Have you ever seen that show Hoarders? It's a show where they go into people's homes to help them clear out all the clutter. Most of the people they show are on the far end of the spectrum and extreme cases. When you see inside their homes there can be stacks of papers, books, clothes, boxes and even trash. Often, it's piled so high that they only have this small path to walk from room to room.

Their house, their space is so full that their ability to move, to see beyond the piles is hampered or even impossible.

I had a realization a few weeks ago that this is not too far off from what my mind might look like at times. Meaning, I have piled on thoughts, ideas, beliefs that make seeing beyond them feel impossible.

In a way, I've made my world really small. This seems especially true when I look at the areas where I struggle or where things have not worked out in the past.

I start to put ideas about myself in place, like “I'm not that kind of person.” or “I can't handle that.” or “I am not good here.” or ” I do best in these types of situations, so I should only do those.”

Do you relate?

Or how about those times in the past when things didn't go your way, or you've felt hurt, so you decide…”I'm not going to open myself up.” or “I was too open, vulnerable, loving, carefree, loud, excited, etc. so I need to hold back, be more reserved, protect myself.” You fill in the blank here.

These are all ways we begin to make our worlds small. We begin to restrict and constrict ourselves. We begin to live in the illusion that the ideas, conclusions we've drawn about ourselves or the situation are a truth and therefore require appropriate actions.

We act as if we had an actual insight about something when actually we've just gotten confused, disappointed, discouraged or upset and are trying to make sense of it. 

We innocently start doing things or creating an internal world designed to help us not get hurt. Or we try to get it right, so we don't ever have to feel that feeling again. Or we put more thinking in place and rules, so we can do better.

We think we have a good reason for putting all the “hoards” or “walls of thought” in place.

When I saw the illusion of all this, it suddenly made no sense to create an inner world that resulted in making my outer world smaller.

When we see thought for what it is – it falls away.

By letting go of our need to put rules in place and by SEEING THOUGHT AS THOUGHT, our internal world opens up and we experience A DEEPER TRUTH.

We touch our innate well-being. We feel hopeful, open, alive and connected.

From this space, we can move through the world and KNOW that we are ok. That we have what we need. That we are not fragile.

When we remember that our experience is being shaped by thought in the moment and is fluid, we are less afraid of our feelings and our experiences. We get less worried about ourselves and naturally get over things.

When we understand how the mind works and we have a personal knowing of our own deeper nature we ride the waves with more ease and we find our way.

We move through life with MORE INSPIRATION AND LIGHTNESS.

We begin to LOVE the ride, the expansion and the world of infinite possibilities that are available to us.

Watch the below short video to hear more reflections and real-life examples of how this plays out for me and one of my clients.