Take Out The Trash

Our garbage men come on Thursday, but you never know when they'll show up.  So, we put out the trash on Wednesday so we don't miss them.  A lot of people get irritated about being asked to take out the trash, but it's just another chore that has to be done.  Besides  you probably had something to do with all the trash that accumulated in your own house, so why not help take it out.

Garbage on the street is the literal approach to this subject, but there are others less direct.  So many of us keep things or allow things to remain in our live that do nothing but trash up & clutter the joint.  Often we become so used to it that we don't even notice it anymore, like hoarders, we all can develop clutter/trash blindness.
 
Whether it be actual physical things, emotional crutches or people in our lives, we all have stuff that takes up space & drags us down.  I've talked about the Up In The Air, Backpack philosophy before, but that seemed to focus on a one time application of the principles.  What I'm looking at now is the constant application of the principle of letting things go in our day to day lives that no longer provide any benefit.

That sounds mercenary & I know it, but sometimes we have to be a bit ruthless in our lives & remember that we have to come first.  Even if you are a parent or a spouse, if you don't take care of yourself, how are you going to take care of your children or spouse.  It's a very non-traditional & often resented idea that the self must come first, some would say it was downright Satanic.

Don't move, but take a look around the room your in right now.  What is near you that you haven't used in over six months?  What about a year?  What is still in your vicinity just because of sentimental reasons?  Are those reasons worth the clutter they bring?  Who's in your life right now that just drains your resources & provides nothing in return?  Who's just taking up space?  I won't tell you what to do, but I would ask you to consider if these people & things are really worth keeping.

Now on to the really scary concept. Are you being the collector of trash, the hoarder?  These people just freak me out.  I can't watch the show Hoarders or Animal Hoarders.  But it can be even worse. Not to be depressing , but are you the person in someone else's life just taking up space?  Are you the one sucking all the oxygen out of the room, yet giving nothing back?  Nasty questions, I know. So what to do, what to do?  If you can't find a way to bring something beneficial to the situation then perhaps you should consider taking yourself out of the situation.

Taking out the trash, no matter what the kind, can be cathartic. It can make space for new things or simply clear enough room to breath.  Remember... Taking out the trash, it's a good thing...