Decluttering Your Fantasy Self - You're Going to Feel So Free!

 

Hello my friends!

Let's talk about decluttering...because, you know...we haven't heard enough about that topic over the years. 😅

But this is a different type of decluttering called "decluttering your fantasy self" and it's going to free you up in ways that you will greatly appreciate in the future. It may even save you some money and who doesn't want to save money?

I recently heard this term and it caught my attention right away, because I'm always up for decluttering what I don't need. But what about all of those things that I just knew I would use "one day?"

Decluttering your fantasy self involves things that you have acquired as part of a fantasy of who you might become. 

For instance, I have buckets of fabric, just waiting for me to become a fabulous apron maker one day.

I have photo albums waiting to be filled with all of the pictures I currently have organized in a box.

I have paints I never use. I have dresses I never wear. I have dishes and gadgets I'll never cook with. And the list goes on and on. 

Maybe you saw an influencer on social media demonstrate their amazing passion for cooking, so you went out and bought the entire line of cookware and it's still in the box. (In the old days these were called infomercials and the result was just the same). 

Maybe you imagined yourself as an expert embroider and now you have a closet full of embroidery items you never use. 

Maybe in your fantasy mind you are a master woodworker and now your shed is full of tools and random pieces of wood that, in your heart, you aren't even half-way interested in. 

Or maybe you just knew you would rock those big, bulky earrings and you took one look in the mirror and realized they just aren't who you are, so there they sit, taking up valuable space.

These are the fantasy people we create in our minds, but they never really fit or maybe we just grew out of that phase, but can't seem to let it go. 

We've all been there! 

So imagine if you decluttered your mind and your fantasy stuff and set yourself free from having to live that lie that you're really going to use up all that yarn you bought years ago. I mean, how freeing would that be?

I can speak from experience, it feels great! And I need to do this again and again, because what you gain is a clear sense of what is really important to you. You also gain the wisdom of not buying things that you're not really into, but just wanted to try or were influenced to buy. We get better with practice. 

Years ago, when I realized that I detest scrapbooking, I gave away every stack of paper, decor, albums, etc. because it was a constant source of stress when I looked at it. I've never regretted doing that. 

There have been other things I wish I wouldn't have given away, such as my salad shooter 😅 because I really used that thing! But, the things that gave me stress, those things felt like a weight off my shoulders and I learned not to spend money on those things again.

This has happened to me numerous times with clothing. (Sometimes it takes a few dollars before we learn the lesson). One summer I decided that I wanted to wear dresses, so I went out and bought a few. I tried them on, but never felt comfortable, so I never wore them. I would see other women wearing cute sun dresses and I wanted to be that girl. But there the dresses hung and eventually I gave them away. I'm ashamed to say, this has been repeated several times over the years. 

That's ok. I'm not going to beat myself up for trying, but I don't want to keep repeating the same mistake. It's too costly.

So, what is your fantasy self hanging onto?

Is it the fantasy of being a master gardener, when you really detest dealing with plants? I can relate. 

Is it the fantasy of being a famous writer, when you would rather read than write?

Do you fantasize over fancy spices, delicious meals that take hours in the kitchen, when really you would rather cook simple meals and play with your kids instead? 

We all have fantasy selves we've created in our minds, but they just aren't who we are, at the core. It's time to be ok with that. I think it's part of accepting ourselves, as we were meant to be. Not that we can't try new things and acquire new hobbies or interests or even styles, as we age. It's always great to change and grow. But it's about being authentic and not trying to do something, just because it's the trend or because someone else makes it look so fantastic and we want to look that way too.

You're going to be good at what you're naturally good at and for some of us, that may be rocking a pair of jeans and a t-shirt every single day of our lives. Because being comfortable and joyful is going to beat wearing a dress and hating every minute of it. 

Be that girl!

So go on...purge something today that your fantasy self was hanging onto. I dare you! You're going to feel such freedom when you look around and you're surrounded by things that are truly YOU. And that's who you needed to be all along.

I love and appreciate you!

Until next time...

Blessings!