-being. We are in the second week of below zero temperatures in Minnesota so I’ve been doing YouTube exercise videos – everything from kick-boxing, to cardio dancing (with the shades closed of course), to yoga as well as rowing. Each time I complete a new 15-20 minute workout, I gain new confidence and move more fluidly into a beginner’s mindset which fosters openness and exploration – fuel for creativity and innovation.
If you are struggling to figure out what your “thing” is, begin with one simple question, “does it spark joy?” If no, move on. If yes, dig in and get to it daily. Start three things each day – watch a YouTube video, put your spaces in order, download Insight Timer to gain clarity through meditation and mindfulness. Committing to a few daily non-negotiables will lead to more “joy-sparking” activities and ultimately purpose and meaning.
“We can only transform our lives if we sincerely want to. Small changes transform our lives.” – Marie Kondo