Stuff, people and past hurts have a habitat of occasionally stealing our joy. Whether it’s holding on to the past and piles and piles of things that feel like they consume every surface in our homes or the friends, relatives and acquaintances that are toxic but we feel obligated to continue because of time but, we sometimes wonder why? I have been guilty of this as everyone has at one point or another and some may still. The freedom that comes from letting it go is indescribable. I started small picking a box and saving just one or two of my children’s art masterpieces per year, then I went through my memory boxes and kept the pictures but did I really need every ticket stub from every concert, finally I went through the house and got rid of games I held onto in the hopes of finding the missing piece, things that weren’t played with, books they didn’t read anymore and things that we just don’t have a need or room for anymore. Let me tell you it was hard. There were tears, fights with myself and to my surprise relief. As hard as it was to get rid of things I had come to view as memories and money spent. I realized those items had served their purpose and could make someone else happy. Each thing I got rid of was hard but each item felt like taking a brick off the load I carry. As the load started to feel lighter I looked to other areas I could unload. Facebook and my phones contacts list were the first to get cleaned up. I stopped worrying if I would upset the individual or other people by cutting specific people out but, I realized my health and well being was more important than potential hurt feelings. I saw as I unloaded these bricks I was better as a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend. As the load I tried to carry became lighter and didn‘t cause stress every day it made for a much easier life.
