"I got so much shit I don't know what to do with it all!"
My client summed up the feeling that a lot of my clients have. They are overwhelmed and can't think clearly amongst their stuff. It's frustrating to know the source of the pain and not be able to fix the clutter situation and feel better.
It's hard to think clearly amidst emotional pain. We either can't act, or we pick solutions that we think will bring relief but often are just a distraction from the pain. The distractions can be new things, people, or activities that we bring into our life. But they end up adding to the pain.
I sensed this in my client as she frantically paced in front of the fully packed clothes closet.
I asked her if she could make us some tea. That was just one task and I felt it would help her slow down on the inside. We went into the kitchen. As she made tea, she seemed to relax.
We went back into her bedroom and I had her sit on the floor in front of her closet. She drank her tea as I pulled out one item of clothing at a time. I asked, "Do you like to wear this or can you let it go?"
With a clear head, she knew what to do with each item.