Is it Worth My Time and Energy?
Sometimes going through your belongings is easy. That wrapper from the sucker your kid just popped in his mouth? Trash. That pair of jeans ripped in the wrong place? Trash. That outgrown toy? Donate. That book you won't read again? Donate.
Then there are things that are just a little more difficult to decide on. That teapot that your aunt gave you when you were ten years old? That perfume you love but haven't worn in six months? What about that outfit that was adorable on daughter when she was a toddler but now she is a teenager?
Each month I'm going to give you a question to help you think through whether or not you want to keep an item. There is no right or wrong answer. There is just your answer.
Your time and energy are precious commodities and you should spend them on things that are important to you. Whether it’s work or family time or other commitments, you will always choose how you spend your time. Those choices are based on your values. “Show me a man’s checkbook and I’ll tell you what they love.” “Show me your calendar and I’ll tell you what they love.”
With that in mind, let’s play a little game of Would You Rather.
Would you rather spend time constantly shoving things in closets and drawers or being able to quickly pick up items and put them in their appropriate home?
Would you rather finish a complete load of laundry or stare at piles of clothes?
Would you rather read a book or dust a bookshelf?
Would you rather know what food you have to eat for the week or stress out at every meal with last minute prep?
The answers that you gave may be far different from the life you live. Letting go of things that take too much energy away from the things you say you value or the things you want to value will help align your life and values. It might look like having less clothes so that the laundry gets done fully and then worn again instead of just more and more clothes being worn, washed, dried, and piled in the corner. It might look like letting go of that massive toy that has more parts than you want to keep up with.
What’s worth your time and energy to keep up with?
Be on the look out for more questions throughout 2021!