After living in my house for 20 years, I recently became acutely aware of the “stuff creep.” Closets had filled with objects collected or gifts given over the years. Stuff that we no longer used or remembered, but still had meaning, like my grandmother’s framed needlepoint art (at least six framed pieces) or my family’s annual Christmas tradition of homemade gifts, which ran the spectrum from “wow” to “whoa,” were languishing in the recesses of our closets.
I started to feel uneasy about so much stuff sitting unused and unappreciated in hidden spaces. Space and feelings of spaciousness have always been top priority for me. I prefer smaller gatherings to jam-packed parties or festivals and the idea of going to a conference with hundreds or thousands of people makes me queasy. I live in the city but there is still a sense of spaciousness in my neighborhood, which is a mix of apartments, houses and green spaces.
Physical spaciousness gives us a sense of freedom, of being able to breathe and move freely.
So my husband and I set about finding new homes for a vintage snowboard, an unused set of skis, a box of art supplies from a dabble in art, an old Atari set and the list goes on.
But, of course, the clutter in the house got worse before it got better. We unearthed all of these items from the back of shelves or closets and set them out in the open space of our living room. For a few minutes we enjoyed revisiting these objects and remembering where they came from, who gave them to us, where we were when we bought or received them and remembering who we were then. As each item was moved out of the house, the house (and I) started to feel lighter and more spacious. I no longer felt the anxiety of “stuff” sitting in dark corners and closets.
Yes, this is a metaphor for our own bodies and minds. It’s also a metaphor for our time, energy and attention.
Let’s start with the body. In order to feel spacious and light, the body needs to move. Whether that’s going for a bike ride, working in the garden, playing frisbee or walking around the neighborhood, are you moving your body for a minimum of 30 minutes each day? Even more than sleep and nutrition, exercise or physical activity is the biggest influence on your brain health. Out of all of the recommendations for your physical health, make movement your top priority.
When it comes to the mind, rumination on the past or worry about the future creates a contraction in the mind. A spacious mind learns how to reconcile and let go of the past and plan for, but not fret about, the future. A spacious mind learns how to skillfully navigate through uncertainty without clinging or aversion. A spacious mind knows how to slow down and pause before taking an action. It begins with awareness of your mind’s habits. You can look at the movements and contents of the mind to see where the mind tends to spend the most time. It’s vitally important to do this without judgment, simply with gentle curiosity. From there you can start to make different choices.
When it comes to your time, energy and attention, it’s another awareness exercise. Take inventory of who or what is demanding your attention or energy. We willingly give much of our attention to mindless activities on our electronic devices. How much time are you spending on your electronics? Watch how scrolling fills in the spaces where we used to wait in lines or for appointments, take public transit, walk, exercise or just sit outside and watch the world go by.
Take inventory of your schedule and see what you are committing to. Are these activities that are essential? Are they nourishing? What are obligations that you can’t avoid versus activities that are just taking up space? Developing boundaries around your time, energy and attention can create a sense of spaciousness.
Summer may be around the corner but it’s not too late to do some “spring cleaning” so consider this an invitation to begin a clearing of your physical space. Approach it with the objective of feeling more freedom and lightness in your living space and, by proxy, your mind and body.
Start small and know that even clearing out a closet will take a little longer and be a little messier than you expect. Consider taking four hours each weekend for a month to clear a closet. Make it as joyful a task as you can. Find organizations in advance that will take your items for reuse or post them on Nextdoor, Freeya or Buy Nothing groups on Facebook. And, as silly as it may sound, you can search YouTube or Instagram and find people who are cheerfully cleaning if you need some before-and-after inspiration!
This type of cleaning exercise can also broaden your ability to focus and pay attention, which is an increasingly valuable commodity in a society of splintered attention. Remember, have fun and let me know how it goes.
Stacey Royce
Subtle Body Experience
subtlebodyexperience.com
503.258.7790
Editor’s note: Wellness Word is an informational column which is not meant to replace a healthcare professional’s diagnosis, treatment or medication.