Authentic August – Day 20 (28 days ’til 28)
Yesterday I talked about decluttering our chessboards in order to make the game easier to play; it’s just a cute analogy to say that we should strive to simplify our lives. I elaborated a bit more during the livestream and then I introduced some ways I’m looking to simplify my life. And the top item on the simplification to-do list is TIDYING UP!
I first read Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up several years ago after I bought the book for my parents as a Christmas present (I don’t think they ever read it lol). During that time I was hyped on minimalism: I watched the Minimalism documentary on Netflix, I would play minimalism TED Talks in the background as I was packing up to move to a new apartment, and I was simulateneously trying to get rid of as many possessions as possible.
A common thread found in the topics I find most interesting is this idea of living an intentional life, and that’s what minimalism is about ultimately. It’s more than just getting rid of your possessions; it’s about determining what you value, and making sure those values stay front and center in your life.
So in the spirit of minimalism and living a more intentional life, I’m rereading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up! I’m about a third of the way through, and this weekend I plan to execute on what I’m learning. According to Ms. Kondo, if you tidy up the right way, you’ll only need to do it once. None of her clients have ever rebounded, and her waiting list has a waiting list. So she knows her stuff!
As you can tell from the fact that I’m rereading the book, clearly I didn’t get it right the first time lol, but this is what Marie has to say about that:
“If you use the right method and concentrate your efforts on eliminating clutter thoroughly and completely within a short span of time, you’ll see instant results that will empower you to keep your space in order ever after.“
For me, this “short span of time” will be over the next 28 days, meaning by my birthday. And this is in line with my goal to start my 28th year off on the right foot. Clearing out my clutter and changing up my room “thouroughly and completely” will be my little birthday present to myself. I predict that I will feel “empowered” by the “instant results.” I think I’ll feel energized by optimizing my space and only keeping those possessions that “spark joy” as the book recommends.
As always, if there are any golden nuggets of wisdom that I read, I’ll share them here. One that I’ll leave you with today is this:
“The urge to point out someone else’s failure to tidy is usually a sign that you are neglecting to take care of your own space.”
This is so confronting! To me this quote is more than just about tidying our space… this speaks to tidying one’s life as well. Due to my own high (and impossible) standards for my life, I’ve often projected those onto friends and family unfairly. So much energy is freed up when we’re able to truly leave people alone lol. Like, you do you! This is another thing I need to work on; another way I can simplify. Instead, lead by example. Certainly we can offer feedback, but usually only when asked for it. Just lead yourself, and lead by example.
With LOVE,
Q.