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Set yourself up for decluttering success - 29th May 2024
You want to declutter, you're ready to declutter!
Surely you will succeed at decluttering?
Not necessarily . . . . .
I realised quite some time ago that simply wanting to be successful in a project is not enough to guarantee the results I desire.
Two friends tell you about their plans
Sharon tells you she wants to declutter.
Karen tells you she is determined to declutter.
Which woman do you expect to have decluttering success? My money is on Karen. I get the distinct feeling that Sharon's heart is not in it and that at the first hurdle she will give up. She will not have enough motivation to complete her decluttering project. She might not even get round to starting it.
Karen on the other hand sounds like a woman who once she makes up her mind to do something will let nothing get in her way. She sounds dynamic and I also suspect she has stamina to keep going even if her decluttering takes longer than she anticipated.
The determined little girl in the country park
A couple of years ago I had an interesting encounter with a little girl whilst walking in the country park. Determination shone out of her, despite the fact that an adult was trying to prevent her from walking through a glorious carpet of autumn leaves. Of course the adult triumphed in this situation but I'd seen enough to know that the man was all about control and the little girl was very determined.
What I saw and heard made a big impression on me. I was upset to think that a man would want to stop a small child enjoying nature but it went deeper than that. I woke the next morning and I felt different. I realised that meeting the little girl had woken up my own sense of determination. I felt amazing!
It was as though something in me had suddenly stood to attention. I knew for instance that I was now determined to finish my book and get it out into the world. I was also determined to help women like me. I practised by saying the words aloud and I could feel the power in these statements.
I was so impacted by this series of events that I wrote a whole piece about determination for my book and it begins with the encounter in the country park. As I wrote I came to appreciate that it is determined women (and men) who make their mark in the world. I came to realise that me simply wanting to finish my book was not enough to drive progress forward. My childhood was not the kind to foster determination - perhaps that's why I empathised so much with the little girl in the country park. However, just because my parents did not encourage this trait does not mean I can't embrace it now.
I've incorporated some "I am determined to" statements into my daily practices and I'm pretty sure that things have changed as a result. Simply adopting the attitude of someone who is determined causes a shift in my subconscious mind. When I read these statements aloud to myself my subconscious hears the word determined and accepts it as part of who I am.
I encourage you to try your own version of this with anything you really want to achieve, especially your decluttering. You can be as specific as you like.
Determination gives you a free gift!
Once I began to embrace determination I noticed I was developing another useful yet unfamiliar trait. This trait is something I have always struggled to embody and could never maintain it for long. This trait is FOCUS and it comes completely naturally to my husband. On the other hand I am readily distracted, partly because I am an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) which means my nervous system is more sensitive to external stimuli than that of the average person.
It can be incredibly helpful to have sustained concentration for long periods of time, especially when writing a book or decluttering!
I am inclined to wonder, is focus the free gift that comes with determination? If you think about it, determination would not last long without focus, would it?
Nurture your determination
In the early stages your determination might falter a bit. You may feel a bit uncertain with this new behaviour and how to make best use of this quality. You need to learn to trust in your determination and to nurture it in the same way you would nurture a young child or a seedling. Determination will wither and die without regular attention and affirmation from you.
Don't allow yourself to drop back into being someone who simply wants to declutter!
I can help you via an one-off, occasional or regular coaching session via Google Meet. Many of my clients tell me they want to be held accountable but it's not just the checking in that matters, it's about encouragement and tools to help you stay in the determination zone where you will become successful in whatever project you adopt.
Contact me for more information.
Keywords: success, overwhelm
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