Meet Lana.
I can relate to Lana so much and I am hoping you do too, which is why I share her story (with her permission, of course).
Lana is a mother of two and works part-time outside her home. She is also responsible for many of the household duties and making meals is a large part of that.
Lana contacted me because she was struggling with her kitchen. It was disorganized, messy, uninspiring and not somewhere she wanted to be. As a result, her family was eating out a lot. This was becoming a challenge for them not only from a financial perspective but also from a healthy one. The family was gaining weight and feeling unhealthy and it was no secret that it had to do with the fact that they were eating take-out most nights so Lana didn’t have to cook.
Prior to contacting me, Lana purchased over $500 in organizing supplies from a container store. Hopeful (and having the right idea), she thought if she organized the kitchen, she would be more inclined to cook in it. And she wasn’t wrong. However, she needed organizer after organizer to store all her items and there just wasn’t enough room for all the stuff. Lana emailed me in hopes that I could help her get this stuff to fit.
After accessing the situation and removing all the items from the shelves, we sat down on her kitchen floor amongst the cans and boxes and we chatted about her pantry items. As we went through them, I noticed that many of the items were expired yet when it came time to throw the rancid items away, Lana felt resistant and wanted to hold on to them. This is when I knew this was not about the organizing or cooking for Lana, this was much deeper.
We continued to sit on the kitchen floor amongst the expired items and together we explored Lana’s thoughts, feelings and experiences with food, money, having too much, not having enough; and there amongst the spaghetti and decade-old spices, we discovered a belief that drove this whole cycle. Lana’s belief was that there would never be enough so she would hold on to as much food and ‘stuff’ as possible so she and her family would never have to go without. As I looked around Lana’s home, I could see this reflected in all the rooms. This internal belief was so clearly reflected in her external environment and it was driving her to make unhealthy choices.
This was no longer serving Lana and was not her current situation. By working with her to release this and create a new belief that served her and her family now, she was able to shift completely.
We tossed the expired food, donated what she didn’t need or love (yes, food too can spark joy too!) and easily organized the rest. She returned half the organizers and over the next three months, lost 25lbs. Because it wasn’t about the stuff or the food or the weight or the mess, for Lana, it was about the holding and protecting. And once she could identify and release that unhealthy pattern, she could shift.
Lana loves being in the kitchen now and feels so much more inspired to cook fresh and healthy food for her family. Her connection not only to her space has shifted, but also her connection to herself and others. She takes time now to make lunch because she enjoys the process of taking care of herself instead of having to protect herself. The family comes together for dinner and can share about their day and relax, instead of experiencing a tense last-minute meal decision. This shift has been huge for Lana and her family and the challenge was driven by an old belief, not a lack of organizers or pantry space.
When we shift our external spaces, we shift our internal one and vice versa. Our outside environments are a direct reflection of our mental and emotional well-being so why not look at both together?
Feeling anxious? Overwhelmed? Suffocated even? Have a look around. What is your space telling you about what’s truly going on for you inside? Need some help figuring this out? Connect with me, I would love to help.
Like Lana, I too struggled with limiting beliefs that kept me stuck and this was reflected in my spaces and how I was showing up in my life. Once I was more aware of how the two are connected, I could make a change on the outside that ultimately helped me grow on the inside.
Are there any areas of your home that stress you out, cause you anxiety or you simply shut the door on? Start there. Perhaps this clutter is taking up more energetic space than just the guest room.
Live well,
Cher
