Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Physical and Emotional Simple living



Simple-Adjective: Free from guile, vanity, ostentation or display.

Living-Adjective: Full of life and living.

As I sat watching a episode of Hoarders I started to realize something about myself. In the show they get to the root of their hoarding problem and most of the time its a personal experience that made them become hoarders.  Although I'm not a hoarder I do have attachments to things and tend to accumulate things from a certain era.  In my case its Fisher Price Toys from the 1960's & 1970's. 

You see I was raised by a single mother. My parents were never married and split when I was very young. Because of this I have no memories of them together. I do have memories of happy times which included putting Fisher Price school bus on my feet and trying to skate with them.  Setting up our Fisher Price home and making my people happy.  I have lovely memories of my Fisher Price toys. 

While watching hoarders my mind became clear and I realized my daughters have all the toys I had as a child.  Fisher Price school house, 2 houses, the barn, pull helicopter and even pull puppy. All from when I was a child.  Was I hanging onto memories of happier times? Was I hanging onto something I wanted but never had like happy married parents? Was this why I was attached to those toys? Am I holding onto negative memories or feeling towards my parents?  It's something I struggle with but I'm sure I'm not alone. 

We live a simple life, live in a simple home and have simple decor.  My brain works much better when I don't have clutter. That includes clutter in my personal life.  I don't handle stress well so when it enters my life I choose to let it go and move on.  I have lost some good friends and loving family members because of this. A hard thing to do but was needed.  But in order for me to live I have to let these toxic things go in my life.  I let go of countless brands, products and foods because of the stress they do to my body. So how is this any different? It's not.

From now on I choose life.  I choose living a simple life.  I choose happiness.  First thing to go is all those Fisher Price Toys that I'm attached to but my daughters are not.  I will instead fill my life with things that are important to me. My husband. My children.  My family. Last but not least mother earth. Because in the end she is who takes care of me and washes my stress away. 

So do you live a simple life? 
Have you taken the clutter out of your life physically and emotionally?
What did you let go even though you have attachments to them?

If your looking to declutter the physical, mental and emotional part of your life? Check my friend out at Liberated Spaces.  

Also my friend at Green Philly Blog has a great review of the book You Can Buy Happiness (& It's Cheap) written by Tammy Strobel.  A book on my list to read ASAP. 

Or get a little Feng Shui tips from Nature Moms Blog.

Jen and Joey Go Green took the 2011 challenge of getting rid of 2011 things in a year. What a cool challenge! Get inspired!


P.S.
This post is dedicated to my mom and dad. My mom is the hardest working, most selfless and inspiring person I know. You are who I have to thank for making me the person I am today.  And to my (step) dad may he rest in peace. You can into my heart when I needed it. Didn't even blink an eye.  So thankful to have known you and let me into your life. You are truly what the definition of dad means. I love you two both. 

1 comment:

Tiffany said...

I tend to a hoard a little bit but mostly because I think I will need that "someday". Everything I keep is functional though...no sentimental stuff. I am not a very sentimental person because I grew up in a house with two much stuff kept for sentimental reasons (my mother). I hate the idea that I will have to go through all her stuff after she passes. Yikes! I hope she just lives forever... Great article!