No Regrets

I don’t have an exact count of how many items we’ve gotten rid of as part of our simplifying efforts, but I’m sure it’s in the thousands!And I can only imagine the total number of hours I’ve spent making decisions about those items. And the hours I’ve spent creating eBay and Craigslist listings and the hours standing in my front yard selling even more items. And the time I’ve spent driving items to The Salvation Army, Goodwill, the local animal shelter, the library, and several other carefully chosen places that could use our excess.Although it has been a lot of work, it has been so incredibly freeing! When we set out on our simplifying journey, I was pretty confident we’d find something good along the way. (I say along the way because I know it is a continuous journey of careful choices and constant editing.) But what I did not expect was to have no regrets.We’ve given away everything from freebies that I never even wanted to begin with to items I made when I was a child. And items my kids made. And items we spent a lot of money on. And everything in between.And I can honestly say that I do not miss anything.Nothing.In fact, I actually feel like I’ve received more than I’ve given. I’ve received the feeling of knowing that everything I gave away was appreciated by the recipient, that everything I recycled will be made new again and everything we sold was inexpensively filling a need [hopefully] for the purchaser.Letting go of our things created space for something more, which wasn’t stuff!I know the biggest fear people have when they think of simplifying is that they will regret getting rid of something. I understand this. I was there once, too. But don’t let this scarcity mindset hold you back.One of the best ways to truly understand something is to experience it yourself firsthand. So don’t just take my word for it. Go and experience it yourself. Start small. Start today. Go through one shelf, one drawer or one cabinet…But don’t count the items, hours and decisions as you move forward. Instead, revel in what you’re gaining-space, freedom, the feelings of gratitude, generosity and contribution…and so much more.I’d love to hear where you start and what gratitude you find along the way. Send me a note to share!Blessings,Lisa