You Want a Taste of the Good Life?

So… did you do last week’s Radical Pantry Challenge? If not, don’t worry. There’s always this week! 🙂

I heard from many of you who did. Here are some messages I got:

“It feels great to have a clean, organized space!”

“I did not only my pantry, but all my kitchen cabinets, too! I am in such a different space, thanks to the work I have been doing since finding you. I don’t get stuck as much when clearing and releasing.”

“Thank you for this challenge. It was an eye opener. I have thrown, sorted, and totally reorganized the pantry to how it previously was.”

If you didn’t do it, think back to what stopped you.

Did it sound like a good idea when you first heard it?

Did you dismiss it straight away?

Were you considering doing it but then became occupied with other things?

I know sorting the pantry can feel like a big job, but you deserve a big life.

What does a pantry have to do with a big life, you ask?

Well, if you didn’t make the time to sort out your dry goods, what else are you not making the time for?

Every draining thought, thing, or person you unload from your life lightens you and makes you more able, available, and motivated to blaze your unique trail. The pantry or some other doable space could be just the project you need to begin to get things in motion.

Did you ever watch The Biggest Loser? That television show where people lost a ridiculous amount of weight in a short period of time? There was one episode each season when the participants were loaded up with weighted vests and coats to bring them back to their starting weight. They then had to climb a hill, and at each week’s marker, they could unload how ever much weight they lost at that stage. By the time they got to the top and were carrying no extra weight, the point was well driven home of how negatively the extra pounds had affected them.

Your possessions — particularly those things you don’t love, need, or use — can feel the same. Maybe not like pounds on your body, but they’re holding you back just the same. If what you have doesn’t make life more beautiful or easier, why keep it?

Sure, we’re just talking about a pantry here, but the ripple effect of clutter is much wider than you can imagine. It’s a doable place to start or continue the decluttering of your life; giving you a clean slate so you can decide what you truly want to invite back in. Having the experience of being selective, even with your dry foods, gives you a taste of what it would be like to be selective in your relationships, your thoughts, and your choices.

A friend of mine moved from Australia to England. She and her husband made an agreement that they would only bring what they could fit in two suitcases, with no shipping or storage allowed. While it was challenging, for sure, she said it was incredibly liberating. Talk about a clean slate!

You don’t need to have all your clutter cleared to live an awesome life. You just need to get started.

So if not the pantry, what will you start on this week? Let me know in the comments.