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PART 2

I’m so grateful you’ve joined me to continue “decluttering!”  When a topic deserves more than can be fit into a short piece, I post in parts allowing the opportunity to retain and revisit the issue over time.

If you didn’t get a chance to read Part 1, read it here.  I would love to hear from you!

So, let’s further explore how we tend to allow life’s complexities to easily become clutter, gunking up the joy and peace meant for us.  We all do it, and it’s as easy as letting the mail pile up on the counter.

Think of that feeling after decluttering a space.  Let’s take it a step further with a real-world picture of what a cluttered vs decluttered soul looks like. 

In advertising and publishing, there is something called white space.  You know, you’ve seen a brochure, or printed page in a magazine, that had so much text, colors and pictures that you couldn’t decipher or retain anything on it.  Then you’ve seen those with very clear, minimal wording against more white space than pics or wording.  You immediately see, feel and hear what was meant to be conveyed.

It’s called layout and it’s extremely intentional to leave as much white space as possible.  It’s why newspapers have columns instead of text all the way across.

So, think of your soul as space to create the layout.  But practically, how do we free up white space?

The most powerful tool is to be still and breathe. 

I can hear you: Really?  That’s it? That’s gonna help with all the crap that gets thrown at me?

YES!

Stillness is to your soul what decluttering is to your home.  But wait, I’m not talking just physical stillness.  What good is it to be physically still if your mind’s running wild? 

Stillness is mostly silence.  You can be still as you take a walk and breathe fresh air and hear sounds of nature.  You can be still as you’re driving without the radio, music, phone off.

Stillness of soul, whether it’s two minutes or two hours is clearing the clutter.  And deep breathing immediately calms and slows down your mind and body.

Picture this:  Silence serves as a colander, allowing feelings, thoughts and perspectives to fall gently through and away, creating space for the gentle voice guiding your steps forward.

It’s amazing how just five minutes of silence in the morning infuses clarity, courage and peace throughout your day.  It literally creates space to process everything you’re faced with, and it never stops, right?

The #1 excuse is, I don’t have time.  Well, it’s true you might have to get creative about whatever goes on in your home in the morning, but it’s doable.  It could be anything from getting up ten minutes earlier, to closing yourself in the closet for a couple minutes.  I had one woman tell me she simply sat in her car and breathed for a few minutes. 

The point is, just find silence.

Find cracks of time throughout the day, maybe just thirty seconds to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.  That’s where your heart is open to the voice that could come as a simple thought; your body warning you it needs attention; a light bulb moment, or answer to a question or dilemma you’re facing.

Your soul needs stillness like your body needs sleep, to re-calibrate your mind, restore and heal your body.  Even more, your soul needs the same.  It is decluttering emotionally, mentally, physically.  

So you see, even with enough sleep, if our souls are cluttered, our bodies are not healing properly. 

It’s true, soul clutter is also affecting our bodies, and I believe is the culprit behind many diseases, fibromyalgia, rampant depression, and so on.

So, do I have your attention? 

Where intention goes, energy follows.  What you focus on expands.  So, besides stillness, what can we do to intentionally create white space?

The quickest way to become cluttered is not exercising self-care.  There’s that excuse again – I don’t have time for that.

It’s a great excuse – until it isn’t.

Here’s the truth.  We all have the same sixteen working hours in the day.  We get to choose to fill it with fun, purpose and favorite people.  Yes, I know we are all in different seasons and circumstances of life and some carry more responsibilities than others.  But let’s start by analyzing those responsibilities, because I guarantee, we all take on more than we have to. 

So, let’s get into this next week in Part 3.  Will you join me? 

And just a reminder, I will definitely be making the opportunity for this workshop available again in the near future. And in the weeks ahead, I will be sharing more about a very exciting retreat I’m planning.  Heads up!

Seeing White Space,

Ruthie

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