Be the Chief of Your Golden Teepee

It never ceases to amaze me how controlled we are by stuff we accumulate in life. My guess is that you are sitting at home in your house, condominium, or apartment and that you are surrounded by material things that can be labeled stuff. How many times have you thought about moving to a better environment where you could be more comfortable or would enjoy life more, but the thought of moving all that stuff makes it impossible for you to even imagine making this step that is in your best interest? You are being controlled.

I suppose in many ways we look at these accumulations as material items that identify who we are and what our lives have represented. This theory has been drilled into our very being by the marketing strategies of the media. The advertisements on television are continually presenting material items that will make us look better, feel better, and will make our lives easier. Is that really true when we have cupboards filled with items we haven`t touched in a decade`s time? Are we better parents when we hold on to the little league trophies or the prom dresses that our children treasured, when our children are now adults accumulating treasures of our grandchildren? You are being controlled.

Consequently, many homes have a lifetime of accumulation in them-some with 70 or 80 years` worth. In extreme situations I find the victims of these possessions in one room of their home, with pathways to the refrigerator and the bathroom. They can no longer bathe because the bathtub contains stacks of magazines from 1950 on. They can no longer cook because they have brown paper sacks folded neatly in piles three feet high on the stove. I know these houses are the extremes, but all this stuff is extremely stressful for the people who live amid it. Many times, though, these victims just lose the ability to manage all their stuff because managing stuff involves a lot of hard work.

I think my brother-in-law has the best way of thinking about possessions. His philosophy is that possessions are either sentiment or sediment. What we tend to accumulate through life is sediment that clouds our ability to express our true self.

Evaluate the space in your home and really define how you would really like to live, or if moving would be in your best interest. Be honest with your present day capabilities and if you need to spend an exorbitant amount of time pushing things around. How could your time be spent in a better way? Then, take control of the situation. Either donating or selling the excess items in your home will give you a sense of accomplishment. Throwing items away in the dumpster can also be very therapeutic. Don`t try to take on your entire living environment at once.Take one closet or one room at a time and completely clean it out.After all, none of this stuff really has any value if it’s not being used. Finally, make a promise to yourself not to be persuaded by commercials or marketing ads. Take control and make life easier, then spend your time enjoying life and doing what is good for your body, mind and spirit instead of taking care of stuff.