Joy time

Happy February Challenge — I’m posting daily all month long.

If an object does not spark joy for us, says Japanese organization guru Marie Kondo, we must thank it for its time with us and let it go. Since the start of 2023, I have cleansed my slice of our world and our entire house, Marie Kondo-style.

Ten days ago, I was able to put the “spark joy” concept into practice. I looked for and eliminated “points of friction” – got rid of pieces of clothing that either hadn’t been worn in over a year, or weren’t a good fit or style and donated them. Then, I moved on to CDs, books, and other random items. (On the clothing front I made sure to hang on to the right items for things like a graduation or wedding, and so on.)

When it was done I felt a real sense of accomplishment and release from “stuff.”

For years, I have been unconsciously getting rid of clutter and distractions. For example, I’ve reduced my involvement with social media, to the point that I now only go on about once a week (if it isn’t for work).

I will temporarily deactivate Instagram and Facebook — restoring and checking them only every so often — to make sure no one’s trying to contact me, nobody from my hometown on FB has expired, etc.

Just being “present” at the social media “party” is enough for me…I don’t need to be shouting from the tabletop.

The Kondo-ing has been going on in my professional life for awhile. Since 1992, when I first quit my day job to go solo, I’ve been keeping and doing more things that bring the happy.

Getting rid of the employee badge is another joyful item (to me). There is high value in being outside the structure of an organization. You offer them more.

Another example: seven months ago I realized that I needed to change my diet. I increased the protein, eliminated (tried to… more like cut) sugar and reduced fat. Optional treats like beer with my buddies have become “one craft pint and one mixed drink,” instead of pints of sugary IPAs.

In a few months, I’ll turn 59. While I can pass as younger in terms of health and fitness, I’m officially ‘too old for this crap’ now.

I am running out of time. We all are – albeit slowly. It’s a good time to be a little more selective about gifting that time to items that in return don’t generate Kondo’s prescribed spark of joy.