A Keen Slate

Sometimes I'm admittedly unproductive. Sometimes I need rest, or perhaps a little distraction. Sometimes I need fun, humor, and silliness. I believe it is important to acknowledge -and occasionally indulge in- these things.   But that's sometimes. Most of the time, I am what others might call 'productive'. I make a to-do list and check items off as I complete them. Unless my plans are somehow derailed, most tasks are done at the end of the day. But even with derailment, I still complete other, more urgent tasks.  So why does it feel like it's never enough?  Because, considering everything I do each day, it is, or at least should be. Waking up early to pack lunch for our daughter, driving her to and from school, looking after and playing with her, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning up, errands ... Not to mention filling out arduous, time-consuming job applications, drafting professional emails that need to be, in my perfectionist mind, '

I was recently asked the thought question: What would be "my" word this year? Quickly, almost instinctively, I said, " Lighter ". While life can certainly be great, sometimes it's really hard. Uncomfortable. Sticky. Heart-rending. Terrifying. In a word, life, and its accompanying emotions, can be heavy .  So, if blessed with the opportunity, this year   I want to work towards lightness . I can't control what happens to me or those I love, but I can control how I respond to events around me. In the interim, I can invite more lightness into my life. Rolling with the punches but knowing that I don't have to white-knuckle my way through; I can loosen my grip even when things feel heavy.   Taking a breath, letting go of fear, feeling gratitude for the love that surrounds me, I have the power to feel lighter in each moment and to be filled with light.  Whether it's decluttering possessions or letting go of toxic emotions, that's exactly what I'm s

So I finally got the nerve to post some items on my local neighborhood group. Up until now I have only listed stuff for free, especially before our move. Not all items I listed the other day sold, but I'm happy to say that the biggest and bulkiest did. Plus, I ended up with some cash in my Venmo account, which felt good.  Even better though, I was able to have a nice chat with the woman I sold them them to when I dropped them off at her house. That felt good too, because in our previous home we had never gotten to know our neighbors. Since I have already decluttered so much, and we are not in the process of moving (yet), selling items does not have the same sense of urgency as before. Every thing I sell equals a little more letting go, a little less stress. I know that perhaps every selling experience won't go as smoothly as this, but I feel encouraged.  Have you sold items online? How was your experience, and do you have any advice for newbies like me? Plastic drawers, x4! Bin