I’ll admit that I have mastered the art of avoidance. I don’t like to deal with issues that I know are going to cause discomfort. It’s taken me a long time to realize that there are always going to be people who are uncomfortable with my truth, and that’s totally okay.
I’m going to be 45 next year (!) and while that’s not necessarily a milestone birthday, other things are happening in 2020 that have motivated me to deal with stuff that I’ve been avoiding for far too long. It’s funny how life changes can compel you to do things you haven’t really want to. For me, it’s time to deal with these things because I don’t want to carry them into the next phase of my life.
Let’s face it, we all have baggage that we’ve accumulated over the years. We’ve had amazing experiences and heartbreaking ones and there’s good stuff to hold onto and negative stuff that we need to leave in the past. The key is to decipher between the two and truly let go of the stuff we don’t need or is no longer serving us.
Sometimes the things we need to deal with aren’t easy. They require us to have tough conversations with ourselves or with others. They challenge us to be honest and open about why we’ve done things in a certain way and what kinds of changes are necessary to move forward in a productive way. I had to take a pause while writing that last statement because I realize I still have a lot of work to do… LOL
All kidding aside, if we really want to move forward in a positive way we have to declutter in ALL areas of our lives. If we want more good to flow into our life, we have to make room for it, and that means letting go of the stuff that’s just been taking up room. As someone who has hoarding tendencies, I know that this isn’t always easy, but it is necessary. How can we expect more love, prosperity and happiness in our lives if we’re still holding on to hurt, mistakes and bitterness from the past?
The good news is that the work doesn’t have to happen overnight. The important thing is to get started! Continuing to avoid doing what needs to be done so that we can move forward in a positive way isn’t going to get us where we want to go. We have to identify the stuff that’s been weighing us down and develop a plan to release it.
I think it’s important to note that you don’t have to do this on your own. Some of the things we need to deal with may require someone with professional training to guide you through the process and that’s okay! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It takes a great deal of self-awareness to admit that you can’t do it on your own.
I’ve started dealing with my own stuff and I’m happy to report it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’m grateful that I have finally found the courage to confront issues that I’ve been holding on to for far too long and there’s still more work to do. I’m excited to see where this new phase of my life is headed and am committed to travelling light on the journey, how about you?