It is the wee hours of the morning and creativity has struck. As I write, I'm still in my pjs drinking my little cup of hot lime water and snacking on a little orange. I'm up early to get my work done today. But before I settle in my office for some early morning -very productive- efficient- serious work, I pause and play. My morning play usually consists of yoga, watching my cats play, morning stares and whatever else strikes my fancy.
While stretching this am, I'm inspired to read a few pages from Elizabeth Gilbert's new book: Big Magic. For those of you who want to join me in this conversation, I'm reading chapter 2 Enchantment. Here Elizabeth is giving you two ways to be creative. One is the old method of suffering. Another way is a partnership with inspiration.
"You can receive your ideas with respect and curiosity, not with drama and dread. You can clear out whatever obstacles are preventing you from living your most creative life, with the simple understanding that whatever is bad for you is also probably bad for your work." pg 40-41
Elizabeth gets struck with inspiration and has decided to partner up with her idea. And this is how she starts...
"I then did what you do when you get serious about a project or pursuit, I cleared space for it. I cleaned off my desk, literally and figuratively." pg 42-43
And there you have it! Are you following me?? Clearing your clutter is not about your stuff it is about living your live with creativity, with spark, with your spirit of adventure and with your full attention!!
Clutter - whether it is the stuff that fills our homes, the to-dos on our to-do lists, the conversations that loop over and over in our minds, the time we spend doing things you don't like and that probably don't as much attention as we give it. It is the wasted evenings, the foods that weigh our energy down. It is the weeds that grow in our own personal gardens.
So when you start balking at clearing your clutter and the residues in your life, pause and wonder. What spark of creativity is wanting to grow?? Which would be more fun? Looking at an overstuffed bookcase, filled with dusty and forgotten books or opening up your space for a splash of creative play??? Hummm, I'm just saying...
Today I wish you a day of inspired creativity with fewer weeds sucking the life out of your soil and soul!
Happy clearing,
Denise
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Saturday, September 19, 2015
The gift of clutter clearing
If I had to pick one word I hear most often associated with clutter it would be the word "overwhelm". Too much stuff in your living space will feel like...overwhelm. That's the bad news. The good news is what you get when you start letting go of life's weight. You get to discover, create and uncover your true authentic shining self.
When you have lots of stuff and that feeling of overwhelm seeps into your life, you probably dream it would all magically disappear. Poof- end of problem!!! Yeah!! Except one little thing...you missed the journey of discovery.
It is in this journey of letting go and freeing yourself that you find yourself.
Cleaning out or clutter clearing has two guiding themes....
1. Discovering what you love, what you actually use, what gives you energy, what lights you up, what makes your eyes sparkle
2. Discovering what depletes you, holds you back, diminishes you, what sits on your shoulders and weighs heavily on your heart.
As you you clean out, these two themes get asked over and over... How do you really feel about this lamp your great aunt Matilda gave you? Do you actually use the treadmill sitting unused covered with clothes? Or does it haunt you and make you feel less than? Would you rather go outside for a walk in the fresh air instead? Will you ever read this book covered in dust or would you rather read a new book on a new subject? Or maybe you would be happier painting or having tea with friends or hiking? Hum....
Questions, questions, questions you ask again and again. As you ask and clean out you get a gift. That little authentic voice within, you thought was buried, starts getting stronger. Your instincts and intuition of what you truly love start getting clearer. You start to breathe deeper and you feel lighter. You start to feel again. Your heart opens up. You get to discover who you are today. Being lost in the past or fearful of the future become less powerful than this present moment.
Cleaning out is more than the removal of stuff, it is the discover of your authentic self.
It is a journey of discover that truly is magical.
Wishing you great ease and joy on your journey,
Denise
When you have lots of stuff and that feeling of overwhelm seeps into your life, you probably dream it would all magically disappear. Poof- end of problem!!! Yeah!! Except one little thing...you missed the journey of discovery.
It is in this journey of letting go and freeing yourself that you find yourself.
Cleaning out or clutter clearing has two guiding themes....
1. Discovering what you love, what you actually use, what gives you energy, what lights you up, what makes your eyes sparkle
2. Discovering what depletes you, holds you back, diminishes you, what sits on your shoulders and weighs heavily on your heart.
As you you clean out, these two themes get asked over and over... How do you really feel about this lamp your great aunt Matilda gave you? Do you actually use the treadmill sitting unused covered with clothes? Or does it haunt you and make you feel less than? Would you rather go outside for a walk in the fresh air instead? Will you ever read this book covered in dust or would you rather read a new book on a new subject? Or maybe you would be happier painting or having tea with friends or hiking? Hum....
Questions, questions, questions you ask again and again. As you ask and clean out you get a gift. That little authentic voice within, you thought was buried, starts getting stronger. Your instincts and intuition of what you truly love start getting clearer. You start to breathe deeper and you feel lighter. You start to feel again. Your heart opens up. You get to discover who you are today. Being lost in the past or fearful of the future become less powerful than this present moment.
Cleaning out is more than the removal of stuff, it is the discover of your authentic self.
It is a journey of discover that truly is magical.
Wishing you great ease and joy on your journey,
Denise
Friday, August 14, 2015
Cultivating an ancient practice to reset your energy system
Cultivating an ancient practice, even the words have a restorative ring. When my computer or cell phone go nuts, I unplug wait 60 seconds and try again. 99 percent of the time this does the trick. So simple and yet so effective.
Our grandmothers and grandfathers didn't have cell phones or computers but they did know how to reset. Their daily work was unplugging the charge. The ancient practice was doing their daily work.
Washing dishes, cleaning windows, cleaning out drawers, pulling weeds, chopping wood, these chores are where our ancestors found their center, de-stressed and rebooted.
Yesterday I cleaned out two rooms and I cleaned my home. Today, as I look around I feel refreshed, centered and restored. I can't imagine anything doing more than a free day of cleaning and cleaning out can do.
I cleaned out and organized and as I did I lightened the weight I carry around. Later I chopped down some baby poplar trees, I accomplished and felt strong. I cleaned toilets, vacuumed floors and washed windows. Today, I can see clearly and breath deeply. As I cleaned I unplugged.
When you need a reset, keep it simple. Everything you need you already have. What you are looking for is not out there but with you all along. Think simply. What is in front of you? What needs done? What has been weighing heavily on you lately? Start with 30 minutes- stay focused. Open windows get some fresh air and light into your life. Move right to left to right and top to bottom. Move mindfully and breathe deeply. Let go of what no longer serves you. Stay present and get lost in the moment. Move with strong posture and relaxed shoulders. Enjoy your work, for this is not a chore but an ancient practice of unplugging.
Happy cleaning and cleaning out,
Denise
Our grandmothers and grandfathers didn't have cell phones or computers but they did know how to reset. Their daily work was unplugging the charge. The ancient practice was doing their daily work.
Washing dishes, cleaning windows, cleaning out drawers, pulling weeds, chopping wood, these chores are where our ancestors found their center, de-stressed and rebooted.
Yesterday I cleaned out two rooms and I cleaned my home. Today, as I look around I feel refreshed, centered and restored. I can't imagine anything doing more than a free day of cleaning and cleaning out can do.
I cleaned out and organized and as I did I lightened the weight I carry around. Later I chopped down some baby poplar trees, I accomplished and felt strong. I cleaned toilets, vacuumed floors and washed windows. Today, I can see clearly and breath deeply. As I cleaned I unplugged.
When you need a reset, keep it simple. Everything you need you already have. What you are looking for is not out there but with you all along. Think simply. What is in front of you? What needs done? What has been weighing heavily on you lately? Start with 30 minutes- stay focused. Open windows get some fresh air and light into your life. Move right to left to right and top to bottom. Move mindfully and breathe deeply. Let go of what no longer serves you. Stay present and get lost in the moment. Move with strong posture and relaxed shoulders. Enjoy your work, for this is not a chore but an ancient practice of unplugging.
Happy cleaning and cleaning out,
Denise
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