If you've ever heard me speak live or on a tele-seminar you've probably noticed that I often start every call with the concept of "clarity".
The reason many people come to me for help is so they can "get more done". But, without clarity those things on your to-do list are just clutter or junk or "BS". You need to know why you are doing something and for what reasons in order to "stick" with being productive and organized. Living without clarity on your goals is just clutter in your mind.
Clutter in your mind and in your personal space affects all areas of your life. A cluttered mind (often leading to a cluttered space) impacts your weight, attitude, success, finances, relationships, hobbies and interests, mood, emotions, overall healthy habits, level of stress, etc.
The word "clutter" comes from the middle English word "clotter" or "clotteren" which really means "to form clots, to heap on, stuck energy".
Clearing mental and physical clutter that surrounds you is a deeper process than what you may see on HGTV in a 30-minute room transformation. Here I will dissect the first step to living a clutter-free lifestyle on all levels.
It is hard to say which comes first. Is your space cluttered because you can't think clearly? Or, can you not think clearly because of all the junk surrounding you? In either case, you are stuck in this situation until you actively become aware of the problem and take action.
In order to break through the stuck energy that surrounds you and feel a sense of control and balance in your life you need to start with a plan and a "why".
If you don't know the "why" your mental and physical state of clutter will just return. Also, if you don't have clarity on why you are adding something to your already overflowing task list, you are just keeping yourself busy and stressed-out for now reason or greater goal.
There are two "whys" you must know before you start your clutter-free transformational process. The first why is "Why has clutter invaded my life? When did the clutter start accumulating in my life? When did I start feeling stress, pressure, and overwhelm?"
In most cases, why the mental and physical clutter started accumulating stems from a major life event: getting married, having a baby, divorce, death in the family, a new job, etc.
When a major event happens in your life the daily routines and systems get tossed aside due to the surprise of the life event like an untimely death of a family member. Or, routines and systems weren't adjusted for the new life event such as blending the stuff of two households after a marriage.
The second "why" you must know in order to start your clutter-free path is: "Why do I want to be mentally and physically clutter-free?" Do you want to improve your health? Increase your free time? Grow your income and/or business?
Whatever the reason for your desire to be clutter-free (both physically and mentally) it helps if you put emotion into your "why". For example, you could say "I want to be free of mental and physical clutter because I want to make time for healthy habits like exercising every single day so I can live to see my grandchildren and be active with them, not just sitting on a park bench."
So, why do I always make such a big deal about having clarity?
Having clarity is all about decision making.
The latin origin of the word "decide" literally means "to cut or kill." So quite literally when you "decide" something you are cutting off all other possibilities or killing all your other options.
When you get that rush of clarity in your thinking, suddenly you have a clear vision and path, you know exactly what is important, you will know what precisely needs to be done and have the energy and motivation to do it.
To get clarity on what you really want your lifestyle to become I encourage clients to get out of their normal environment ALONE. You must be alone, not even with your partner or spouse. Remember you are an individual person - even though you make up a family or team. Without knowing what you truly desire deep inside you, you will never be a great contributor to the family/team.
You must also get our of your environment - away from your routine, obligations, and habits. Being in nature also helps: a park, a beach, a desert landscape, the lakefront, crisp mountain air, etc.
If it is at all possible get away for a few days - totally by yourself, to really reflect and create a vision for your future.
What will you be doing while you are alone? Thinking, reflecting, visualizing and writing. (Handwriting is better than writing on a computer for this step - I could explain, but it is greater than the scope of this article). You may want to throw in some fun activities that you enjoy too while you are away to really connect to yourself like hiking, spa treatments, yoga, biking, painting, etc.
Think, reflect and write on these topics - what do you desire your lifestyle to be in these areas.
Write very detail descriptions for your future goals - how things will look and feel.
- Family
- Finances
- Health/Physical
- Where to Live
- Spiritual
- Social/Relationships
- Travel
- Mental/Educational
- How to spend free time/hobbies
- Career or Business
Remember, it doesn't matter where you are at now, or if you have taken some wrong turns during your life. What matters is not you are aware of them and have a clear vision for the future.
You want to stop being "numb" in your life and going through the motions and start going for and getting what you really want. You will now see that you will start making decisions from where you want to be, not where you are.
Before you know it you'll have full clarity on what you want and get to your desired destination on all of these lifestyle choices.
Erica Duran, CPO, is a published Productivity Expert/Coach, Web Designer & Certified Professional Organizer. She has been an entrepreneur and consultant for over 20 years.
Erica works with new entrepreneurs who are just starting their business and have a ton of questions! She also works with those who have been in business for years but long to be more productive, organized, and "get their life back" by doing what they love and make a profit at it.
If you've liked this article, you'll love Erica's dynamic courses and programs to help you get productive, organized, & profitable and stay that way.
Learn more and claim your FREE gifts at http://www.EricaDuran.Co
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