What an interesting week I’ve had! I became very ill with some terrible stomach bug. I was throwing up and in so much pain. My gut was not happy. This thing laid me out for a few days, and the pain lingered for a couple of weeks. But it also led me to think about sentimental value and the role it plays in our growth.

Trying To Be Well

When I get sick, my mind goes in every self-destructive direction. I was having just the worst, shitty committee in my head. I was beating myself up because I could not work or look at emails. I would sit at my desk and get nauseated. 

Wellness is a huge part of my life. I’m proud of my health and well-being, so I knew this illness was emotion-based. It was in my gut, and the gut doesn’t lie. I went on a bland diet to help and had a healing session with someone I work with remotely out of Chicago. I meet with this person every two weeks to clear my energy and refocus my negative self-sabotaging thoughts. 

We had a great session, but something was different. I usually go into a deep zone during the session and let my subconscious do the work, but this time I was wide awake and just cried the whole time. After the session I knew, or my gut knew, this was definitely emotional. Something needed to be purged, and I did not need to figure it out or obsess about it. I just knew that something inside me was stuck, and it was going to come out. And let me tell you—as I woke up at five in the morning to throw up, I knew it wanted to come out. 

Sentimental Value

An hour after the session I decided to clean out my closet and office space. I cannot tell you why I had this urge to do this. I laid everything out on my bed, took every shoebox out of my closet, and went to town. I would look at certain items and think, “I haven’t worn this in over a year, but it has sentimental value.” But then that triggered a line of questioning: “Is that really true? Does it really have this value, or is it in my head? If I bagged all these items up and put them in storage for ninety days, would I miss them?” The answer was clear: no! I would not miss them because in reality, they have been sitting in my closet for years unworn, yet I keep them for sentimental value. 

Who Owns Me?

I feel this question is important: Do my things own me? I wrote a blog post a few months ago titled “Shoe Boxes,” which may have been the start of my gut telling me it was time to simplify my life. On a deeper level, I want to be in a relationship, and my closet had no room to invite someone in. I had used every inch of it. If I really want to have a relationship and bring someone into my quirky world, I need to make room for that special someone. 

I sat down after I completely purged my closet of clothes, shoes, and handbags galore! I took it a step further and updated my vision board as well, which finally became clearer. I cannot take all these unnecessary items with me. I have been working from home wearing my favorite sweatpants and cute tops for Zoom meetings, and I have never been happier. 

It is all about simple for me. As much as I love designer labels, it is just not my vibe these days. My gut knows all this. Don’t get me wrong, I love looking my best and showing up dressed and presentable, but I do not need a closet packed with clothes. According to feng shui practices, when you want to invite a relationship in, you need to create an inviting space that says to the universe, “Someone is invited here, and this is their space.” 

My space was not welcoming before, but now I am working toward creating open, simple spaces. At the end of the day, that is what counts. I have moved out Chanel and I am moving in the open space for a beautiful loving relationship. 

Sentimental Value And The Simple Life

We all have different reasons for cleaning out and simplifying. Maybe it is time for you to make room and simplify as well. Try taking one area of your space and clean out everything you have not used in the last six months and don’t plan to use. 

As an entrepreneur, I need this creative space that is simple and organized so I know exactly where everything is. After I cleaned out my closet, I headed for the kitchen and did a huge purge there too. Then I bought loads of fresh vegetables and grains to help my gut. Emotional cleansing involves so many factors, such as sitting still, taking a deep look at what we have created and accumulated, and wondering what is still working. 

The good news is we can purge and start over. Tomorrow I will be selling about twenty-five pairs of shoes and ten handbags. I feel so good about it knowing that someone out there will make better use of them. 

Sentimental value has a new meaning for me: it has nothing to do with things or items but rather experiences. I want more of those values! Who knows, I might go big and live in an RV for a year, traveling the United States and writing blog posts from each destination. I can take you all along with me! Who’s in?