It is now 2022, and one of the rituals I spent the last few days of 2021 doing was removing things in my personal space that no longer serve me or bring me joy.
“Why am I keeping this?”
This is the question I ask myself with each item each time I go through the process of purging things from my home. The items can be articles of clothing, documents, pieces of paper, kitchen appliances, or home décor, to name a few.
As I begin to reflect on how I acquired an item–whether it was a gift or something I purchased, the lingering question screams inside my head, “Why am I keeping this?”
Sure, we keep some things because of their sentimental value or the memories surrounding them. And then, we keep some things because we say we will do something with them but never get around to it. Or, we keep clothes in our closets that no longer fit because one day, we think we will get to wear them again.
But guess what?
While we may finally get around to getting something done or fitting in those clothes we once (or never) wore, it most likely will not make us feel the way we thought we would. We cannot LIVE in the past, only the present. In the present, we can ACT to make way for our future selves.
This is the purpose and the power of the PURGE. Purging is a way to say goodbye to the things and even people in your life who served you well and brought you joy for a season but no longer do. When removing things from your home, you remove weight, open up spaces, and create positive energy for yourself. When you recognize that certain relationships need to end, you are growing and making room for others to come into your life in the future.
The main focus of a purge is ACTION. It’s about moving things out of your mind, heart and sight. I challenge you to think about what you need to purge and take the following steps:
Pull out your drawers, bins, and open your closets
Unlock your storage unit and/or your safe
Review what you plan to keep, donate, or throw away
Get boxes or bags to pack what is leaving
Eliminate the presence of those things in your space
Now it’s time for a better you in 2022!