Shedding and Organizing Your Way to Clarity
There are times when we all must hunker down and crank to produce something important. During pedal to the metal times, it is important to focus your effort and energy like a laser beam. After years of being disorganized (e.g., papers, and books everywhere), I’ve finally learned that being organized brings clarity and clutter helps you operate most efficiently.
In recent months, I have been systematically organizing and even “shedding”—not in the sense of grooming my dog Mushka, but by dejunking, paring down clutter and organizing what’s left. Julie Morgenstern’s book When Organizing Isn’t Enough: Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life has been enlightening as I lighten the load.
What is SHED? Morgenstern explains, “SHED is a transformative process for letting go of things that represent the past so you can grow and move forward”. There are four steps of SHED (Separate the Treasures, Heave The Trash, Embrace Your Identity, Drive Yourself Forward). The shedding process eliminates the defunct, extraneous and burdensome objects and releases obligations that are weighing you down. By doing so, you create the psychological space to discover what’s next and gather the energy and courage to move forward.
The process requires understanding and releasing emotional attachments to tangible objects. I was able to shed 50% of my extensive but seldom used library, and a long with it, to release intangible burdens including unhealthy beliefs, thoughts and behaviors”.
Letting go through shedding is empowering—because what remains allows what really matters most to surface, so you can achieve more of what you truly desire.
What bottled up project and “stuck energy” corners of your life could benefit from shedding? Give the process a try.
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