Backstory: Oh, geez. This must have been added to the list in a moment of frustration, not because I felt it was going to nudge me into any greater awareness or move me closer to finding My Purpose in Life, but simply because I am sick of how things pile up.
Two of my favorite sweaters have been in a box under my desk for…well, at least a year. Next to them is a pile of clothing that needs mending, next to a box of writing exercises and short story ideas, next to a yoga mat (covered in dust)…. How does this happen? This space should be my work space, my creating space. Instead, I look around this room and am eternally distracted.
And so this week, I start small with one task that I hope will make a small difference.
What Happened: It took less than an hour to de-pill both sweaters. One went on my body (better than shopping), the other went into the closet. The de-pilling machine (oh, how I love that gadget), went into the box where I keep mending supplies.
My nicely organized–and de-pilled–sweaters.
…and in there I discovered an old, unfinished cross-stitch project that had been tucked away, possibly nine years ago when I first moved into this home. Maybe it’s time to bring that back out and re-stretch the muscles that used to love creating beauty through needlework?
How cute would this look in my kitchen?
The Ah-Hah: It’s scary to open up the tucked away box or even the door to the closet into which you’ve stuffed stuff for far too long. But I’m finding that once I dive in, I find some treasures. Some things get handed off to others who might appreciate them (see my earlier post about sharing favorite books from childhood), some things go to Goodwill where someone who really needs them might find them. Somethings reopen pleasures and passions, such as the cross-stitch project so long neglected.
What’s lurking in your closet/drawer/basement/storage unit?
P.S. As I mentioned in the Nudging post for this, I did take time to step away from the Thanksgiving festivities for some quiet reflection. Here are some of the things on my Gratitude List:
- 52Nudges readers who inspire and motivate me to keep nudging.
- The marvelous two-story tall poinsettia plant outside my office window that delights me by re-blooming every November.
- The arrival of the first early-bird holiday card. (You know who you are—and you know how much I love hearing from you! Mine is coming soon!)
- That delicious autumny nip in the air that says “perfect weather for a long walk.”
- A brain that is still hungry to grow, open to change, up to a challenge, and curious about so many things.