*One * way to be more focused and present

I am a huge fan of meditating. Of slowing down the brain for even 10 minutes a day so it gets a much needed break. When I meditate my goal is to quiet things. It is to pause what is going a mile a minute in my head.

Sometimes I am super successful at that. Sometimes… not so much. But either way the practice of slowing down in this way is one in which I see great benefit. It’s a habit I decided I wanted to get into because what is suggested will happen with consistent meditation closely resembles the kind of person I want to be.

Focused. Present. Peaceful despite the messiness of life.

I might have a lot going on in my head — who doesn’t. But I want to approach things with more calm and confidence. And meditating daily allows me to refocus. In doing so, I start my day in a way that welcomes in quiet and, because of it, I give my self a good opportunity to refocus when things get a little hairy.

And they do get a little hairy from time to time.

But there is something else that prevents me from being focused and in the present, that makes slowing down feel impossible: clutter. And maybe that is the same for you.

I can’t function well, or…sanely… when I am in the presence of too much stuff being out of place. My brain can’t take it and it is harder for me to focus.

The reason for this is simple: the sheer amount of “stuff” that is in your physical life creates constant movement in your mind. Clutter makes it hard to make sense of what you see; and it creates stress as you try to navigate, physically, spaces that are untidy.

Clutter, and too much stuff is like speed for your senses.

The brain sees clutter – confused or disordered collections – and it races to make sense of it. Your eyes, perhaps subconsciously, dart throughout the space bouncing off one thing to another – quickly! You simply cannot sort anything out or understand what you are seeing when there is a lot of clutter around you.

That chaos in your space creates a heavy weight on your soul. And that heaviness adds to the millions of thoughts and to dos and worries that the brain already holds every second of the day.  Your stuff, in your space and in your head, holds you down and overwhelms you.

And it is hard to be present with that much going against you.

If you want to be more present and focused, and in the now, one very good way is to address the state of your space. You must get it organized and clutter free.

Meditation helps quiet your mind, open it up, and importantly slow it down.

Being in order does the same for your space, and your brain. Clearing clutter creates freedom – to move in your space, to do better work and have better relationships. It helps you increase your awareness of what is going on in your life, and makes you more intentional in how you live your life because there is less in your brain clashing and competing for attention. Without clutter, you are left to enjoy your space, your life, and the people and things in it.

There isn’t anything more critical to being in the now than being in a space that doesn’t suffocate you – in any way.

When your space is clear, when it is “light” and tidy and quiet, you follow suit. You are more grounded and centered. Despite life being messy and unpredictable, fast and often noisy, a clutter-free space puts you ahead of the curve because it allows you to deal with the mess with more control. You gain an ability to get re-balanced again more easily.

If being present is important to you, you must commit to clear clutter from your space.

And I do hope being present is important because being present is where solutions are found, curve balls are caught, stillness is established, and life is created with more purpose.

Work towards being present – mediation and organization are but two great ways to attain it. Without presence and the ability to focus you miss out on the simplicity of life and the uncomplicated ways of to combat the noise and stress that hold you back from living an intentional life.

Order begets presence.

And presence brings about more of what life has to offer.

___________________________________________

If you need help quieting your space, let’s talk! I offer a free 30 minute phone consultation so we can talk about where the noise in your life is coming from, and what you can do silence it. Contact me today to set up your free consult!