Ruthlessly downsizing.

The other day, I was helping a friend move their parent’s stuff out of their 40+ years house. Twelve hours later, it seemed as though we hadn’t even dented their place. The next day, this forced me to reevaluate my own stuff throughout the rooms, closets, and crawl space. What am I holding on to that I don’t use anymore? And why am I still holding on to it? So I began to ruthlessly get rid of clothes, books, and knick-knacks that I don’t use, look at, or need.

Why do we hold on to unneeded stuff? I’m not just talking about physical stuff but emotional and psychological baggage in our lives such as anger, resentment, fear, regret, worry, pride, or jealousy. The consequences of holding on to these will eventually clutter our minds and occupy space in our emotional living room. It’s not easy getting rid of these destructive feelings because we’ve either grown accustomed to it, attached to it, or it’s too much work to get rid of. And we may even justify keeping our feelings. But at some point, we must honestly ask ourselves, ‘Why am I still holding on to this? Is it helpful, useful, or productive?’ If the answer’s no, get rid of it – it’s just weighing you down. For the sake of our wellbeing, peace of mind, and the health of our relationships, we must ruthlessly de-clutter our emotional baggage on a regular basis.

©2015 Susie Lee

Love & Loss

In your heartache, don’t be reactionary. Sit with your pain as hard as it may be. You’ll be tempted to get angry with the person who’s caused it. But I say sit with it. Allow yourself to feel the ache and mourn the loss. Your anger will dissipate into sadness and sadness will slip into despair. But again, I say sit with your feelings. These moments will reveal what’s within you and give you the courage to make necessary changes. The pain comes from holding on to what needs to be released. This’ll take time, sometimes years. But this process will strengthen and mature you over time. 

Use this time to comfort yourself – listen to your favourite songs, go to your local cafe, read a good book, call a friend, watch a movie, eat at your favourite restaurant, or simply look up at the stars. Overtime, you’ll remember how much good and beauty there is in the world. And that’ll lighten your heart and lift your spirits. Love yourself immensely and tread gently in the days to come. And my hope is that you’ll be stronger, brighter, and more beautiful after your dark storm passes. 

©2015 Susie Lee

Don’t suffer needlessly, take responsibility. 

IMG_2192We don’t have to suffer needlessly with anger, resentment, or sadness in our lives. We have the power to change our feelings at any given moment. One of the ways we can change our feelings is to take responsibility for it. When we begin to take ownership of our feelings; we’ll stop blaming people for how they’re making us feel, we’ll stop taking offence to their behaviour, and we’ll stop fighting for what they’re not giving to us. Blaming others for how we feel will only bring us heartache, sadness, and pain. This sheer act of taking ownership of our feelings will quickly transform our lives, strengthen our relationships, and alter our attitudes. It’ll also give us a peace of mind, security within, and open doors to communication and growth. May strength, grace, and wisdom guide you in this journey.

©2015 Susie Lee