When Life Gets Messy

I can’t believe I’m about to share what I’m about to share. About a month ago when the new year arrived, I woke up one morning and realized that something really, really important had to change. Something I see every day. Something I have to wake up surrounded by every morning and fall asleep in every night. My ROOM. Ever since… well… probably my freshman year of college, things have just been very MESSY. I will never forget the piles and piles of clothes and boxes that I had to weave my way through for weeks after moving back home from college. I didn’t have a mom around to remind me to keep things clean and dads just sometimes aren’t as much of a stickler about these kinds of things. So it built up. One pile of papers on my desk eventually led to a pretty impressive replica of the leaning tower of Piza. Just like the chairdrobe grows with each fresh unfolded new pile of laundry, my desk completely lost its original function. It was no longer a desk, and for most of 2013, I had to do my work on the dining room table, which often led to new messes sprawling across entirely new and untouched areas of the house. It was so ridiculous, and I knew it was. I knew there was something *growing* in my life that was putting pressure on my ability to think and live and thrive in my home in the best way I possibly could. The same exact thing happens to our hearts. We know something is “off,” but we can’t quite put our finger on what it is we need to fix. We carry it with us everyday, but we learn to survive with the burden of the sinful mess that’s spun its webs between our heartstrings.

Until one day something opens our eyes. Something reminds us that we don’t have to live like this… with our hearts all cluttered and messy and hardened. We can change. It’s not easy, and there’s often a lot of clean up involved: the throwing out of destructive habits and memories of bad things that have happened that we’ve begrudgingly held onto for far too long. It demands some serious lifestyle changes and a good hearty dose of hard work. But it’s so worth it. Because after all the mess is gone, we can breathe again, and we’re no longer fighting hard to survive the day to days of life. We’re renewed, rejuvenated, and equipped to THRIVE…!

Ahhhhh. Can we all just breathe a big sigh of relief?! It feels SO good to be decluttered and able to think CLEARLY again!! Of course my room isn’t the only thing I’m working on, either! I’ve been getting back into daily devotions, reading my Bible, and praying every day. Even if it’s just a little prayer like a quick thank you or tiny request for someone I care about. It’s made such a huge difference in my life just so far this year. I’m an overall happier person. I worry a lot less. And I just feel a daily sense of PURPOSE that was often lacking in much of 2013. Starting my day off with some good ole spiritual fulfillment in God is so life changing. I can’t understand how I skipped it so often in years past.

Having a clean heart AND a clean desk is really the highlight of my week and the perfect start to 2014. This year I wanted to set some serious goals EARLY on in the year and work at them every month, checking in every four weeks to track my progress and make sure I’m on the right course. There is no better way to do this than with Lara Casey’s PowerSheets, an awesome tool for getting ALL my thoughts out on paper – dreams, fears, victories, failures – just pouring them all out and using it as means of empowerment.

I’m so excited to use these sheets throughout the year and check back at the beginning of 2015 and see just how far I’ve come! One of the first “assignments” for my PowerSheets journey was creating a Pinterest board. Well, I already spend enough time virtually pinning my favorite things, so I decided to make a real life Pinterest board with magazine clippings or pictures that I’ll be able to see every day. There’s something about waking up to your favorite colors and patterns and designs that just feels GOOD!

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~E.E. Cummings

This picture below is one of the last pictures taken of my mom and dad together. It’s definitely the last picture of the two of them before my mom was diagnosed with cancer. I just love it so much, the sombreros, the basket of Hacienda tortilla chips, the smiles. Love being reminded of those happy moments every day.

The first time my sister walked into my room after I had started building this board, she thought the girl was me! Totally took that as a huge compliment… haha! Maybe it’s the loose fitting denim shirt (I have so many beach pictures in mine), the blonde hair, or the expression. When I saw it in the December issue of Glamour magazine, it kinda reminded me of myself, too. It’s up on my board along with one of my branding words (“classic”), a few encouraging Lara Casey postcards, some pink and gold glittery makeup, two puppies kissing, and a couple looking like they’re having the best time with a box of chocolates that’s ever been had between two people. AND THE LEMONS. That picture was taken FOR me.

Here is the before of my hanging files… gross. Hadn’t been touched since I was 16 years old and junior in high school.

And here is the after… VERY decluttered and only holding the really important stuff now! Top: Prints of vacation pictures, Middle: Tax and business paperwork and other very important things, Bottom: A picture of Justin and me from my senior portrait session and the start of my branding development for 2014. It’s all sitting right beside my brand new 2014 Taylor Swift calendar – thank you Tessa!

If you look closely… that sheet on the left has some decor ideas based on a Girly Glam / Modern Organic theme. I’m starting to daydream about moving into my own place… 2016 will be here sooner than we think!! ;)

So here’s the final result of just a few hours of sorting through piles of crap, purging what’s no longer important and saving the things that are. It’s the perfect metaphor for cleansing your life in 2014. Step back and evaluate: what do you no longer need? What’s holding YOU back? Always remember: less is more.