We think of ‘clutter’ as untidy stacks of useless items in a garage or attic. However, clutter could be anything that you are holding on to that you are not using, or in the words of the famous organizational consultant, Marie Kondo, anything that does not “spark joy” in our lives. This could be designer clothing, useful books, or beautiful decoration that does not inspire or excite and instead take up space and block energy in your home. The same concept of ‘clutter’ can be applied to your inner space.

There are many emotional, mental, social, and spiritual things you hold onto simply because you have ‘always been this way,’ and you ‘cannot imagine being or doing something different.’ You eventually do not even notice this clutter, but it is taking up space, blocking energy, and keeping you stuck in different areas of your life. Consciously addressing these areas, acknowledging them, and letting them go will yield an inner space that is light, energetic, and peaceful.

How to Start Decluttering Your Inner Space

Emotional clutter

We all go through difficult life experiences, and most of us will either deny, project, intellectualize, or ‘rise above’ the difficult experience before we have had a chance to feel the feeling. The unprocessed emotions remain stuck in our body and eventually result in dis-ease within our inner space.

Journal: write down all the experiences of hurt that still reverberate inside you. Resentment, grudges, and vengeful thoughts and feelings take up a lot of your energetic space. The more you hold on to the past, the less energy you will have to create the future you want.
Give the earth your hurt: Instead of carrying your hurt in your heart, connect with the earth’s energy, and consciously release your pain. Earthing/grounding helps our bodies de-stress, reduce inflammation, and decrease pain. You can do this by walking barefoot on grass, sitting, and breathing for a few minutes as you sit on the beach, or standing in the sea, ankle-deep as you gaze at the horizon. Connect with your heart, and from that place, ask the earth to help ease your pain.
Bodywork: The combination of long hold stretches, shaking, yoga, qi gong, and tai chi along with breathwork can help you move emotions through your body. Focus on the slow gentle movements, while breathing and visualize the pain of the emotional experience moving out of the body through the breath.

Mental clutter

Thoughts, decisions, and the constant flow of information can create a lot of clutter in your inner space.

Do a brain dump: Write down everything you must do in your personal and professional life on paper. Once you have this, see what you can do, decide, delegate, or delete it off that list. Everything you must do should be put in a timeslot for the upcoming week.
Make decisions: A lot of our mental space is taken up with delayed decisions. Make time in your schedule, preferably in the morning when you have the mental energy to make decisions you have been postponing. If you need support or information to make the decision, then get assistance.
Limit distractions: Turn off notifications, keep your desktop clean and organized, and focus on doing one thing at a time. You use a lot more mental energy and create a lot more mental noise when you are multitasking.

Social clutter

Socializing without consideration for how it is adding meaning and value to your inner space can be emotionally and physically draining and adds to your social clutter.

Consciously connect: Before you make a commitment to attend an event or follow a person’s social media account, ask yourself, ‘why am I doing this?’, ‘what do I hope to get out of this?’, and ‘what am I saying no to if I say yes to this?’
Clear out your social media account: You are what you watch. Your attention is prime space and your time, is a limited resource. If it is not ‘sparking joy’ or teaching you about something that will benefit you or inspire ideas, you are just gathering social clutter.
Deep connections: While being a social butterfly has its charm, it is the deep bonds that make our life meaningful. Make an intention to spend less time with acquaintances, and more time with those you want to cultivate deep connections. This can be done with one-on-one outings or small group gatherings. Make sure to be present at the moment by putting your devices away and connecting heart to heart, and eye to eye.

YOU’LL LIKE: Real Talk: How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome

Spiritual clutter

When we know a lot about well-being and spirituality but don’t practice what we know, we are adding to the spiritual clutter in our inner space.

Practice what you know: Most of us know enough to be enlightened human beings, but most of us are not practicing what we know. Before you sign up for another workshop or buy another book, spend 30 days devoted to a practice that has helped you in the past. If you don’t know where to start, start with breathing in for 4 seconds, and out for 4 seconds for a total of five minutes, three times a day.
Silence: We collect a lot of noise in our day-to-day lives. Many people fill their space with distractions to avoid their inner spirit. Make a practice of being in silence so that you can connect to your inner spirit.
Gratitude: There is nothing that lightens up your inner space like feeling and expressing gratitude for the people in your life. Write a gratitude letter to someone or look at the grocery store attendant in the eyes when saying a heartfelt appreciation, or hug your loved one’s heart as you thank them for something specific, they add to your life.

About the Author

Dr. Saliha Afridi is a Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director of The LightHouse Arabia, which she founded in 2011. The clinic is a community mental health and wellness clinic providing quality psychological and psychiatric care to children, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Afridi has worked with prominent companies and ministries such as The Executive Council, The National Program for Happiness and Well-being from the Happiness Ministry, many professional service firms, and fortune 100 companies in her bid to dissolve mental health stigma and be at the forefront of the mental health movement within the UAE and the region.