Free yourself
Your Memories Are Inside, Not In Your Stuff
It’s hard to live your life without collecting things. Who doesn’t have trophies from competitive activities, mementos of trips we’ve taken, toys we used to play with, and clothes from the people we used to be?
The problem is that after a while, those things start to accumulate. They are reminders of a life we’ve already lived. They take up space in the life that we still have.
So they can become a way to slow us down and keep us from moving forward.
If you are feeling the drag – and maybe even if you aren’t – maybe it’s time for a purge.
Here are some tips for letting go of sentimental things to make it easier.
Write It Down
Writing about our experiences brings them out of the imaginal realm and into the physical realm. Writing helps to solidify and organize our thoughts so they are easier to recall and share.
Since lots of us collect things to help us remember, improving our recall lessens the need for stuff to help us remember.
Create a Ritual
Regular cleansing keeps things from building up
Lots of people let go of things with the full moon. That’s a great strategy for living lean.
There are also rituals for touching base. The past is not a “bad” place. It’s just not the present.
It’s healthy to remember your roots and touch base with our foundation periodically. Rituals can help to remind us of that and make space for it.
Capture It In a Photo
Digital photos take up no space at all!
If you take the time to learn how to craft beautiful pictures, you have more time to linger in the vibe that you want to retain. This makes your memory of it more fully sensory and alive.
So, once you have your snapshot, you may not even need anything else to help you recall the event or thing.
Speak It
Tell sexy, beguiling stories
If something wonderful is happening, share it. Tell your waitress what a wonderful meal you’re having. Tell your partner how much you love the way the light is hitting her eyes.
Tell stories of how much fun you had as a child.
When we speak our tender and precious experiences, we share them with the world. It’s like sprinkling the day with sparkles.
When we speak our hurtful moments with someone we trust, they help us to share the load, so we don’t have to carry those memories. Grief, loss, and sadness will dissipate when released into the air.
Let it go.
Emotion gives our life meaning… and emotion needs to flow. Trying to capture a moment in things shows a lack of trust that you will remember it. It also shows a lack of trust that that sweetness will ever come again.
Trust.
And let go.