Have you ever sat in your room and notice all the clutter that is there and you start planning on decluttering your room? You begin to sort out things you want to toss or donate and the ones you want to keep.

But decluttering isn’t just about sorting things out and tossing them out. It’s about taking stock of who you are and how others see you. It’s a chance to redefine yourself, change your expectations, it’s a time to just stop existing to start living and to feel happiness living in the environment you’re in. 

It is important to declutter the negativity in your life. The negative thoughts and feelings that creep over everything and paralyze your progress. Eliminating the harsh thoughts and poison ideas popping up in your head consistently is beneficial. Not allowing that negative self-talk to envelope your mind is a key factor to a stable mental health. This process is not as easy as it seems but trust me it’s definitely worth it and you just have to believe it can be done. 

The next thing you should do during this process is separating out your own bad behaviors and toxic traits because we’re all guilty of possessing toxic traits. One of the things I’m trying to get rid of is my procrastination which makes me counterproductive. I think I’d win a Grammy for that. 

It’s also important to note and eradicate the old ideas that effect our actions. For instance, I catch myself thinking negative things about myself like, "how I’m undeserving of love and happiness since majority of life has been filled with pain and hurt". But I deserve all the love and happiness life has to offer. 

Finally, decluttering people is important too. Some people are plain toxic and staying around toxic people can rub on you too. Get rid of that family member who only criticizes, that romantic partner who doesn’t show you respect, that condescending friend who has nothing good to say. Some people hinder your progress in life and tolerating them for the sake of a feel of friendship or kinship or the promise of acceptance isn’t worth it. Start assessing how people truly make you feel, how good your relationship is if you didn’t reach out, how you feel after hanging out with them, have you established healthy boundaries and do they respect them? How do you show up for each other? Is it balanced? 

In the process of 'Decluttering’ try and apply the KonMari method, have gratitude for the things and people you’re letting go and only keep those that spark joy. 

“When you come across something that you can’t part with, think carefully about its true purpose in your life. You’ll be surprised at how many things you possess have already fulfilled their role. By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you will be able to put the things you own and your life in order. In the end all that will remain are the things you truly treasure. To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose.” -extract from ‘The life-changing magic of tidying up’ by Marie Kondo.