In my work as a coach, I often talk about creating space inside for something new. I think sometimes this is a concept that is difficult to understand because we are talking about inside. How can we really give ourselves more space?
This past weekend, I had a yard sale. Not because I like to have yard sales, let’s face it they are a lot of work. I did the yard sale because I love to have a clean uncluttered environment and because I learned something about myself from having a yard sale last year. I learned that a space opened up within me by letting go of something else.
With a yard sale, you are looking for things you have that you no longer need that might appeal to others so you can get some cash. The key words there are “no longer need”. As you are looking for these items, you are going through a process where you ask yourself if you can part with something and if you do, how will you feel? Sometimes, there is resistance and sometimes there is denial. You have to evaluate your life without those things and determine if you can be happy without them.
When you go through this process, you are opening a space in your mind to let new things in. You do that by releasing the physical things that you have held on to; that in turn creates space in your mind for new things. I am not talking about bringing in a bunch of physical “stuff” to replace what you sold. I am talking about the space created when you go through that releasing process. By releasing something and allowing it to become a memory instead of an actual thing, your mind now has new space for new and better things. Such as new ideas, new thought patterns or even new people.
When you do mental work, it works the same way. You look for patterns, habits, thoughts, etc, that no longer serve you. Things you don’t need or want in your life anymore because they are holding you back. Once you identify those things and begin to do the work to change them, you create a space for the new. Just by acknowledging that those things don’t serve you, you get space. The thought or habit is now in a place of less importance. Yes, it may come back and yes it may rear its ugly head again and be a struggle to change. However, just like a yard sale is a lot work, so is the mental process. As long as you are committed to letting go of your mental stuff, that commitment will lead you to success and a whole lot of new space for better things in your life.
I am a big book lover and an old school one. I love the smell of old and new books. I love the feel of them in my hands. I have collected books since childhood. And from the time I began to have my own money as a teenager, I bought books. And it didn’t stop. As my income grew, my book collecting grew. Last year, I decided that I needed to get rid of some of those books. This was a difficult process for me. It was more difficult than letting go of clothes or other household items. I felt a strong attachment to those books. They kept me company when I was alone. They were my friends. They allowed me to escape the unhappiness of my existence into a new and better place where there were happy endings.
For me, this was a gradual process. It took me months to get to the point where I could let them go and release them to someone else. As I went through this process, I experienced fear, sadness and more fear. Frankly, I didn’t want to let go. I wanted to hold on to the familiar, the safe and the known. I experienced pain and even shed tears during this difficult process. But I came through it. And going through it not only created space in my physical environment, but it also created space in my mind and heart. It allowed me to have space for the real people in my life and enabled me to grow those relationships in meaningful ways.
When I work with my private coaching clients, we often work through releasing and creating space. I gently guide them through the times where there is resistance. I provide support during the times they feel fear and uncertainty. I am there for them so that they can create more space for joy and excitement in their life. And so that they can create the life that they deeply desire.
Sherry Parks is a Wellness Coach who helps women rediscover their joy and excitement for life.
To contact Sherry for more information about coaching join her women only Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1412224992154642/.