Lent gifting day 9

Getting rid of the extra stuff is often hard. Sometimes we have emotional attachments to the things that have been around for ages. Then there is stuff that has no attachment for us emotionally but keep anyway. I have been getting rid of stuff for this Lent kindness challenge that I have been keeping in my space "just in case". Even though I have kept it, I am unlikely to use it. I have bits and pieces around my house that I have not used in YEARS... maybe even a decade or more. It's not that I actually use these things but getting rid of them often seems harder than keeping them. Or I think that maybe one day they WILL be useful. 

In the near future I want to move either interstate or internationally. So getting my stuff to a manageable level to make travel easier is my End Game. Not everyone is wanting to get rid of as much stuff as I do and that's okay. It's the challenge for me now to challenge the "just in Case" mentality. Keeping stuff that I don't need now or that I haven't used in forever isn't making my life easier. All these things I have could be being used by other people right now. If I keep them am I just stopping someone else enjoying these things? 

It's a change in mind set for me. 

If the things I have are not being used but are clogging up my life and stopping my end game are they really helping me in the long run? Keeping them in my home and not letting these items be useful to someone who might need it, is that being kind to me? Is that being kind to the person who might actually be able to use the item? If I look at it as a kindness to both of us to provide something and to help myself get where I want to go then it is easier to say goodbye to objects that I don't really need. This shift in mindset is helping me get rid of more things because I know it will help someone else. I want my stuff to be useful. That way it's serving the original purpose it was intended for. And I can act with kindness to myself and to others.

In this the kindness is donating to a charity shop. They sell my stuff at a small price to support the work they do for the community. So donating my stuff is actually a kindness to the community. 

It is a kindness to the environment also. I love helping out the environment. I want my things to be used and not end up in landfill. So donating to charity shops is often a great way to help other people buy second hand and reuse items that might otherwise ended up at a rubbish tip. 

My lent gifting today is my little black dress. I don't wear it anymore and it's still good enough that someone else could love it and use it. It was also an item I kept because I've been told every woman should own a little black dress. If I don't like it, I'm not going to wear it. And if I'm not wearing it then it's not living up to the reason I got it in the first place. I wanted a dress that was versatile and I had hoped this dress would be that for me. But alas it's not. 

 

Additionally, I've changed shape a few times now and this one is casualty of that process. I also don't wear it because it was made of a warmer fabric. It's good quality, so someone can enjoy it for years to come. 

Maybe in the future I might find another dress that fits my requirements but not now. I'm okay with not owning a little black dress because I have lots of other dresses that I love. 

I wonder what challenges you are having dealing with your stuff? When selecting stuff to give to charity... Have you noticed any strong emotions? Have you started to feel better, lighter? Or have you gone out and bought new things to replace the old ones you are getting rid of? 

I'm noticing my emotions as I'm letting go. I do feel lighter. The more I remove from my space the more I see myself getting closer to moving toward my goal. It's a wild ride. I feel better for it. 

I hope this finds you all well. 

Love Daena x