The story goes that during the reign of Dionysius 1 of Syracuse, a courtier, one Damocles by name, was praising the king for his great wealth and power. But Dionysius knew that great wealth and power came with great danger and anxiety. So, in order to teach Damocles a valuable lesson, Dionysius offered to switch places for one day. Dionysius then had a razor-sharp sword hung above the throne by a single horsehair. Damocles was unable to enjoy the great wealth and power consumed by constant fear of the sword that hung above him and that threatened to fall at any time. Dionysius learned the powerful lesson that with leadership of any kind comes an equal amount of threat, danger, and stress.
Having a position of leadership, being able to wield a great deal of power, or having a lot of wealth, are not the only ways we may have a “sword” hanging over us. It is not hard to notice how prolific the storage industry has become. Instead of dealing with our “stuff” we rent a storage unit so we can store our stuff. And all that stuff we have collected and now store, hangs over our heads as month after month we pay rental fees and ignore the daunting task of decluttering.
When we have too much stuff setting around or in storage, we hurt ourselves. John Wesley is credited with the adage: “cleanliness is next to Godliness” and it is a very true sentiment. When we are surrounded by too much we struggle with the weight of it all. Our “stuff” can put us into cognitive overload and make it harder to focus on what is important. I know if my surroundings are cluttered, I have to clean the area up before I can honestly think about the tasks at hand. Our clutter leaves us not only in a messy room but can give us feelings of fatigue and stress. Too much stuff can be emotionally draining, and it can disrupt relationships. And it doesn’t help by putting all your stuff in a storage unit which costs money to store stuff you don’t need. Instead it adds a financial drain because you are not dealing with your stuff. You truly have a sword of Damocles hanging over your head in the form of stuff.
In our day and age, as people, we are drowning in our stuff. And while decluttering is the answer, it can be hard to get rid of stuff. We have an emotional attachment to the things we have around us and in storage. I am currently in a decluttering phase. Which typically happens this time of year. I am looking at the items in my house and asking the hard questions: do I use this…if the answer is no, then off to Goodwill it goes. Do I love this…if the answer is no…then off to Goodwill it goes. Here is the really hard question I ask: Did someone I love and care about give this to me…if yes, but it is something I don’t really like, use, want, or need…then I take a picture of it and keep the memory and send the item off to Goodwill. Or send it to your charity of choice. By doing this, I keep my house fairly clutter free. Not completely but close.
Sometimes it helps to make a decision about something before you declutter, so you know in advance what to keep and what to pass on. I know in retirement the hobbies I intend to continue so anything that is unrelated to those hobbies is getting purged. This is a good idea no matter what you are thinking about. Knowing in advance of the decision making process can help you stay on track.
Once you get rid of all the things you no longer use or want, you will feel lighter. I guarantee it! If you have a storage unit, you will gain that money back to use for fun activities that create memories. Most of all you will realize how much “too much stuff” impacted your life. You will have moved out from under the sword of Damocles, and you will be free of the peril it represented to your overall mental health and well-being.
Peace,
Beth
BTW…The only time in my life I have rented a storage unit was when my first husband and I were between houses and we needed to rent a storage unit for one month. The thing is, I can think of so many other ways I would rather use my money than storing “stuff” I don’t need. I bet you can too.
Beth's Blog 