The Elimination Game
Do you ever just feel like your life is too much? Too much stuff, too many commitments, too many emails? I could go on but I have a feeling you know exactly what I'm talking about!
That dreadful feeling of overwhelm should serve as a reminder to us all of why elimination is a very necessary part of life. Getting rid of things that no longer serve us is a sure way to keep our happiness in check and our goals in focus.
So you might be thinking “okay Jalynn, that sounds great buuuut I'm overwhelmed remember? So how do I even begin to eliminate?!" Well for starters, you need to understand that this concept can apply to various areas of life. We are talking about so much more than just cleaning out your closet!
Here are the areas that you want to check in on and some ways to navigate elimination in each of them:
1. Physical Possessions
Okay, okay…I know I just said we weren't cleaning out your closet buuuut maybe for this category we are! Your environment has a major impact on your mental and emotional health. If you are surrounded by clutter and chaos, your mind will feel cluttered and chaotic! Eliminate the things that no longer serve a purpose. Find a frequent decluttering routine that works for you and be consistent. Get in the habit of asking yourself if an object brings you joy. If it doesn't, LET IT GO!
2. Relationships
Just like our environment impacts our mental health, so do our relationships! It is important to check in with yourself frequently about the energy you are putting into others to make sure it is being spent in a positive and fulfilling way. Don't be afraid to have hard conversations if you feel that a relationship is becoming toxic or having a negative impact on your life. If you determine that it isn't serving you, give yourself permission to distance yourself from it.
3. Committments
Okay moms…I'm looking at you! You do not have to do it all! I REPEAT…you do not have to do it all! We tend to over commit ourselves for a few reasons including being worried about appearing uninterested or uncaring, not wanting to let anyone down, or just not feeling comfortable with saying “no”. Here's the hard truth though: a yes to one thing equals a no to another. If we spend our days committing our time to everyone else we are left with nothing for ourselves. Check in on your priorities and align your time and energy with those things that are most important to you. Get comfortable having boundaries around the time you are willing to give to others and don't be afraid to let them know the limits.
4. Digital Clutter
Last but not least, control the digital clutter! Our inboxes are overflowing! From your personal email to your work emails to your spam folder full of limited time offers and sales…that number on your phones email icon just keeps increasing. But it's 2023 so it doesn't stop at the emails…it's also the Facebook notifications, the DMs on instagram, the likes and comments that are at your fingertips all day long. Seeing clutter in this form has a huge impact on our stress levels and drastically impairs our ability to focus clearly. Keep up on the trash in your emails, consider turning off the push notifications on your social apps, and limit the screen time for mindless scrolling. Creating boundaries around these things will help keep you in control of your life instead of letting your life be controlled by them.
