I have a serious love/hate relationship with social media. I can pretty much find a meme to support or go against any argument known to man (or woman) … but every now and then one rings true and I’m forced to stop and contemplate.
I saw a post from a profile called @souls_connecting (yes, I’m deep like that) which read: If you are keeping the energy of old relationships active and alive, new ones can’t show up. Cosmic law.
Guess how much I know about cosmic law? Not much. But I’ve got commonsense, so I get it. Now, of course the post is focused on relationships likely, romantic relationships that is. But for me, that’s not where it resonates. I “saged” out the old and embraced the new a long time ago. I did that personally, but I hadn’t done it professionally.
Reflection
It’s the end of the year. I’m forced to think back and decide what stays in 2019 and what comes with me into 2020. I started with my closet. I went through my belongings and removed things I don’t wear anymore, have never worn and will never wear again. Because I’m an #INTJ and a #Capricorn, I take inventory of and track pretty much everything. I’m now up to four full 13-gallon trash bags for Goodwill and over one hundred items to sell on Poshmark and I haven’t even gotten to my shoes yet. I’n not happy about it. I’m embarrassed. I have so much…. STUFF. Stuff that I don’t need.
For the last few months I started to feel like I wasn’t hitting goals and I’m super goal oriented, so missing them is really hard for me. When I read that post, I realize that I was holding on to so many things that were no longer serving me, and because of that I had no space to receive anything. You know, signs are everywhere. I’d already started my process of purging and the post just confirmed that I was on the right path.
I don’t need more clothes, shoes, purses, or things for that matter. My hope is that my excessive spending and buying will bless someone who needs something I have… whether they get perfectly good clothes from the Goodwill store, or they buy a designer handbag from Poshmark.
It’s the end of a decade. In 2010, I remember leaving my job as a manager at Intuit for the unknown. I took that leap and I was a global director a month later. I thought that’s what I wanted, but the job was boring as heck and I felt like I was getting dumber every day. Last year, I made it to VP level and I thought that was the epitome of success and I was dissatisfied like I’ve never been before. Now, I’m freelancing and running my own business and while I no longer have the stability, the peace of mind is priceless, and I’m challenged every day. I’ve never been happier.
Looking Ahead
So, what did this purging experience teach me? Everything can’t come with me into 2020. I’ll take only what I need and gift or sell the rest. I feel physically lighter. Because I feel physically lighter, I’m feeling lighter mentally. The mental clarity is helping me to think strategically. Thinking strategically will only further my business and help me reach my goals. Earlier today, I told a friend of mine that I felt like I was nesting. I have no children, but from what I understand when a woman is about to give birth, she begins preparing for her new baby by creating space and organizing, otherwise known as nesting. From what I know, the desire to nest is instinctive and is usually very quickly followed by birth.
I’m nesting. I’m about to give birth to something great. I don’t know what it is… I just know it’s not a boy or girl 😊. I’ve cleared out two closets so far. Up next are my drawers and shoes. I have great shoes by the way, but as an entrepreneur who works at home, my boot socks mean more to me than the Tom Ford Cinderella shoes at the moment.
The Future
If you believe everything happens for a reason (as do I…) you can appreciate that maybe the extra items I bought were actually not for me in the long run, but for me to hold for someone else until they needed it. That’s how I’m going to choose to look at this experience.
I’m not shopping for a while. A good long while. I have everything I need and most of what I want. Life is good. I’m blessed. I feel this way even when things aren’t going the way I plan because I realize I’m not in control.
So, to the persons who are going to enjoy my things: they’re meant for you, not for me. They’re full of my energy, and my energy is good… my attitude is positive… my heart is full and my granddad doesn’t call me the “Brains” for nothing. So, you’re so about to win!
If you end up with one of my dresses and you wear it to an interview, I hope my energy of completely slaying interviews and always getting an offer works for you, and you get the job.
To the persons who ends up with my laptop bags: May my tenacity and resilience in business, coupled with insane optimism catapult your career.
To the persons who gets my fabulous shoes and handbags: may your steps be guided and you avoid mistakes I’ve made because my shoes are guiding you. May the handbags that I’ve said “watch my millions” over when leaving them int he care of someone I trust manifest for you, even if it hadn’t for me.
To the person reading this who is also sitting on a mountain of things that aren’t actually doing anything but weighing you down, I hope I encourage you to lighten your load.
My load is light and I’m ready to receive. Bring. It. On! Let’s go 2020! I can see clearly now.
Happy Holidays
