In her book, Footprints on the Path, Eileen Caddy says, “Life is full and overflowing with the new. But it is necessary to empty out the old to make room for the new to enter.” It’s that time of year again. That New Year time. We all look to the future with hope and enthusiasm. Anything is possible next year. We reflect on what we have and what we don’t have. We want new experiences, new relationships, new material goods to come into our life. We dream.
In order for anything new to happen, we need to empty out the old stuff; the clutter we have collected and the emotions we continue to feel. Clutter is a state of confusion and disorder. Clutter in our outside world is just a reflection of the clutter within.
Everything that is old is not necessarily bad or useless. Consider a piece of antique furniture or a treasured friendship. But some old stuff has to go. Holding on to old, worn-out things that don’t function right doesn’t make sense. You deserve better. Things should be useful…or beautiful. Staying within relationships which create tension or anxiety brings more of the same. Let go. Not everyone is part of your destiny. Realize that some people belong in the past. They are part of your history. We must let go of what no longer serves our best interest now. Not only at this time of year, but on a regular basis. The philosopher Lao Tzu says, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
Your subconscious mind is the ultimate repository of the old. It has catalogued every circumstance and emotion you have experienced. It is not possible to empty out. But you can let go of the negative perceptions that you no longer want in your life. You can look upon your life experiences and choices with love, compassion and mercy for yourself. You can let go of false beliefs. When you let go of self-doubt, you become more confident. When you release fear, you become more loving. When you no longer judge yourself as unworthy, you become more successful. When you empty out the heavy burden of negativity, you become better, stronger, wiser.
When you empty out, you are not left with a glass that is half-filled. You are left with room to fill it with something new. And you can even let it overflow. You get to choose how you fill it and what it looks like, tastes like and feels like! And you don’t have to wait until the calendar changes and a New Year is declared. You can declare yourself as a New You whenever you want…as long as you have done the work of getting rid of the clutter that is holding you back…the clutter that says there is no time or no room or no place to go. Clutter can make you feel stuck or overwhelmed. It can weigh you down. It will never go away by itself. No one can take care of it for you. You decide what you want in life. And what you don’t. It’s up to you. As the powerful, creative being that you are, everything in life is really up to you.
May the year 2017 be a time of joy!