Tidying Up

“If you want a golden rule that fits everybody, this is it: Have no thing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris

Hi Friends,

I woke up the other day, opened my eyes to see the familiar artwork that hangs across from my bed and thought I can’t wake up one more day and see this same stupid wall. However dismal this sounds at first, there was a simple solution. It started with taking down that piece of art.

This snowballed. Inspired by Marie Kondo’s Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I’ve spent this past week re-arranging the art on the walls and going through my closet and drawers, asking myself if my items bring me joy, and letting go of things that do not.

In pandemic society, the regular claustrophobia of life is amplified by the fact that there is no reliable projected end-date to this saga. When can I expect yoga studios to open in LA, and more importantly, when can I expect to feel safe in them? When can I expect to go back to work in person? Is “going back” to pre-Covid life 1) an option, and 2) even what I really want? I have more questions than answers right now. There’s a lot I don’t know and can’t control.

As much as it might feel like it, the walls aren’t shrinking in on me, and neither are my life’s possibilities. This de-cluttering process is lightening my load in small ways that I have control over. I’m making room for myself.

Now that there’s more visible space in my house, there’s less to distract me. Not only that, I’m more connected to what brings me joy and what doesn’t. With less clutter in my home I feel less clutter in my mind. With less clutter in my mind, I feel more open to new possibilities in this weird world we wake up in every day.

If I’m honest with myself, and I try to be, doors have shut on possibilities I once considered dreams, at least for the foreseeable future. That’s sad, but it’s not that sad. This house project has given me the space to see what I currently have, value it, and open up to new dreams. There are unexpected possibilities yet to discover. And that’s kind of exciting.

I know a lot of you are going through something similar. We each have different ways of managing our lives for the health, safety, and care of ourselves, our families, and our communities. So, if your bedroom walls are driving you crazy and if you need a way out of the infinite loop of uncertainty, allow me to suggest a bit of de-cluttering followed by some yoga. It’s certainly helped me.

I hope to connect with you in a live yoga class this week!

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