Feel The Wave

Where you begin your personal growth journey.

Tag: Mental clutter

  • Mental Decluttering: Let Go of What You Don’t Need

    Mental Decluttering: Let Go of What You Don’t Need

    Go, go, go.

    We’re always moving and going because social media makes us believe we need to be busy to be happy. We can’t feel content when we’re relaxing, especially when it seems like everyone around us is going on adventures and doing everything we want to do.

    Social media has a tendency to play tricks on us. We think everyone is busy and doing something with their family and friends. Social media is designed to show the fun, adventurous and exciting moments.

    We don’t see the days when people take a day off and sit on the couch all day watching TV. There are moments in life we don’t share. What we see on social media is only a small fraction of someone’s life.

    We can’t expect ourselves to keep up with ten people who share what they’ve done over the past ten days and then try to do everything they’re doing. We can’t live ten lives.

    Remove the idea that being busy is good.

    Being intentional, thoughtful and mindful is better. What makes you appreciate being alive?

    The key word here is you.

    Do what you want, not what others want and not what you think others expect from you.

    Sometimes, when we take a step back and think about what we truly want, we realize we’ve been living someone else’s life. It’s not at all what we expected of ourselves and, at some point, we got lost.

    We were so occupied with trying to stay busy that we forgot who we are.

    Our passions and hobbies we enjoyed when we were younger have been ignored. Adulthood somehow put a cover over them. All of this came from thinking we need to do everything as fast as possible and always look busy.

    We accumulated these habits from others. Most of the time, it’s people we don’t even know who influence us through social media.

    We’ve lost ourselves and feel overwhelmed with everything we think we need to do.

    The solution is to declutter our habits.

    Just like in spring, we need to clean things up. We need to look at what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and whether it still serves us.

    Ryan Holiday wrote it best:

    “There’s only one way out of this mess. Ruthlessly decluttering. We have to eliminate, eliminate, eliminate. Get rid of baggage. Let go of beliefs… let go of worries. Let go of people. We have to stop buying things. And stop saying yes. We must free ourselves from the weight of excess. Shed what’s unnecessary. Clean away what’s holding us down.”

    It won’t be easy, but it will be necessary.

    You’ll feel lighter and freer once you’ve let go of the need to always be “busy.”

    Take care.

  • Seeing Only the Stain: How Small Problems Consume Us

    Our minds are wired to recognize patterns, and when something is off, we tend to fixate on it. The mind perceives this as a threat and wants to ensure we’re safe. Similarly, when we get a stain on our shirt or pants—no matter how small—that’s all we see. We become so focused on the stain because it breaks the pattern.

    Even if the stain is tiny, we notice it—and it bothers us simply because we know it’s there. If we can see it, others might see it too. And once that thought is planted, it consumes us.

    The same thing happens when we experience problems in life. It could be an issue at work that spills into our personal life, or vice versa. Whatever it is, it becomes a stain on our life. We see it, and we can’t unsee it until it’s resolved—even if it’s a small misunderstanding with someone we care about.

    No one else might know about it, but in your mind, you can’t stop thinking about it. And if others do find out, they might judge you. It’s strange how a small argument with a family member or a tense moment at work can turn your world upside down.

    We need ways to cope. The stain may be small, but it can consume us. It shouldn’t dictate how your day unfolds. These moments are just that—moments—and they shouldn’t have the power to take over everything else.

    One useful strategy is to compartmentalize your thoughts. Rather than letting the problem swirl endlessly in your head, place it in a mental “compartment” for now. This helps separate it from the rest of your day so you can focus on what needs your attention.

    It takes practice and mindfulness to do this well. But over time, compartmentalization can help reduce stress and keep you grounded in the present—rather than swept away by a single stain.

    Don’t let the stain consume you.

    Take care.