the.process

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 The idea of something can sometimes be bigger in our minds than it deserves to be.

Is the process always easy?

No.

But it is possible, and with a plan it is extremely manageable and easier than we think to accomplish.
Never let the process of clearing out distraction and clutter overwhelm you or stop you.

We all have areas in our life we want to clean out. It can be the actual space around us... like finally organizing the garage, the closets or that room.

Or for some it might be the space inside us... like a situation, habit, or perspective that we have that we want to redefine or adjust.

No matter what it is, your approach will determine your outcome.

Here are a few things I’ve learned about how my mental approach that helped:

1. You can literally only do one thing at a time, and that is ok.

Accept and relax in that. I love to multitask, but I’ve learned that even if I want to tackle multiple things, that my focus needs to be on the one thing I’m doing at that exact moment. When I focus in, I don’t get overwhelmed and I do what i'm doing right the first time, and usually quicker. Each task is part of a bigger pictures, and my attention needs to be on the step I’m taking when I’m taking it.

2. Don’t freak out when it’s gets messy before its get beautiful.

The only way to effectively clean out a space is to take everything out of it first. When everything is out you can see the space differently, reevaluate what will go back in the space, and how it should be there. There’s always that time though where you look around and everything looks a mess. It’s okay, it’s needed and once you do it, it’s done. Cleaning out a closet or dealing with emotional situations in your past usually require a time of clearing out what’s inside and reevaluating what’s suppose to be in that space or not.

3. Separate and make a list of what you need AFTER going through everything.

Once you see what you have seperated or once you set your mind to a goal, you’ll be able to shop for products or resources that are specific to what you want to organize or trying to accomplish. This ensures that you don’t waste money and that what you purchase will be used effectively.

4.      Understand the process…of a process.

A lot of clearing out clutter and distractions in our life requires undoing and improving upon things that have already been done a certain way. Some things may take time or patience. Don’t get intimidated by that, it’s worth it and honestly inevitable if you want change or progression in your life.

Enjoy it as the adventurous learning process that it is.

watch.what.you.watch

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It is more available than ever. You can watch it online, on a Kindle, on your phone, on an iPad, at work, or even… on a television ;) Television itself is not bad. But it’s what you watch, and how much you watch it that could open up a door for distraction.

Everyone has their way of “unwinding” and I am a firm believer in the importance of it. TV was that for me at one time. I would watch “The Game”, all the dance shows, all the VH1 reality shows, HGTV, and music videos for hours. Even if I wasn’t really watching it, it was on.

In the beginning of trying to pursue starting my own business I realized I had more important things to work on than watching everyone else’s life. Then when I went to India back in 2010 I really enjoyed the peace of not having it. I cancelled my cable as soon as I came home and I never regretted it. The time and focus I have from not having it is priceless. The influence and Reality TV drama that I bypass by not letting it in my spirit is a blessing. Not to mention the at least $65.00-$80.00 a month that I save from not having a cable bill.

I know that isn’t for everyone, but here are a few things I and anyone else can ask yourself when watching TV:

1.  Is this the best thing I could be doing with my time?

2.  Why type of reaction or influence is this creating in me?

3.  Does this show shape my perspective at all?

4.  Am I gaining anything positive by watching this?

5.  Does what I watch agree with what I believe?

6.  Is watching the lives of others more interesting than living mine?

7.   Is TV or my favorite show the highlight of my day?

If you ask yourself those questions, be honest with yourself about the answers. We always want to brush off the power that something mundane can have. But I know many people, definitely including myself, that can link certain behaviors, goals, thoughts, phases, and perspective with watching a certain show.

Overall, your perspective towards TV in your life is a personal one, but it truly has become one of the biggest distractions in our daily lives.

social.websites

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Next up in exposing electronic clutter… Entertainment Websites & Social Networking

We have so much access to information that it consumes us. Our minds are always seeking a new update. Our attention spans have become worthless. We can only do something for so long before we drift off in “boredom” and want to start checking our newsfeeds and be entertained. We spend our lives reading and watching the lives of others instead of being fully engaged in our own. Here are some of the biggest web distractions:


Facebook/Twitter/Instagram

The definition of addiction is: “The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice”. In any situation you can look around a room and someone is thumbing through their phone checking their newsfeed. It’s more consuming then people want to admit, many don’t go an entire day without checking these sites at least once. Twitter & Facebook can be great business, marketing, family connecting, and ministry tools, yet it’s usually used for sharing or reading useless things. The majority of status updates are boring, yet people faithfully get on to read them because… they’re bored. The saddest part is when people are with other people and during a conversation or while doing something, STOP to scroll through their phones. In the middle of living our life, we have to stop to check and see what others are doing or thinking, or let people know what we doing…why?

YouTube

It can be a great way to share your creative talents or learn something, but if what you’re watching isn’t purposeful or teaching you something, why waste your precious time on it. Certain things aren’t worth our attention. When we watch something, we are coming into agreement with it. Watch what you’re coming in agreement with…literally.

Gossip Websites  
(TMZ, Perez Hilton, MediaTakeout)

What is inside of us that feeds off gossip? There is NOTHING good that can come from filling your mind up with what’s shared on these sites. The information doesn’t benefit us and those people aren’t thinking about us…at all. If we enjoy any type of entertainment from the drama of others, then it’s time to take a look inside and see where that comes from. Gossip sites are a gateway to discontent. You don't need the drama of others bouncing around in your spirit.

Pinterest

Pinterest can be a great place to organize goals, and learn a craft or recipe, yet it can become a false reality or escape for some. Spending hours pinning things about our lives, instead of actually living them or being so “overly inspired” that we feel we can’t measure up can invite a distorted perspective into our life.

I fell in love with Pinterest, but started noticing how much time I was spending on it. Time that could be used for the things I was pinning about...

Blogs

Depending on the type of blogs you read, people can get lost in idolizing or living through someone very easily. There is a difference between inspiration and influence. Some connections made are encouraging and some are unhealthy. Do you appreciate what that person shares, or do you want to become like that person? Be mindful and honest about what draws you to a certain blog and keeps you reading. You may not even realize where it’s coming from until you stop to ask yourself.

The impact of it all?

1. Ask anyone why they haven’t pursued their dreams or focused on their goals: 9 times out of 10, they will tell you they didn’t have time. But we have time to keep up with what's going on in other people's lives.

2. Ask anyone why do we even do those things: 9 times out of 10, it comes from a place of boredom.

If we channeled our boredom into pouring into our dreams and being productive, we wouldn’t look to fill our time up with those things. Being focused and purposeful not only gets rid of boredom, but gets rid of things that take up our time because we won’t look to them to entertain our boredom. It’s a cycle.

Yes, there is a balance and it’s heathly to check out and mentally unwind but not every hour for 15-20 minutes at least all day long out of habit ;)

We have world changing visions on the inside of us, we have a world of people that need love and to know how awesome God is… yet we spend precious parts of our day reading about another celebrity couple getting divorced or what someone from our high school ate for lunch…

*Take some time over the next few days and be mindful of how and why you use some of your routine websites. God will show you through your spirit which ones to avoid and which ones to create time boundaries for. If you are someone who really struggles with it, then take a week off all of them and see what God reveals you in that time, and what you do with your time instead*