This weekend we poured through all of our holiday decorations and went Christmas crazy.  While I have menorahs and dreidels, and we still celebrate Hanukkah, I have to admit, Christmas is my favorite holiday.

We had boxes STUFFED with every kind of decoration imaginable, many of which should have been thrown away long ago.  I was so tempted to run out and buy new decorations, but I decided that before I did that, I would go through and clear out everything that we no longer needed.

Whether it’s going through a stuffed closet or just re-evaluating your general frame of mind, it occurred to me that in order to get what you want, sometimes you have to be willing to give up what you’re used to.  For some of us that change comes easier than others.  For most of us, it means that we have to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

Just like we get stuck wearing the same comfy pajamas long after we should have said goodbye, we also get into comfortable thought patterns that get us in to trouble.  What do you need to give up, in your house, head, or heart in order to get what you want?  Are you ready to let go?

11 Comments

  1. Anne,
    Thanks so much for this – it’s like you are speaking direcly to me today. I have already made a new year’s resolution to “unclutter my life” and I am starting with all of my closets – cleaning them out and getting rid of everything that I can! It’s been a rough two years since my dear husband passed away (well 2 years on January 6th), and this Christmas is very hard for me. I know there are things of his that I still have that I need to get rid of too among many of my own things. This helps to motivate me – so thank you!! Have a great week!
    Jeanette

    • Hi Jeanette,

      Thanks so much for your comment. I am so increibly sorry for your loss. Sounds like you are doing an amazing job of being strong…remember to be kind to yourself.

  2. What a great message for my 14-year old son who is adjusting to the more stringent academics of high school:

    Sometimes you have to give up/ cut back what you are used to — spending time with friends, TV and XBox…
    to get what you want — a good education and decent grades!

    • You are probably the one that wants him to have a good education and decent grades and that is the part you are going to have to get him to agree with you on. I think he would rather do the fun things and if he can fit school in then he’ll try to do that. Maybe suggest that rather than giving up something to gain an education, you point out what he’s going to GAIN by getting a good education, like a good job, which leads to better money, which to leads to better cars, travel, girls, etc.

  3. I had heard many years ago that if you want something new you have to make a vacuum for it. If you want new clothes, get rid of some of the old ones, if you want an aquarium, make the space for it, etc.

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