Last week I wrote all about how decluttering my space was giving me new life. I hope it inspired you to look around at how you live and find ways to let go. You will find yourself more creative, more happy, and just overall more clear.

And I have continued to seriously purge some of my own closets and drawers over the past two weeks, I started to really think about this idea. I think it’s really important to ask ourselves each day, what are we holding onto anyway?

Is it really of value anymore?

Personally, I have started accepting that it’s okay when something’s value has passed.

The 2015 Film, “Minimalism: A Documentary about the Important Things” does a really great job of exploring this idea of the many reasons people hang onto things. And how a lot of it (and not just the physical things) doesn’t necessarily serve us.

The point is that the intention to “clear out” doesn’t have to stop at your junk drawer. GET RID OF ANY “THING” THAT IS NOT SERVING YOU. That means people, too. Do you have someone in your life that weighs you down? A negative nelly? Give yourself permission to let go of them.

The problem for many people is that they have a mental blockage about letting go. They think that because they spend money or invest energy into something once, that letting go of it is letting go of that value they poured into it. That’s not true though. You can appreciate that it once served you well, but it’s simply time to retire that thing, whether it be an item, a friendship or even an old passtime.

Sometimes the blockage is that these “things” are tied to who we WERE. And we don’t want to let them go because we’re afraid to let go of who we were.

What about letting go of who we WERE? That frees us up to focus on who we ARE. As in, who we are ARE right now.That’s a good thing to focus some energy into.

Letting go of some of the items you attach to your past self can be a good start.

It’s okay to let go of the old things, accept something’s purpose has been met. That frees up the space it took for something new, that can bring a new purpose. Or it keeps the space available and clear – even better! Maybe even letting go of certain people will give you more space to invite NEW energy into your life. Yay for new friends!

It is just as hard to let go of “things” as it is to let go of people that are not serving you.

I know it’s hard to let them go. But sometimes it’s time to.

When was the last time you took a solid inventory of all of the physical “stuff” you are holding onto in your life? How much of it have you outgrown? Maybe it’s time to mentally accept it’s time to move on from those things as a way of stepping into who you are today.

And what about an inventory of your friend space? Who have you outgrown? Who isn’t energizing you and instead keeping you from spending time with the other ones the current version of you wants to spend more time WITH?

Simply being conscious and intentional about whatever we are holding onto, we can really lighten up our spaces and our hearts. 

As much as all of that stuff adds a physical burden on our space, it contributes a significant mental weight as well. It can get to the point where it starts to weigh us down, mentally and emotionally, even before we realize it. In fact, remember that Minimalism documentary I mentioned?  It includes research and commentary from a panel of experts, including psychologists and neurologists – almost all of whom arrive at the same conclusion. That excess stuff, that doesn’t have real value in our life, can weigh us down. In so many ways.

A related article published in Psychology Today, Why Decluttering Can Lead to Increased Brain Power, asserts that clearing out our life “isn’t just a physical process, but a mental one.” A study also identified “distractors (that used to be important but weren’t anymore)” as keeping the brain from focusing on what really matters. And the more your life is filled with things “that have nothing to do with your goal, the harder your brain has to work…”

The bottom line is that the process of letting go is one of “allowing your brain to concentrate on more important tasks… and [that] can alleviate feelings of stress and promote a sense of well-being.”

So, I challenge you to take a solid look at what you are holding onto, little things, big things and people. Start making a list of the potential spaces you can go through and the possibilities of “stuff” you can let go of to make more space in your life too. We don’t actually need a lot of what fills our space. And when that space is clear, it feels so freeing.

Maybe don’t accept an invitation to go out next time because so-and-so’s energy no longer aligns with who you are now.

Keep your space sacred. That means physically, and emotionally. Let go of things (and people) who are no longer serving you.