The other day I noticed that I've slipped into a new relationship with objects I need and use on a daily basis.  It's immensely satisfying. I'm grateful for their presence and usefulness and appreciative of their design and beauty.

I say this about items that I carry with me into the world eg., keys, water bottle, handbag and phone, as well as pieces that make my home life workable and comfortable eg., desk, bed, table, couch. They are in my life by design rather than by happenstance and this feels great. Same goes for the few sentimental objects that remain with me such as a tall ceramic pot my mother received from a relative visiting from Poland, or a green creamer and sugar bowl set that my mother -in-law once gifted to my ex-husband. Seeing them brightens my day. 

Over the years, I have clutter cleared again and again and each iteration has brought me closer to essentiality. By now, almost everything I own has withstood careful scrutiny and is in my possession because I use it, need it or love it. Sometimes all three apply as in the case of prescription sunglasses, my short black boots or my new couch.

This means that nothing languishes, which keeps sleepy, unconscious energy from being able to settle over it or engulf it. I'm either handling the objects as I go through my days or I'm regularly laundering, dusting or cleaning them. Everything is kept in motion, used punctually and deliberately or routinely handled with love and care, and that keeps the chi around these belongings light and clear.  

Also, I really like or even love what I own, and each item inspires or uplifts me. Because I try to minimize my belongings, I choose items carefully, keeping in mind not only function and utility but also design and beauty. For example, I adore my present handbag and wallet, and often receive compliments on each. They're each made well and work super well for me, and each time I touch them I'm delighted. Same goes for just about everything inside my purse, including phone, headphones, eyeglasses, keys and pens. The teas I carry in a pouch warm me and the grooming items make me smile. It's not an all-out celebration. It's a subtle, implicit phenomenon, but it's clear and I notice the uplifting effect. 

An item doesn't have to be fancy or expensive for me to appreciate it, though some of my items, like my wallet, yoga mat or car, are. It has to work well and be pleasing. I use a black spiral bound college ruled 8.5 x 11 notebook for Morning Pages and it's one of my favorite possessions at the moment. Same with my satchel/ briefcase. It cost less than $40, but it's light-weight, well made and easy to use. I love it!

I also like each of my electronics- phone, tablet and computer, but as some are Android and others Mac, at one point, I'll change things out for seamless communication and consistency. For now, they work well enough for me and I'm pleased when I interact with them. I appreciate that I can use them to access information, tangibly organize my thinking and reach out to people I love. They help me and make my life better.

When you really like the things you own, you end up stamping them positively with your energy. When you interact with them the embedded imprints uplift your energy further, thus perpetuating a self-reinforcing cycle. It's like being around people who you like and whose energy makes you feel lighter, better, and generally happier. When you see them, you're primed for an uplifting interaction and when that happens that further reinforces your view of or approach to them. 

Interestingly, people who are skilled at reading energies can glean that from your possessions when they energy sense them. I'm one of those, and so I can also sense the energies off my own belongings. I don't always do this consciously, and neither do you. The difference is that I'm aware of this phenomenon and thus strive to keep only the items that help me function better in the world, facilitate my expression, further my evolution or uplift my heart. 

While I think that my newly discovered satisfaction stems primarily from the fact through repeated culling, I've reached a threshold level in which almost everything I interact with in my home or as I travel is something I like. It's like being in a swirling cloud of understated pleasure.  

That said, I used to be very absent-minded and forgetful, and generally somewhat unorganized, and over the years, I've worked earnestly to reverse those states. Recently, I've made significant strides and that means I'm interacting with my physical environment quite differently of late. Also, I've learned to set up environments that facilitate elegant flow and that too, changes my experience amongst "things."

These changes, which I'll explore in subsequent posts, combined with the one on which I've elaborated in this post make daily life much more pleasing. I trust that when I work with many of you in upcoming sessions ior workshops, i'll be able to share that know-how and you'll be able to experience a similar sense of pleasure, ease and victory.