Look Behind You!

10.20.10

Ruth and I had just finished a three hour session in her closets. Ruth had shed eight big plastic garbage bags of clothes to donate and three bags of trash.  She had discovered long lost favorite sweaters and parted with several unwanted gifts. She had come to terms with her current size and let go of things that were not likely to fit again. She had completely cleared one closet and reduced the contents of the other by half. It had been an heroic three hours of work. 

“Notice what you’ve done!” I said, “Look at all this stuff you are giving away! Good work!”

But Ruth couldn’t hear it. She was busy looking at the next thing she had to do. “But there’s so much more to be done”, she said, beginning to arange the books on a shelf. She wasn’t looking at what she had just accomplished.  Like many of my clients, Ruth has trouble giving herself credit for anything.  Her sense of defeat will try to take over, even in the face of an obvious triumph. And she lets it, because that is her habit.

So I say to you, when you have finished a big de-cluttering or organizing project, take a minute, and Look Behind You at what you have done before you leave the room. If only for a few seconds, let yourself feel triumph.