Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity by Genevieve Parker Hill Read Free Book Online Page B

ships into the harbor.
    Just like you choose what goes into your home and what goes into your schedule, you can choose what thoughts you allow to enter your harbor. You may not be able to keep certain thoughts from flitting by, but you can decide not to entertain certain thoughts. By choosing your thoughts and intentions carefully, you create a more peaceful inner life, a life that is more joyful and creative.
    So what thoughts are the enemies of creativity and what to do about them? The number one damaging thought I come across as a coach is self doubt. Lack of confidence to move forward with one’s ideas is a creativity killer. Austin Kleon recommends decluttering “that fearful editor in your brain that tells you you're not good enough. Everybody has one. I've found that meditation helps a lot.”
    The reason meditation helps with this very personal, internal decluttering process is that it trains you to be mindful, or to keep your thoughts actively present in the now. When you're mindful, you're fully experiencing your life, actions, emotions, and sensations as they are in this moment. Creating mental white space that allows our imagination to blossom isn’t as easy as pitching out what we don’t need. That method works with our space and our time, but it doesn’t work in our minds. That’s because in the very act of trying to get rid of a thought, we can’t help but focus on that thought! That outcome is the opposite of our goal.
    Instead of trying not to think about something, bring your attention to the moment you're in. If you want to paint a portrait, get into the process of painting as soon as possible. Then keep your attention focused on the act of painting itself. To go back to the harbor metaphor, staying present keeps your harbor full of peaceful ships, so the pirate ships of self-doubt can see that there is no room for them and keep sailing to somewhere else.
     
    Minimalism as a Creativity Booster
    Minimalism itself can fuel creativity. Maintaining this lifestyle can boost the imagination by providing limits and structure to the way you design your home and time. Bea Johnson of the Zero Waste Home blog has created beautiful and imaginative solutions in her household’s quest to create very little trash each year. She says, “My creativity is fed by finding alternatives for zero waste.” Even if you don’t want to change your lifestyle as radically as the Johnsons did, embracing a more moderate attitude toward consuming will still challenge your thinking and stoke your creativity.
     
     

CHAPTER FIVE
    Facing Resistance
    “Resistance is futile.” — The Borg in Star Trek
    Now that we’ve talked about how minimalist living can bring you joy, health, and creativity, let’s talk about some resistance you might be facing before we dig in to the nuts-and-bolts of exactly how to declutter in the next chapter. Generally speaking, there are two main categories of resistance to becoming a minimalist: internal and external.
     
    Internal Resistance
    If you’ve found yourself procrastinating on simplifying, you may be harboring some deep-seated fears of going through everything. That’s normal and natural, because it will mean a big change in your surroundings and possibly your life. You are right to be afraid of change, because change often brings unpredictable outcomes. But fear is the best teacher when it is faced head on and interviewed for the lessons it has to give. That’s right; you're going to interview your fear.
    Before we wade into the high weeds of decluttering, I’d like to invite you into a journey with your subconscious mind. This guided journey is inspired by the work and teachings of philosopher and metaphysician Catherine Collautt, Ph.D.
    The following exercise will be especially helpful for you if you’ve wanted to declutter for a long time, but no matter how much you desire and plan for it, things just keep getting in the way. Let’s do this exercise together; even if it seems a