One of the simplest things you can do to support your emotional eating and trauma-healing journey is to declutter your life. Here’s why:

Everything is energy, and we hold energy in different ways: in the cells of our body; in our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs; in the tangible objects we own; and in the unseen space radiating out from our physical body, which is referred to as our energy field.

We are attached to our living space and personal belongings—home, vehicle, purse—by invisible threads of energy flowing around and through us. You can’t see them, but they affect you nevertheless because everything you own is embedded with and reinforces the energy of your beliefs.

This is why even objects from a traumatic childhood can hold you hostage to your past. The concrete, visible world of our “stuff” and the invisible world of our emotions and energy field are one.

It’s all connected.

When you release objects from your outside world that no longer serve you, you energetically release what no longer serves you on the inside as well.

For example, by letting go of outdated clothes from an earlier—and perhaps, harder—time in your life, you begin to let go of outdated beliefs about yourself too. You essentially release the energy held in those pieces of clothing—from the outside and inside of you.

Think of it this way:

Change and self-growth happen from the inside out as you shift your thoughts, beliefs, and feelings.

Change and self-growth also happen from the outside in as you release the heavy energies of clutter—especially trauma-related clutter—from your life.

Our homes and belongings are like mirrors reflecting to us the beliefs we hold of ourselves. As you look around your environment, what do you see? Do you see order or chaos ? Do the objects in your life uplift your spirit or drain you? Are you reminded of loving memories or painful ones?

Sometimes we’re so used to having items in our lives for a long time—especially sentimental ones from childhood—that we don’t “see” their deeper meaning or “feel” the effect on our spirit.

I’m not suggesting that you let go of everything from your past, although you may choose to. What I’m inviting you to do is look critically at what you own, release items associated with painful experiences and memories, and keep only those items that bring joy and comfort to your heart.

Below are some categories of items for you to consider releasing as you embark on your emotional eating and trauma-healing journey from the outside in: (more…)