Sometimes I wish things were as easy as they show in movies, but then they only last 3 hours and thankfully our lives way longer than that. Still, the Po in Kung Fu Panda is my scope of envy as he easily attains inner peace. The same elusive mental peace that is indispensable for a happy life. Yet some days it’s hard to come by, to be Zen-like calm and go about our lives merrily.
Now, of course, we have meditation, breathing techniques and indulgence in nature and calming activities of our choosing to be in the relaxed state. However, there is one thing that is generally ignored and is actually quite effective to achieve the peaceful nature – Decluttering! Now before you jump the gun, ‘that’s just what I need, more work’ philosophy on this one, remember you don’t need to march in to clear it all at once.
Decluttering is not about making space, it’s also about freeing our minds of the unnecessary burdens. This activity helps us achieve the mental peace. Even though in theory it’s not proven but the practical applications of it has helped people turn around their lives for better.
How? Start at the basic, physical decluttering. Ever heard your home or workplace is a reflection of your personality. In a way it is true. Yes, we live in the commercialized world and accumulating more and more goes with the territory. But in truth, we only need so much and everything we acquire, not only needs space, handling skills, but we also invest our emotions in it.
If you have an overcrowded place, it means over-stimuli for the brain. It’s like an overflow of emotion and with that, you may well kiss goodbye to peace. Not just that it requires time to organise, to search from all the unnecessary piles, and not to mention the cleaning and arranging of those same items. A messy place is definitely a no-no, and that’s not the OCD talking. Joke’s apart, truly the more mess means more work for the brain, as one is constantly churning to prioritize what to do, and like never ending list of things. With it comes the restlessness and the mind will lack the rest it needs. Also, it may end up feeling irritable, unstable and makes way for more negative thoughts and with those knocking, peace steps back. Usually, a disorganized place may be underlining some emotional challenges as well.
Decluttering comes to rescue. The less we have to manage, means more clarity for the brain, it aids decision making, as you’ll need to decide what to keep and what to give, you take charge of your life. That in itself is a joy worth having. It also frees our time and allows us to invest our emotions in more relaxing and happiness giving activities. It also removes the emotional burden and cuts down the trips to past, opening space for Now. The mind is powerful, but continuous multitasking drains its energy. So when you organize things it automatically leads to that serene feeling.
Once you manage the physical space you can move to declutter the drawers in mind. Key is not to overwhelm, go easy. Decide one thing at a time and start with it. Make sure to remove the not needed pile out quickly. Once you minimalize and surround yourself with items that bring you joy, you feel good and mental peace will rejoice. The simple joys in life are the ones really worth having in abundance because that’s what makes the mind lighter and makes you float.