Clutter impacts your brain as well as your closet. De-cluttering isn’t about re-arranging your wardrobe; a cluttered atmosphere simply isn’t conducive to cooking and eating well. It may sound surprising, but clutter can make you fat. Not only that, it decreases the odds for exercising.
Physical Health
- Decreases odds of exercise (How can you go running when you can’t find your shoes?)
- Makes you fat (Can a messy kitchen make you eat cookies for dinner?)
- Depletes your energy (Does peeking into your closet leave you feeling overwhelmed?)
Mental Health
- Increases procrastination (Do you avoid decisions by letting too much stuff pile up?)
- Prevents living in the moment (Why can’t I enjoy things right when they are happening?)
Buying loads of fancy bins with fancy labels to store your clutter doesn’t get to the root of the issue. It’s like putting a fresh coat of paint on a house that’s crumbling at its foundation. (ClutterAffectsFocus)
When you collect too much of anything, including fat, you can't get rid of it without facing the underlying issues. If your goals aren't clear and your thinking isn't focused, you can't break the habits that stand in your way. You can't change one piece of your life without affecting all of them.
In my experience, weight issues are caused by lifestyle. Because what you weigh isn’t only about calorie counting or doing stomach crunches. What you weigh is about how you live.
Even keeping hold of clothes that are now two sizes too small is psychologically bad for you. As an illustration, those size-8 trousers hanging there year after year don’t motivate you; instead they make you feel guilty. Keeping old clothes is about avoiding change. We wear 20 % of the clothes we own 80% of the time.
The first step towards losing weight is to re-evaluate your lifestyle. If your home is in turmoil, and you can’t find your sneakers because they’re behind the dog’s bed, you aren’t going to go to the gym or taking a walk.
Depression-era American business management theorists developed a process of incremental improvements that helped the U.S. win World War II. The Japanese took this idea and gave it a name: Kaizen, a Japanese word, meaning continuous improvement.
And it’s just as applicable to our personal lives. Instead of trying to make radical changes to your life, make one small improvement every day. Each day, focus on getting 1% better at whatever it is you’re trying to improve. That’s it. Just 1%.
1% might not seem like much, And, it is. It’s tiny. In fact, that’s why it’s easy. It’s doable. It feels less intimidating and is more manageable. Becoming 1% better every day is a simple, practical way to achieve big goals. It might feel less exciting than chasing a huge win, but its results are stronger and more sustainable.
Work at keeping your focus on right now. Gradually, you start to notice the improvements in your life. (KaizenApproachChange)
Hope for the Bemused, Bothered, & Bewildered
At my core, I believe in in your ability to challenge your current behavior and power up your life. In fact, I believe you can act differently and succeed. I just happen to offer an approach that is straightforward and realistic. Want to start?
Calm Your Mind; Power Up Your Life
My name is Jacqueline Gikow. Every week I publish an article about wellness (enriching your life), or health (getting active and fit). I believe I can point you in the right direction. Contact me for information, or with questions at Audacious-Aging.NYC®