Does it give you joy to open your cupboards or your closet and see deep inventory of canned goods, a colorful array of clothing, dozens of sets of sheets and towels, a wide range of reading material, coffee mugs, tools, pens, buttons, shopping bags, socks, and scarves?

There is some sense of security in seeing fully stocked shelves. If abundance = wealth then lots of stuff must mean we’ve done alright! Besides, someday that hat or lure or screw or tin will come in handy, right? It can be tough to release stuff when you’re in some way attached to it. And it seems that just when you convince yourself that a purge is necessary, those hair clips come back in style.

But what valuable space are all those just-in-case items taking up? How attached are you to those which are aged or expired or don’t fit, are you jamming them into spaces and possibly crowding out the good stuff?

If that’s happening in your physical environment, might it at all be a reflection of your mental environment? Kathy Petrowsky, retired psychologist asks, “Are we allowing mistakes, poor habits, doubts about our worthiness, past hurts and criticism (both earned and unearned) – the clutter of our psychological past – to interfere with our ability to be happy and productive in the present?”

Aha! ~ Keep what works, release the rest

Retailers closely monitor how you navigate through their stores just like web developers measure where and for how long you’re on a site. Prime space that is utilized regularly is allowed to be occupied only by what’s important right now and what yields the greatest return.

Dr. Petrowsky, adds, “If your mind is clouded (crowded) with past hurts and/or worries about the future, you cannot experience the joys of the present.”

What are you allowing to haunt you? Old labels, opinions, decisions, relationships, or circumstances? They may have delivered a message or held a purpose at some point but let’s agree they don’t deserve to come back in style.

Let “awareness” be your flashlight and “belief” be your project manager then free up some space. Oh, and when you’re done, be sure to hoist a prominent sign that reads, “Good vibes only”.

Succeed deliberately!

Jae M. Rang

If you enjoyed today’s Aha!, go here to receive Aha! Moment Mondays, truly thought-provoking and insightful prompts, each week! As an Insights of the Day Subscriber, you will receive a FREE e-copy of Jae’s second book, “50 Simple Ways to Increase Brand Visibility.” Jae M. Rang is an award-winning Marketing Strategist, Speaker, and Mom and Author of SENSORY MEDIA and the Aha! Moment Journal; it’s a “…genius journal flooded with lessons that will trigger breakthroughs, shift your perspective, and inevitably improve your life.” William Mahood, Founder of VRSN. “Succeed deliberately!” Jae M. Rang @jaemrang @AhaMomentJournal