Out With the Old…

Create a better life for yourself with a simple cleanup of the space in which you live or work

Very often, we hear about the importance of the art of accepting and accommodating change. In fact, that is only the first step in creating change in our lives. Along with that, we often come across many obstacles that we have to overcome in order to change ourselves and our lives.

However hard it is to get started on the journey of change, it is equally challenging and important to muster up the strength to get rid of old habits, old stories, and old convictions, as it is old things that we have accumulated over the years, and often old emotions—even if they are not always pleasant. For many of us, the art of such a liberation—that is, getting over the old—can be one of the hardest lessons we have to learn. We often have the tendency to stubbornly and stiffly hold onto the old because it gives us a false sense of security and control, even if that keeps us in place and stops us from moving forward and discovering new things, and living a better, more fulfilling, and more beautiful life.

The art of getting over the old is best learned through its implementation.

Clean up the mess and clutter

You will be surprised at what a change you can make in your life by simply cleaning up the mess in your home or office.

Sort through and say goodbye to everything that is no longer useful to you. Empty out your closets, cupboards, shelves, and drawers. All those things that you no longer need or use—there is a small chance that your kids or grandkids will use them. Give them to someone who will use them, if that makes it easier for you to part with them. Surprise yourself with the realization that it is not the actual things that should remind you of what is important in life—they only tie you to the past. Allow yourself to separate yourself from those things, and you will learn to set aside the expectations that you put in front of yourself, and you will start to feel more liberated. And you will think differently.

Although it seems simple, this process is not emotionally or even physically easy. So, start with just a part of your section of the closet, maybe the shelf in the corner with the books, or with one room. Start with a small step, and then follow with a bigger step. As you start to separate yourself from your superfluous things, you will become aware of the need to rid yourself not only of your old shirts, but also of your old habits, old feelings or convictions, and to accept that which you in fact desire more.

This practice in itself can change your life: when you clear up your space, you clear up your mind and your thoughts. In a word—you will be wiser. Some things that you did not notice earlier will become obvious. Clean up your mess and observe carefully how things in your life will start to happen and change for the better in the subsequent days and weeks.

When we implement the art of getting rid of the old, our lives become simpler and clearer. When we get rid of baggage from the past and the burden of our own expectations, our lives start to become easier, since this process has taught us to look at life’s challenges in a different way: by giving us the necessary confidence to confront them.

When we learn to separate ourselves from the past, we make room for new experiences, new love, and new life—both physically and emotionally. And we start to form a new, better life and new possibilities, all while feeling more fulfilled, happier, and more satisfied.