Clutter

We all have it. Whether it’s a drawer, a room, a garage or an attic, we all have varying amounts of stuff we don’t need, don’t use or don’t want stored in our homes somewhere. Every year there seems to be more of it, as if it is breeding in dark places and planning to take over the world. And of course, the more there is of it, the more daunting it is to do something about.

As a child growing up in my parents’ house, I can remember my mother demanding “take your clutter away!” on more than one occasion. I didn’t understand why she called it clutter – it was, at various times, my precious toys, magazines, makeup, school books, letters or other things that were of value to me, placed on the sideboard or in the sitting room “just for now” until I took it up to my room or dealt with it or – gasp! – threw it away (of which more later).

It was, of course, a matter of perception. From my point of view, these things were useful or transient. From my mother’s point of view, it was just stuff gathering dust and making the place look untidy.

• Even though my mother sees things differently to me, I deeply and completely love and accept myself
• Even though my mother treats my things – and by extension, me - with contempt, I deeply and completely love and accept myself
• Even though my stuff is precious to me and she doesn’t understand, I deeply and completely love and accept myself
  

Do you note that part of the setup statement: “my stuff is precious to me”? We tend to use the same word – “stuff” – to mean both our possessions and our history. This is no accident – as we move through life we collect stuff. Stuff that reminds us of our history. Sometimes it’s a present from someone we care about, or something fashionable in the 70s but now … not so much, or a replacement for something that still works, but is no longer really necessary – anyone who has owned a computer for more than 10 years has old monitors stored somewhere, for example, replaced by a flat screen that takes up far less room. Those old monitors may, after all, come in useful some day. Or a jumper “borrowed” from an old boyfriend and never returned, or a hideous gift from an aged relative we don’t want to offend.

Clutter is the physical manifestation of our history. Our history is precious to us and without it we wouldn’t be who we are. No wonder the number 1 obstacle to growing and getting past our issues is that we won’t know who we are if we change.

• Even though I won’t know who I am if I change, I deeply and completely love and accept myself
• Even though it’s scary to let go of [this issue], I deeply and completely love and accept myself and who I am
• Even though it’s true that I might be different if I change, it’s also true that I might be happier and I’m willing to be open to feeling happier and free

A Clutter Visualisation

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself surrounded by all your possessions, attached to each one of them by a piece of rope. Some of it is in suitcases, some of it is in huge trunks and bags and some of it is just little bits out by themselves. Really feel all that stuff tied to you. How do you feel? Now, try to move forward. Is it easy? Or is it really hard? Do you have to turn, gather the ropes in your hands and have to haul all that stuff with you?

This is where you are now, with your back to the future, your face to all that stuff, unable to move forward because of all the stuff holding you back and taking all your attention.

Now, imagine you find in your hands a large pair of sharp scissors or a sword if you like. Cut all those ties to the past, the scissors or sword easily slicing through the ropes attaching you to your past.

Now turn and move forward. Feel how much easier that is, the lightness, freedom and peace you can feel while taking your steps into your own future with nothing holding you back.

You are still you. The difference is that you are free of dragging all that stuff with you.

Take a breath, open your eyes and try to bring that feeling with you into the rest of your day.

Endnote

This is how EFT works – it facilitates the release of attachments to the past and frees you to be more yourself and less your stuff.

Today, 21^st February 2010 is the first day of the World Tapping Summit – 10 days of EFT online presentations by various EFT personalities from different countries. I urge you to sign up for this free event.

And if you need some expert EFT help, you can contact me here for an appointment in person, by phone or by skype internet video call.