Your Closet & Your Network: A Reflection of Who You Are
So, I finally decided to do some much needed organization of my dressers and bedroom closet -- something I avoided doing for quite some time (I won't disclose in exactly how long). The end result was alarming to see: two bags full of garbage, and three bags of items to donate to good will. This is a LOT of stuff I've been keeping unnecessarily, causing clutter and disorder.
I decided to organize partly because I'm at a cross roads in my life. I'm on the verge of a big change and I figured the person who I want to become is tidy, doesn't hoard items, and only keeps quality things of value (practical or otherwise).
Then something dawned on me, my purging was literal, but it also has figurative associations.
By getting rid of things, we are literally choosing what stays and what goes - you are exercising discretion on what is truly important and needed. In our consumer culture we tend to worship "things" - hence why people spend thousands of dollars to store their excess stuff. Choose what actually has value and get rid of everything else; this type of purging is cathartic.
Imagine, I had two bags of rubbish, pure junk in my room that served no purpose or value to myself or others. On top of that, I had three bags of things that I had outgrown or that I was never interested in in the first place.
This type of organizing and prioritizing can be interpreted in a figurative sense too. I started with my bedroom, but this type of purging should be applied to our personal lives as well.
How many of us have 500+ Facebook friends? How many of these do you actually interact with? How many of them would you stop to say hi to on the street if you saw them?
Now, I know social influence is important, and some have large networks on social intentionally to help grow your network or business. However, if following hundreds of people (or vice versa) serves no purpose to you or them – what is your intention?
To take it one step further, I would also implore you to look at your immediate and outer social circle, the people you regularly interact with. Do they reflect the type of person you are, or more importantly, want to become? Are they the type to support, motivate, and help you with your goals, or are they indifferent? If your paths in life are different, your roads will not run parallel for long. It is a common perception that the five people you hang around the most is a reflection of who you are as a person. Look at the closest people in your life – do they embody who you want to be? If not, choose your people, your tribe, your network – they will be the ones to propel you and help you achieve new heights. This however only works if the connections you make are genuine and authentic.
Just like examining which items in your home to keep or get rid of, who are you keeping around that causes clutter and disorder in your life? Are you surrounding yourself with quality people who add value to your life? If not, ask yourself why.
