Breaking Up With my PC

Break ups are hard.  
Break ups are not fun.
Break ups may be a necessity in letting go.

This may seem melodramatic but I need to find the courage to be the one to break up, with my laptop.

You see I was generously gifted a new MacBook Pro for my birthday in December and I have hardly given any attention to it.  

I've taken advantage of the support offered from Apple to learn how to migrate to the new platform, taken three different classes to learn how to navigate and still I'm typing this post on my well loved PC.

One of the geniuses at the Apple store made a comment that has stuck with me over the last month.  They said "The biggest challenge for those switching from PC to Mac is fear, being afraid of making mistakes."

  

I gulped back my desire to scoff at that remark and say, "What me afraid to make mistakes?  To take a risk trying something unfamiliar?  Not me....ugh"

But here I am on my Acer, comfortably typing, backspacing, scrolling with such unconscious familiarity while my shiny new MacBook lays in wait.

My PC laptop is old in technology years and has served me and my girls well.  Honestly, I've been saying for months that I need to shop for a new one.  It has a habit of pausing aka freezing amid multiple keystrokes and I hold my breath hoping it recovers and all that I had been working on is still in tact.

My laptop is the size of a refrigerator compared to my MacBook.  It's keyboard is bigger, which makes typing on the MacBook frustrating because I have to look at where I put my hands.  (First world problem)

My MacBook is like a bigger version of my Iphone.  No loss of contacts.  No concern about all my music. No repopulating my calendar.  Poof I simply signed into my Itunes account and magically everything was there.  No stress.  (I may have murmured showoff under my breath when that happened within 5 minutes of turning it on)

Then there is the Mac software that tries to pretend its MSOffice.  You mean to tell me that I don't need tabs of document formatting options that I very rarely use?  Don't even get me started on comparing spreadsheet software, Excel versus Numbers.  You are telling me I can not use complicated formulas that I used to use all the time?  (harumphing Amateur even while knowing I can buy MSOffice for Mac)

I realize that this may seem all very over the top.  I get that.  Converting from PC to Mac is like switching religions, there is an ingrained trust and tradition that has been built up over the years.  Being so intimately familiar with what to expect when I turn on my PC then waiting, waiting, waiting for it to fire up is just the delayed reaction procedure so I can have a couple sips of coffee.  Versus opening up my Mac and like a dog who heard you said "walk" its ready to sign in.  

Truthfully, I wish my laptop had simply froze and didn't recover; then the conversion would be easier, I'd feel less disloyal, I'd feel justified, I'd feel free to switch teams and never look back.  Yet I'm grateful that my laptop did not die, I'm grateful that I didn't have that stress of calling 911 or perform CPR so that I could get all of my files off of it.

Despite the evidence I've just shown you and confirmed for myself by writing out the differences.  I find that my resistance calls for something with more finality. Hence, the break up.

I've admitted that I am attached to my PC.  

I will admit that I'm attracted to the sexy new Mac, and when I do use it I feel like I'm cheating on my Acer.  UGH

I have to let go of my relationship with the old and embrace being romanced by the new laptop.  

Admittedly this is a bit foreign to me.  I've a longstanding reputation of being able to let go of physical things with peace, love and gratitude.  Why this situation feels different, while inherently I know there is no difference between this piece of electronics than the upteen bags of clothes, furniture, other things I've let go in the past.

So what is stopping me from moving forward?

Well I have to also admit that the Apple Genius was right.  I'm fearful of making mistakes on the new Mac, I'm a little resentful that I have to relearn what I already know by rote, I'm a wee bit sad that I no longer have to navigate circular referenced formulae in Excel.  I've changed, my computer needs have changed, and this change has me resisting.

And this was a great lesson for me.  

On Monday I had a One to One session booked to help to get to know my Mac even better.  The Apple Genius slash therapist, listened as I spoke about my resistance, he kept using phrases like "Let's do it this way to lessen your stress".  

In 60 minutes I had brought over a good chunk of my files and admittedly was  more confident in committing to my Mac.  His understanding helped, his sales pitch on why I will learn to love the Mac was valuable, his support and guidance has me typing the balance of this post on my new shiny laptop, in pages versus Word, whilst my PC lays dormant beside me.

I've not discarded my PC, there are plenty more files that I need to transfer over, however that session with the Genius helped me move away from the default.  Move away from the fear.  And moved me toward gratitude.

I'm grateful for the service my Acer provided.  I'm super grateful that it is still alive, well and functional.  My gratitude has superimposed that feeling of disloyalty.  Thanks to taking the step to learn more about my mac and actually bring my files over, that was the clean break I needed to let go.

I've accepted that this change is not only necessary but I've created the space within and welcomed it.  

Just like any break up, its hard to admit that the relationship isn't working anymore.  There is still that sense of mourning the loss of all the good times.  There is that feeling of fondness for how the relationship added value to my life.  However I do know that its time to let go and it feels better to do so in order to devote my attention to my new relationship.  

Mac sitting atop the PC :)

With Gratitude,
Sherry

P.S.  I am new to sending newsletters if you are interested in receiving, I'd be honoured if you would join me by signing up here.

Self Love Bagua

In spirit of Valentine's Day I created an inquiry based Bagua for Self Love, asking how Self Love would affect the relationship to all of life areas on the bagua.

The Love and Relationships gua in Feng Shui encompasses all of the relationships in your life.  

You would find this area in your home by dividing your main floor into 9 equal areas, stand facing your front door and it would be at the back of your house the area to the right.

You can also lay the bagua onto each room to find where Love and Relationships would be anchored as it also has its own 9 areas.  Divide the space into 9 equal blocks, stand facing the door or entry of the room.

--------------Entrance or Front Door--------------

Relationships are not limited interpersonal, it includes all relationships starting with you and your relationship with your:  

• spouse
• children
• family
• friends
• colleagues
• career
• car
• education
• life experiences
• the world
• health
• body
• money
• spirit
• yourself
• etc.

You may have heard me ask/say this before, but it bears repeating.

1. If you were to list 5 people who LOVE YOU unconditionally who would they be?
2. If you were to list 5 people who YOU LOVE unconditionally who would they be?
3. Did you include yourself on either or both of those lists?

Self Love is not about narcissism, nor is it about ego.  Self Love is about loving yourself as others love you and you love others, unconditionally.

We tend to negate the need to express love to ourselves, as there can be a discomfort in doing so.  It may feel selfish, stupid and ridiculous.  There may be the belief that feeling and expressing love is something you feel and do for and about others not yourself.

So pick one of the 5 people you listed above that YOU LOVE unconditionally. Feel what it feels like to love them.  Think of the reasons that love comes out of you to them without conditions.  Think about how the love you have for them provides them with comfort, warmth and support in all ways.  Feel what that feels like.

Pick one of the 5 people you listed above that LOVE YOU unconditionally.  Feel what it feels like to have someone love you that way.  Think about how the love they feel for you comforts, warms and supports you in a multitude of ways. Feel what it feels like to receive love.

Think about what it feels like to be doing something you love, work or play. Isn't it effortless?  Work may not feel like work when you love what you are doing, play may feel like play to the tenth power when you love what you are doing.

Think about being somewhere that you love.  Vacation destination, your home, your favorite restaurant, wherever.  Feels good to be there.

The core of us is Love and we can learn how to invite those feelings into us and about us and our life by using our feelings from above as templates.

Starting at our core.  

  

Reflection (Knowledge and Self Cultivation):

I would ask if it would be possible to be able to look at the culmination of your life experiences and lessons with more compassion?  Would the good times feel even better and the bad times less bad?  When we use love as our filter perhaps we would be able to see our life with more objectivity.

Nurture (Health and Family):

If we approached nurturing our body, mind and spirit with the essence of love would it be easier to make choices that supported ourselves?  What would it feel like to make healthy choices from a love perspective rather than self-recrimination?  Is it possible we could be more successful in achieving a healthy status?  

Gratitude (Wealth and Prosperity):

Being and feeling grateful, while infused with love may allow us to see a broader picture of what makes us abundant.  Love may gift us seeing our lives as being wealthy and prosperous in a broader way.  Is it possible that gratitude and love are actually conjoined?  Is it possible that sending love to all the things we are grateful for in our lives could create even more prosperity?

Community (Fame and Reputation):

Loving the worlds in which gather may better support who we are and who we are becoming.  If we were to communicate with ourselves in a loving way would it be possible we would send and receive communication with others differently?  

Love (Love and Relationships):

What would it feel like if you were committed to loving yourself as you do other important relationships?  How would that affect your marital relationship, that with your children, family and friends?  How would that impact the balances you feel in relationship?

Joy (Children and Creativity):

When you are doing something you love to do, in a place that you love, with people that you love isn't that like a good vibeage trifecta?  Happiness and joy are commodities that having more of would be life changing.  Finding things that bring you joy and doing them is showing love to yourself!  Make a go to happy list, and do the things that you love to do!

Spirit (Helpful people and Travel):

If we needed help from others and loved ourselves enough to ask for it or accept it, how would your life feel different?  When offering help to others in the spirit of love would it be easier for them to accept and to ask?  Choosing to see that giving and receiving help is an extension of giving and receiving love. How would that perspective change your go forward?

Flow (Career):

If the flow of our life was buoyed by love how would you be moving forward?  If we chose to find a way to love ourselves and our life, in all ways would it be possible that we could be gentler when we are feeling stuck?  Would the possibilities be easier to see if we sailed the waters feeling love?  How could the momentum of your life be improved by adding love?

In each of the above life areas, adding love to the perspective or essence improves the texture of how we may look at our life overall.  Whether we are looking at where we are coming from, where we are at this moment, and where we are intending to go to in the future.

Practising Self Love is exactly that, a practise.  By doing so we recharge our selves from within, so that we can radiate love from the inside out.  

My favorite reminder is.

This reminds me to be more gentle, to be more mindful, to be more connected to myself and when I do so, everyone in my life, everything in my life benefits.

Happy Valentine's Day.

P.S.

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Building my Bagua for 2015

I've just returned from a four day retreat.  

Well actually, I never left my house, but my family did, and I opted to stay home and focus on recharging my batteries.  It was brilliant.

There was a hint of guilt in my choosing Me-time rather than family time; each time it arose I reminded myself why doing this was important to me, and a benefit for me and my family.

You can not serve from an empty cup and by the end of 2014 I was empty.  So choosing Self-Care and Self-Love by retreating was the best decision I could overall.

The first thing on my retreat list was to reflect on the past year, and specifically how the "Power word", I chose for myself served me.

I chose Fluidity & Fluid as my anchor for 2014, and I likened it to seaweed.  This proved to be most appropriate and very important for all that the year held.  By the end of December (as seaweed), I was water logged and ready to climb out of the ocean and onto dry land.

Using the inspiration and direction from Nicole Cody at Cauldrons and Cupcakes I settled in to find a new word and new energy to anchor the new year.  Last January I found that choosing a power word that encompassed my Bagua was a positive compliment.

I was quite attracted to the word she had chosen, "Build", however still decided to continue to journal and jot to see if that was the most perfect for me.

Words that came up were:  Voice, Plant, Passion, Bloom, Thrive, Communicate, Speak, Take Root, Share, Vocalization, Articulate, Express and finally I settled on Fluent.

At first thought it was perfect, then I was second guessing my choice because of it being so similar to Fluid and Fluidity.

So I sat with it, let it bounce around my mind as I went onto other things, then decided to see how it fit with my Bagua that I had created during November/December.

Starting at Reflection and working up and around the Bagua:

Reflection = Leadership = communication

Nurture = Go to the Breath = easy breathing

Gratitude = Courage =  No doubting self + ease

Community = Share = Being Fluent

Love = All In = Flows easily

Joy = Bram = Connecting to source of joy

Spirit = Dad = Helping others with my words and actions

Flow = Setting Sail = Going with the flow!

Credit: Dictionary.com

When I read the definition of the word, it really helped to make the connection even stronger to the word, and it began to feel like mine.

My imagery this year is being above the water, contrary to being below, and I am a big fan of easy and graceful.

I'm grateful for 2014, I've decluttered it, chosen what I want to bring forward to 2015 and let go of what no longer serves me.

I have a sticky note on my computer with the question, 

"How does it get any better than this?" 

And am trusting the answer to come from within, and am excited for what I will create!

Decluttering Clothes Closets

Its that time of the year when I enter my wardrobe and acknowledge the fact that a portion of the contents no longer serve me. 

I've had a couple of years reprieve from having to do this task whilst living in Australia, where my closet looked identical year round.  Being back in North America means a more substantial effort to transition, and as a “purger”, I had only a couple of items  left in the archives worthy of the briskness of autumn and chill of winter.

I choose to look at this as an advantage.  Not simply because I'm open to retail therapy, but from the perspective that the clothes I choose to add or let go of from my closet is a practical and literal way of moving my energy.

Clothing absorbs and reflects our energy.  They illustrate who we are and who we want the world to see.

Our garments can support our energy, 

both how we are feeling and how we want to feel. 

Decompress

We can climb out of bed and have a pyjama day; or climb into our comfy gear after a long day, and the doing either adds another layer to support our desire to relax.

Amplify

We can boost our intention to have fun when going out by how we dress, to a party, out with friends, or going for dinner.  We can even exercise with a little more effort, if our gear adds to our vitality.  

Project

We can use our wardrobe to depict who we are or who we are becoming.  Think about how you would dress for a job interview, date or important meeting at the bank or office.  


What about the items that you are no longer connecting with? The pieces that your hand hovers over top of but never grab?

Those may hold a past story and resonated with you then, however, are not currently in sync with your present and more importantly your future.

Create space in your closet by letting go of the garments that:

1. No longer fit,

2. No longer attract you,

3. No longer evoke the energy you wish to project. 

4. No longer make the impression or statement you wish to make.

Those pieces left hanging, can take away from collective good feeling of your closet, so whether that means discarding, passing them on or storing them until the season comes back around, physically removing them from your space can be uplifting.

Add items into your space that you LOVE! Whether you are buying new things, or are returning your stored seasonal clothes, the positive connection to what you see in your closet, and subsequently wearing serves your spirit overall.

While making the change I invite you to do so with gratitude. Being grateful for the clothes that have served you and giving thanks for the new energy for those taking their place.

Infusing your wardrobe with love and gratitude will support you in looking and feeling better, going forward in this and every season.

Decluttering Food Storage

In my past life I not only had a large refrigerator in the kitchen, and a second smaller one, along with a 10 cubic foot deep freeze.  This was practical and realistic for that time in our lives.

When we moved overseas we quickly adjusted to the fact that the refrigerator we now had would have easily fit inside the one we had in Canada, with room left over.  A bit of a quandary at first, however, as the Europeans are known for we too shopped for consumables nearly daily. 

In Australia, we acquired a fridge that was similar to our North American style, and learned quickly that by living a mere 500 metres from the grocery store it was a little much.  Our shopping habits were a blend of both North American and European style.

With our return to Canada, we have had more opportunity for hosting people, therefore at times we would have benefited from having additional storage.  And for that I am grateful.  However, I have learned in the last six months that more is not necessarily practical or realistic for this time in our lives.

Eager to hit the large warehouse grocers, I found our eyes were bigger than our consumption habits.  A number of fresh "bulk" items had to be discarded.  I found that having a freezer full of an assortment of meats and veg is not nearly as inspiring as it is convenient, and we've been drawn in by the advertising of buy 4 and save promotions to be an easy sale.

Especially during the holiday season.  I bought quantities of things that normally I would not have.  Suddenly having 14 boxes of crackers, 6 bags of potato chips, and various and other sundry "treats", became a necessity!

Ugh :(

I understand and practise the concept of shopping the outside aisles of any grocery store, where the fresh items can be found.  I nip into the middle ones as needed and consciously skip aisles, because I know browsing can lead to buying.

A couple weeks ago I declared that we would be eating our way through our frozen goods and now after the binge buying for the holiday season I'm including our dry goods as well!

The Fridge Door

This is home to the condiments, jams, jellies, dressings and spreads.  Amongst our collection are bottles and jars used once, thought it would be good, and containers that make me ask where did this come from and why.

Doing an inventory of such food items can be:

Inspiring 

Motivating you to recipe search ways to incorporate one or both of the unique grainy mustards on hand, into a dish.

Reminding you of a dish you created that you had forgotten about therefore changing the status to used twice.

Liberating

I discarded a horseradish that on the label claimed "hot", however was anything but hot.  Each time I reached for it, I frowned, so I emptied the contents and recycled the jar.  Having it reside in my fridge did nothing but take away space for things that make me smile.

Presentation

Have you ever stood there looking for something and all of the contents just blurred together.  By wiping jams and jellies of the bits that have accumulated, cleaning the shelves then changing the order in which they appear helps to stimulate and refocus what we see when we are looking for something.

The Inner Sanctum

Just as the fridge door, presentation plays a big part on the shelves and drawers.  Out of sight is out of mind.

There are the daily consumables on the shelves: juice, milk, cream, butter, eggs, cheese etc.  Because their rotation is frequent there is little fear they will expire before their time.

However its the tubs of yogurts, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese that once opened the countdown clock begins and if they get bumped to the back of the fridge there is even less hope.

This is where I invest time in organization and presentation.  Just like the grocers, I lean towards having them label out and eye level so when someone is peering inside they are easily spotted and may very well inspire someone to use in their creation.

Produce can be a challenge, when more than one in the household shops, and recently we had more carrots than we could conceivably consume.

Spinach, carrots, apples, celery either get blended or juiced.  I have been using a silicone muffin tray to freeze the juiced goodness for smoothies. This has been a clever way to extend the usefulness of produces, especially when greens start to wither.  

Again this goes back to buying the quantity of fresh that exceeds our consumption.  Being mindful that consuming good food can be rhythmic and because you ate the large bag of spinach two weeks in a row, it bears keeping in mind that consumption fluctuates.

The Freezer

How long do bananas last in the freezer waiting to be made into muffins or a loaf?  Banana loaf is a popular item in my household, however, when the frozen bananas start to make me feel guilty for not having made them into a baked goodie I let them go.  

There is more than one way to use up an overripe banana than tossing it into the freezer to live for eternity. I have chosen to buy less rather than more, rather than having the excess be banished to the freezer.

This past summer when at a warehouse store I decided I would buy a selection of frozen treats.  Turns out only 25% of the pack was popular and in the freezer remains the other 75%, 4 months later.  

I do not consciously like to discard food, however, the reality is that no one is going to eat them.  With it being winter the odds are even smaller, and the odds get even worse thinking it will be another 4 months until frozen treats will be attractive.  

Therefore, I let them go.

The Cupboard

Until further notice in my household I will not be replenishing:  crackers, cereal, potato chips and other snacks.  I've already made peace with the fact that I've overbought and that despite my best efforts some of what I bought will go stale.

Now that the holiday season is coming to a close, the buy four specials or the bogo offers will drop in popularity until the next "celebrate by serving potato chips" occasion comes around.

As a rule I do not succumb to such offers, however it bears repeating...

Saying "No" once at the grocery store means not having to repeatedly say No when you are at home.

~Sherry Trentini, Creating Space

They suggest not to grocery shop when you are hungry, I would also add not to grocery shop when you are not present.  

Being tired or distracted may lead to you accumulating things in your trolley that do not serve you or your household in a nurturing way.  

I know I have allowed the dazzle of the "good deal", to influence my purchasing, and I know I have paid the price twofold.  Hence having to consciously declutter my food storage.

Making choices that are contrary to our lifestyle, does not mean that we have completely let go of our Nurturing values.   

We have the power of choice:  choosing to continue in that fashion or not, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Decluttering Virtual Boxes

At the end of the year I take inventory to:

Donate things that I know I will never use.

Discard things that are no longer useable or donatable.

Clean, Organize and Refresh the energy of the things I do want in my space. 

Most of my personal belongings are stored in a 16' x 16' container. Despite the best intentions the most perfect home has not been acquired in our new location. Therefore we continue to live in a furnished rental property with perhaps 40% of our belongings.

This makes me a little antsy.  This makes me a wee bit impatient as I know there are things in that container that meet the criteria above.

I decided this morning that in order to satisfy my need to purge, clean, organize and refresh my space I'd have to be creative.  

Since I can not get into my boxes I would literally have to think outside of them! I went to my Inbox!

Email-Deleting the Archives

I started my day with a coffee and settled in to read my personal email.

Thanks to my smartphone I easily delete and discard emails on the fly, but what I noticed when I opened my account on my computer is that I had a total of 4181 read emails in my inbox.

That number stood out at me like a beacon.  I've read or clicked on over four thousand emails and deemed them important enough to keep?  Surely I must be joking...

So I started to investigate what I had been hoarding...

I navigated my way to the 4181st email and by only looking at the subject line I knew that I could let it go.

I worked backwards for a time, deleting 50 emails per page, simply by reading the subject line.

In no time I was down to 3404.  Then 3,101, then 2794, 2660.

By the time I had finished my first cup of coffee I had deleted 1521 emails.

It could have been easy to get caught up in the reading and reminiscing of emails from some senders.  

It could have been easy to create a folder named "Keepers", to sort and organize correspondence into.  

The truth of the matter is that the content was no longer valid, no longer applicable, and no longer valuable.

It was simply taking up virtual space so I clicked "Delete".

Email-Shoulds

I do have a number of folders, and when I glanced through them I noticed that four of them contained, "I'll read when I have time" or "I should keep these and read them"

Some of those emails were over 4 years old, and again without clicking on them and getting caught up in consuming the content I decided that simply deleting them was me choosing to stop "shoulding" on myself.

Email-Click Unsubscribe

Having recently began my own email list for my website, I understand the value of list building.  I can not aptly describe the thrill of receiving an email telling me that someone signed up to my list, trust me it is very exciting.

What I noticed in my inbox is that there were multiple stored emails I received from companies and people that I rarely if ever clicked on.  Most of them were the giant corporations that incessantly send emails and frankly I never read them.

So I clicked the Unsubscribe, thanked them silently and deleted all of the ones I had never been opened.

What I have learned in the last few weeks of building that list is the importance of sharing content that people click on to read and engage.  Having people who are not attracted to your content, offers or what you have to say, or like me delete without even clicking, is a disservice.

I can not aptly describe the moment of acceptance when I received emails informing me that someone had unsubscribed from my list. 

[Note:I said acceptance]

I trust that when I sign up for email newsletters, offers or otherwise I do so when I attracted to the content; therefore when I have unsubscribed from a list I am doing so because that content is no longer of value to me, I am overwhelmed by the influx, or I am turned off by constant offers and no content.  I get to choose who appears in my inbox.

When I received unsubscribes I accepted the fact that, like myself, they valued the content of what they had received however they were honest with themselves and me that it was not most perfect for them.  Asking the question and trusting in the answer.

Email-Receipts of the past

I'm quite pleased that some companies are giving you the option to have your receipt or invoice emailed rather than a paper copy.  I enjoy the print at home option for tickets as well.

The paper copy can fade in time, or smooshed from your pocket or bottom of your bag.  A paper copy can be misplaced, misfiled or mislaid.  

An email copy is very efficient and easily searchable or filed electronically.

In my 4181 emails, I was able to let go of well over 500 emailed receipts over the past few years.

Concert tickets I enjoyed.

Updates on events I had attended.

Purchases I made.

Delivery notifications.

There is an expiration date on holding onto purchase receipts, both literally and electronically.  Especially when some online vendors keep that content in your account and keeping one in your inbox is simply duplication of the same.

Just like cleaning out your wallet, purse or file folder, discarding receipts of past purchases creates space in your inbox as well.

Email-Drafts

I had a couple dozen emails that I had started, never finished or may have gotten distracted, called away from or had simply changed my mind about composing.

I had a couple of emails that I had obviously decided it was in my best interest and that of the greater good, to write but not send.

The cathartic response to putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard to get things off of your chest is either reacting or responding to something.

Just as you were taught in school when writing an essay or report, it is best to get the content on paper, walk away or let it sit, then go back, review and edit.  

Reacting is often your first draft.

Responding is letting your first draft sit, reviewing and editing the content with perspective.

Holding onto drafts hold thought energy, its like that niggling feeling like you forgot to do something.

Deleting emails that you had started and never finished, drafts that are well outdated are holding space and holding thoughts that may serve you better to let go of.

Going from 4181 to 2000 

I do not fancy myself a hoarder, quite the contrary, so today when I managed to declutter nearly 2200 emails I was very pleased to how en-lightening it was to have created that much space in my inbox.

Things to note:

I did not get caught up in reviewing the content, rather I used the criteria of date (starting with year), subject line, and sender, as my guide to whether it held any value.

I was honest with myself about whether I would create the time to review the emails I had organized in folders.  Letting go of the "should reads" literally made my shoulders relax.

Unsubscribing from lists from giant companies was easier.  I consciously signed up for their list through purchases or necessity; I consciously unsubscribed from their list due to the quantity or lack of relevance.  

Choosing to let go of emails from an entrepreneur or website was harder but equally valuable.  When I searched the sender I noted how many emails I had engaged with, and how many I had "intended" or "shoulded on myself" to get back to.  I did choose to delete past emails I hadn't read and will see if I'm inspired to carry on with them as new emails arrive.

Deleting Receipts felt like cleaning out my wallet or purse.  It was easy and feels lighter just thinking about it.

Letting go of email drafts was also easy to do, knowing that they are no longer in virtual purgatory feels better overall.

Emails- Sent

As pleased as I was to have declutter my inbox by 50%; I was equally overwhelmed when I noted that my Sent folder held 4671 emails.

Using the date as my main criteria I downsized the sent emails to 3350 in a few clicks.

The knowing that I have let go of 3502 emails or 40% of the content I was holding in my email account is a great way to Create Space in my world! 

 

 

Toddler Flashback, Fast Forward to Sweet 16

For the last month I've been hanging out with a toddler, whilst her Mom recovers from surgery.  I have been and am fascinated how even though it has been over a dozen years since my youngest was that age, how the things I did then still have merit today.

We have had tea parties, have been reading books, counting fingers and toes, mixing ingredients and singing silly songs at every opportunity.  I'm in awe of this little 19 month old.  I'm in awe of how much she has changed in this month. I'm in awe by how much she has learned and even more so, how much she has taught me.

This has been an ongoing reflection of when my own girls were of that age. Watching them interact with her, laughing, giggling and soaking up her toddler cuteness.  This has prompted many conversations about when they were wee kids and what they used to do, say and be like.  

My favorite question from them was "Did you do that stuff when we were little?" My answer was, "Of course I did!"  This has been an opportunity for all 3 of us to glance back.

Fast forward to my eldest's 16th birthday yesterday.  

Which for all intents and purposes it feels like forever since she was 19 months old.  Even though she can not recall that time in her life as succinctly, as she is observing a toddler now, there have been many times that I have caught myself watching clips of her then in my mind's eye.  Feeling like it was just yesterday. 

Not unlike toddlers, sixteen years olds absorb more of what you give to them than you may know at first glance.   Back then I worried about whether I was doing it "right", whether I should have done it this way or that way.  And the inquiry I've lately, "What would I do different?"

As I Flashback to her toddlerdom to today I'm fascinated by her.  I'm in awe of all that she has learned, how much she has grown.  I'm in awe of all the things she has taught me.  

I know I can get caught up in the moment, at times I don't know which way is up, and if I am doing the right things.  And as each change, opportunity, challenge, bump, scrape and experience happens no matter how old my children are I'm doing the best I can in the moment.  

Being present.  

We all are.

Spending time with a toddler, alongside my teenagers, has offered me the gift of perspective.  Looking back to who I was then and who they were; to who I am now and who my girls are; to who we are all becoming; has been the most exceptional gift.  

I am Grateful!