The excitement on his face after letting go of all of it is just as great as when he's finding new things to pick up. He looks as is if he's free, and can't wait to find and pickup something even more exciting.
It doesn't take very long for my son to realize he's holding on to too much. It also doesn't take long for him to decide to drop everything.
As we all grow older and pickup more stuff, we tend to hold on to it all for a long time. We get excited about all the new things, and we want to keep it. Over time we get burdened by all that we've accumulated. It's a good idea to pause, look at our hands (full of material possessions, clutter, debt, anger over bad experiences or decisions, and more), and drop everything.
This doesn't mean to literally get rid of everything you have, it's more of a call to start emptying out things that you no longer need. You've used them, but now it's time to let them go. Maybe someone else will pick them up and be able to do something with it.
Here are a few ways you can start dropping everything. You don't have to do them all, or in the same way here, just take them as suggestions and start with whichever one gets you excited:
1. Your calendar. Drop everything from your calendar for a day. Just erase everything on it, wipe it clean. Don't make any plans, just be for the day. Eat some healthy foods, drink a few cups of tea, breathe, and just sit in the sun.
If you have a very tight schedule and important activities, spend an afternoon making cancelation calls, emails, and/or text messages letting people know you won't be available the next day. Ask them to leave a message if it's urgent and you'll get back with them first thing on the day you return.
2. Messy drawer or closet. Drop everything you've been holding on to and collecting in that drawer or closet. It's just sitting there, not being used, and could be given to someone who might really need it.
Just take everything out, put it in a box, and drop it off at Goodwill. Chances are really good that you won't even remember what's in there after give it away. You may even feel good enough that this will spread to other drawers or closets. Soon your house will be clutter-free and you'll be happy.
3. Your wallet/purse. Drop everything out of your wallet or purse. There are some people who've been carrying stuff around in there for decades. Take out old stuff and replace it with something new. Or, don't replace it and enjoy the new space, and freedom.
Take the cash you have and drop it off at a favorite charity, or give it all to a waiter or waitress the next time you're out to eat, chances are good they're working that job because they're working hard to make it through school or strike out on their own. Just give it away and don't think about. If you keep doing things like that it will come back to you, and then some.
4. Debt. Drop all of your debt. Most people have debt because they get really excited about picking up something new, and they keep going without pausing to look at what they already have in their hands.
Dropping debt is simple. List all of your debts smallest to largest then begin paying off the smallest one with a lot of focus. Once it's finished, take that money and apply it to the next one on the list. Now you have a debt snowball rolling and your debts will done faster than you think. My wife and I did this and we're now free from debt.
You can do it too!
5. Stress. Drop everything that makes you stressed. I know this sounds difficult, but its not as hard as you think it is. Most of the things that cause our stress are either things we don't have control over or that happened in the past.
We carry stressful things around with us as if we have to hold on to them. Make an effort to stop beating yourself up about bad decisions you've made, people you may have hurt, bad things you may have said. Drop them all.
If you are really having a hard time with someone, give them a call. If you haven't spoken with them in years, look them up and talk with them. Tell them you're sorry. Tell them you value the relationship you have, or had, with them. Obviously, they had an impact on you or else you wouldn't be carrying around these feelings.
If there are other things you're stressed out about and you can't seem to let them go, give them to God. He wants your stresses, frustrations, anxieties, and pain. That's why he put them in your life, so that you'll come back to him for help. I Peter 5:7 says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
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| A visit to Financial Peace Plaza to scream, "I'm debt FREE!!" |