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Let go of the things that no longer serve you

by Danielle Spillman
| May 10, 2016 8:10 AM

I’ve always been the nesting type. I like to root down and feel cozy and surround myself with beautiful things. When I surround myself with beautiful things — artwork, vibrant colors, furry bedding, sheer curtains that allow the sun the creep in, etc... I am constantly reminded that life IS indeed beautiful. Every single day is beautiful. And every single day we have the opportunity to make things prettier.

It’s Monday (yes, even though I am a yogi I procrastinate on writing my weekly articles, sorry Bob) and I felt the urge to clean up the space around me. I needed my home to smell good and feel airy. I needed the yoga studio to feel welcoming a fresh. I just finished it all up and I did not anticipate the powerful impact cleaning up my space would have on a much more meaningful level. 

Throughout the morning I went drawer by drawer, navigating my way from one corner of each room to the next. Within a few hours I had collected a full bag of clothing to donate, I had disposed of products that were out of date or expired and I had rid myself of things I hadn’t used (and in some cases even noticed) in years. When all was said and done, I felt both emotionally and physically lighter. As I sit here on the yoga studio floor typing away, I wonder: what it was that kept me from letting go of these things earlier?

The morning of purification and ultimately, accidental reflection, struck something in me. Something up until now, I guess I never truly recognized I had—the innate power to make room, In literally creating space, saving on the things I loved and organized areas of my like I had inadvertently avoided, I found the strength to do the same within. If it is true that our surroundings really do reflect our state of mind, then for the first time in my life I felt like I was in a place to genuinely cleanse (and calm) from the inside out.

From this task, I learn that cleaning up wasn’t so much about throwing away expired medicine bottles or donating things I didn’t need (although both of those things were great) as it was about understanding the peace that comes with letting go.

I am not attached to my fears or my anxieties any more than I am attached to those belongings I gave up. And ultimately, I alone am in control of what I release. And so are you. What can you clean up? What can you release that is no longer serving you? I am so grateful to grow with you. Let this process be cathartic and beautiful. Sending you love.

 

Danielle Spillman is a certified yoga teacher, health enthusiast and writer. You can find more of her musings at www.findyourlightyoga.com.