I was talking with a client today about getting stuck with a "maybe." She said when she likes something, it's an easy yes. When she doesn't like something, it's simple to decide to let it go. But then there are the things where she is uncertain. They become maybes, and she uncomfortably hangs onto them.
Maybes are no. They are clutter.
It becomes hard for us to see this because we get caught up in and attached to the emotions we feel about something and this shuts down our deciding mechanism. We get frustrated with ourselves because we think we should be able to make a decision. But emotions are more powerful than our intellect.
It helps to look more closely at what's going on.
A part of us says, "I don't need this." Another part says, "But...what if I need it?...what if I change my mind?...what if someone else needs it?...my sister gave it to me and I'm worried she might be upset at me." The emotions behind the "but" are fear based. They are not based on what's happening. We're worrying about what might happen. By hanging on to this thing, we are hanging on to the fear. Living that way is hard on us.
What's worth noticing, and spotlighting, is the part of us that doesn't want this thing, the part of us that is uncomfortable with keeping it, the part of us that sees this thing is not a part of our life. Making decisions from this feeling gives us the peace of mind that hanging on to something out of fear can never give us.