Simplifying my Life

Sometimes I just get overwhelmed with so much STUFF. Literally and figuratively.
The past few months I've really tried to start culling the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. It's so easy to add new blogs to Google Reader that I never stopped to think about the fact I was adding STRESS to my life because there were so many posts I couldn't keep up! It's so easy to star things "for later" that I've got years of archives that are too huge to be at all manageable (or even relevant, says the starred 20% off code for Bobbi Brown from 2008). All those magazines I've held on for inspiration? Maybe if I was trying to inspire myself to Hoarders-esque tendencies. And the mental junk - how many past hurts and snubs I still allow in my brain to this day? The worst part - I let failed relationships with former friends or family members affect the good relationships I do have.

So 2011 is the year I start clearing out the cobwebs. I've been working to edit the blogs I follow so that it's not overwhelming and I can actually comment once in awhile! My husband and I have been cleaning out old "stuff" and donating, trashing, shredding, or systematically ripping out pages and archiving them in plastic sleeves. We spend a few hours each weekend working cleaning out new areas and making sure we keep up with what we've already done and slowing but surely things are coming together.

Mentally, I realized a few weeks ago that I've really held myself distant from those that I consider close friends and confidants. Not because of anything they did, but because of things others have done hurt me in the past. This isn't fair to those that I DO trust or to myself, because when I've really needed help or someone to talk to...I felt that I had no one to turn to. Luckily, I had a good old fashioned breakdown and had a series of therapeutic email exchanges with my brother (always my voice of reason) which has resulted in the much needed advice and help. More importantly, I realized what I was doing to myself.

And so I've made the conscious effort to start reaching out again. I can't change things that happened in the past or prevent someone from choosing to stop being my friend or talking behind my back - but I can stop myself from letting what's really such a small part of my life affect anything else.

So that is my Spring Awakening. That, and some flowers I planted that I hope don't die (part of "Yard Renovations 2011"). So far things have survived and I hope to post some pictures soon!