Dozens of things demand our attention every day. We feel overwhelmed, confused, and tired, oh so tired—that is if we ever slow down enough to know what we are feeling and how it affects those around us. Our culture doesn’t want us to realize those impediments to peace, and we are rewarded with approval every time we pick up speed, spend more money, and agree to take on another responsibility.
There’s a joke that says if you want to get out of a hole you have to stop digging, but it’s not very funny if you’re the one at the bottom of a hole with a shovel that fits your hand. Stopping is hard. We want to keep forging ahead to our destination, even if we’ve sort of lost sight of what that destination is. Sometimes we hit a wall and are forced to stop, by illness, bankruptcy, or some tragedy, but we don’t have to let it go that far.
Maybe it’s an age thing, but I’m starting to feel weighed down with too many commitments, and too much stuff. How to downsize in a meaningful way has become almost an obsession with me. These ideas have worked for some people, so I’m considering which might fit my situation.
One man decided to clean his shop. Rather than sorting and organizing, he took everything out and is only putting back what he finds a need for. It may be an ongoing project, but at least he has it all in plain sight now, and can find what he needs. For some of us, that alone would be a time saver.
A woman friend simplifies her wardrobe this way. When getting out clothing for an upcoming season, she puts the hangers on the rod backwards. At the end of that season, if a hanger hasn’t been turned around, she knows that item wasn’t worn, isn’t needed, and should be given away.
Some people take pictures off walls and all knick-knacks off shelves. After living that way for a month, they put back only what they really long to see.
I have a rule that for every item I buy I must give something away and, if possible, I consider purchases for a week before putting down the cash. Sometimes, the urge to own that particular thing has passed, and it’s not even on my radar. Books are always on my radar, though, so I often go through the shelves in search of one that I won’t read again so I can donate it and allow myself to buy another.
Those ideas address material goods, but there’s the matter of time commitments. Most of us have too many. The pandemic lockdowns put us on stop for a while, but a lot of us grabbed onto the whole bundle as soon as we were allowed, and are busier than ever. Maybe we should try the method my farmer friend used. Drop it all for a period of time and slowly put back only what realistically fits your life priorities. At least excuse yourself from one activity a week and see how that feels. Hmmm… sounds like a good idea but I’d better be realistic. I still need clean clothes, a hot meal and an orderly house!