When we were kids it was obvious when something no longer fit us. Our shoes hurt our feet. Our pants split when were climbing a tree. It was hard to get our shirt over our heads.
When we become adults it's harder to tell when something no longer fits us emotionally. There are things in your home that no longer fit who you are now. Often these are the things that are ignored in boxes or the back of drawers or closets. They are things left unseen for months or years in storage lockers. They can be a CD that you can't remember the last time you listened to. There are the clothes that still fit your body, but don't fit your soul.
At one time these things fit you. They fit who you were when you bought them. You enjoyed their presence in your life. They brought you benefit. You enjoyed them. But their use for you has ended. However they are still in your home. It can be hard to consider throwing them out or donating them. You have memories of the experiences you had with them. They feel like a part of you. To think of throwing them out can be overwhelming. You just can't find yourself letting them go. It seems easier to leave them be.
Yet on some level their presence bothers you. A part of you knows it would be good to let them go. It's hard to ignore that feeling.
Yesterday I was working with a client who had five boxes of papers in her basement. They were lecture notes and tests when she used to be a college professor. I asked her if she needed them. She said no, but she didn't want to let them go. She looked sad. Her face was pinched. She was looking down and distant. She said, "but what if I want to teach this class again?" I said, "do you want to teach this class again?" Suddenly she was present. She declaritively said, "No way!" She happily helped me bring all the boxes of papers out to the recyclying bin.
She was temporarily lost in the memories of something that once meant a great deal to her, but was no longer a part of her life. She saw that these things no longer fit her. It was apparent by her reaction to them. These things now brought her discomfort. When she shed them she felt terrific.
When you consider the things that you possess be aware of how they make you feel. Do they fit you? Do they make you feel alive now? Do they give you a feeling of eveness in your body and mind? Or do they make you feel tired or forelorn? Do they make you lost and far away? Do they create discomfort?
You know best. You are the only one who knows what fits you and what doesn't. Today is a good day to let go of those things that you've grown out of. You deserve to feel good in your life now.