DrDeClutterBlog.com

One of the reasons for clutter, inner and outer, is that we have too many choices, too much overstimulation of all our senses on a daily basis. Noise, pollution, options and decisions over the most unimportant things, like lipgloss, color of makeup, TV shows or clothing, plus very important things, like war, jobs, food, life and death decisions in regards to illness, relationships and more.

This doesn’t mean we should shun all the glorious creative and interesting ideas and things that come our way, but it does mean that we can learn to focus, choose a narrower window of options from which to choose from, and learn to really know ourselves on the level of what truly is important in our lives, supports and motivates us to be our best.

Most people being very unconscious of the fact that they can actually be selective and narrow down their choices (“step – away – from – the – cash – register!”) are also not conscious that they have a larger problem, they are numb. They are in-trance most of their lives. We all are, and I’m in that “we” too! I am persistant at “staying awake” and as consicous as I can day-by-day.

“We are victims of overstimulation. The bombardment of the senses, information overload, and stress from constant decision-making cause us to move from fatigue to hypersensitivity and overreaction to emotional exhaustion to, literally, a deep psychological and spiritual numbness.”  ~ James W. Fowler and Sam Keen, 

The above quote comes from the book “Life Maps: Conversations on the Journey of Faith”  was written in 1978! They make reference to author Alvin Toffler and his 1970s breakthrough book Future Shock. “Future shock” is also a term for a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. Toffler’s shortest definition of future shock is a personal perception of “too much change in too short a period of time.”

You might be calling our recent changes “gas pump shock”, “food price shock”, or “sticker shock”. But, it’s all the same, it’s future shock.

Most people live lives “eyes-glazed-over”. I talk a lot about people being in “trances” when it comes to clutter, collecting, pack ratting, etc. But it’s in how we collect and spin on lots of things: information, ideas, gossip, stories, complaints, illness, dramas, worry, fear, stuff and things as well as doing “too much”, being “too busy”, always “too stressed.”

How can you opt-out of future shock? Organize your time, thoughts and activity around the following:

1. Identify your life-values. What you value is what you believe is most important. What you do the most is what you value. Does it match?

2. Sit down and decide who you are and what you really want. Define what is best for you in all life areas: mental, emotional, spiritual, material, financial, relationship, time, events, play, liesure, work.

3. Sit down with your family and discuss these things and encourage them to do the same for themselves and the family.

4. Daily, take time to think through what is your best-life’s plan for your day, then take the action to creat it and step into it.

5. Be flexible: adjust your plan as the day goes on. See how it works.

6. Change and adjust as you go. Learn what works, what doesn’t and do more of what works. Add to this list and do more of what keeps you peaceful, happy, less-stressed, centered, grounded and well.

Thirty years ago Toffler, Fowler, Keen and many more consciousness building educators were sounding an alarm that continues to get louder and louder. We are in more “overstimulation” now that ever projected by most people over thirty years ago. more overstimulation than ever before in history. To have a better life, you have to make better choices — starting now.

The bottom line is, you have complete power over and responsibility for your choices every moment. Make them the best for your life, and your life will change for the best!

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter”Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert    www.DrDeClutter.com

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