The Magic of Tidying Up

If you've ever moved from one home to another you'll understand what my wife and I went through lately. We have been in the "process" of moving from one home to another.  

Moving certainly is a process.

We have the usual furniture, household items, tools, etc. We also have my huge 40 year-old collection of hypnosis and psychology books and hypnosis memorabilia. The book collection alone took up half the garage. Plus we have numerous items we've collected while on travels around the world.

I asked my wife if we really needed all that stuff. In my entire life I've always felt better with less stuff. But our stuff just seems to accumulate.

Then I read "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo. What a game changer! Marie has been an organizing specialist since the time she was 5 years old. Her book not only offers many organizing hints but an entire philosophy on stuff.

Buddha says, The root of suffering is attachment.
I believe it completely. I am convinced that once a year we all need to go through everything we have. If we haven't used an item in the past 12 months we need to give it away, sell it or throw it out.

Don't we all have too much stuff? 

In that regard, I used craigslist.com and was surprised how easy it was to sell over $4,000 worth of stuff we had not used in ages--old golf clubs and fishing gear, old SCUBA gear, old cell phones, luggage, furniture, clothes, old computers, monitors and much more. We had a garage sale and sold another $1700 worth of stuff we hadn't used in years.

This is Pretty cool!  

We gave truck loads of stuff to a battered women's shelter. We also gave truck loads of stuff to a local charity that helps disadvantaged children. I packed all my books, except for a few that I treasure, and sent them off to Amazon to sell for me. Amazon takes a cut but they do all the packing and shipping. We took 30 bankers boxes of old documents to the local shredder to shred for us. Now that we've moved and are unpacking we are still finding things to give away or sell.

Change can be fun and exciting but it's stressful. 

Change always is stressful. Whether the change is positive or negative it is stressful. So my wife Jane and I have been listening to an extra session of self-hypnosis every day to keep the stress levels down. Hypnosis for Stress really takes the edge off. Reducing stress makes us much more agreeable, helps us to sleep better and feel better.

One final thought...keep telling yourself Change is Good and you'll begin to believe it.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Ken
Kenneth Grossman, PhD
www.CommunityHypnosisCenter.com

Hypnosis for Neatness and Organization

8 Tips For A Happier And More Relaxed Holiday Season

1.     Lower Your Expectations

Normally I am the most positive person and expect the very best. However, the sign on my desk, "Lower Your Expectations" reminds me that people, especially my family members, aren't perfect and neither am I. Now that I am past 70 I've been through quite a few holiday seasons. I haven't seen perfection yet and don't expect to.

Holidays are a time for family gatherings, a time to celebrate with friends and a time for spiritual traditions. Holidays are a time to be open and grow, to accept new family members as the family grows and changes. As families grow and change traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose those you wish to hold on to and be open to creating new ones. For example if your adult children can't come to your house this year share pictures, emails and video.

2.    Put your differences aside for holiday tranquility
Keep it civil and simple. Holiday dinner is probably not the time to bring up old disagreements with a long-lost uncle. Try to be respectful of others' boundaries and if you find yourself ready to get into a fight, it's time to say goodnight.

3.    Drink responsibly
Some people feel nervous in social situations, but drinking too much can lead to very negative consequences both professionally and personally. Drink like a diplomat. Have one drink and take hours to finish it. Have a second drink and never finish it.

4.    Give yourself plenty of time when traveling
Travel in general has become more stressful. Holiday travel always seems to increase stress. As a seasoned traveler my advice is to give yourself lots of time. Pack light. Plan plenty of time to get where you need to go and bring activities for the little ones. Pacing the activities by the hour often helps pass the time.  Allow yourself some quiet time by listening to music or hypnosis programs to help recharge your batteries during the trip. Accept what happens and make it into an adventure.

5.    Learn to say no.
Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every activity. It's OK to say NO.

6.    Don't do the same old thing
If the usual family gathering is causing holiday stress, try something else. If you're too overwhelmed to host, discuss other possibilities with family members. Maybe a sibling could have the dinner this time.

7.     Reach out.
If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time at a food bank to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.

8.     Seek professional help if you need it.
Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling sad or anxious, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless. Hypnosis can help reduce stress, give you more energy and help you sleep. Listen to a hypnosis program one or two times a day before things get out of hand. Each time you listen you'll go into a profound state of relaxation and feel so much more relaxed at the end of the program.
Check our our website for a variety of programs that can help you relax, sleep better and not stress about the holidays.

Happy Holidays!

Dr. Ken
Kenneth Grossman, PhD
Specializing in Clinical Hypnotherapy
www.CommunityHypnosisCenter.com