What Are You Putting in Your Pockets?

The bottom line is that you can choose a path other than clutter. It takes conscious awareness and deliberate action to change your story, but it absolutely can be done.
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"The last suit you wear, you don't need any pockets" -- Wayne Dyer

We leave this world exactly as we come into it, with nothing. We all know this, right?

So why do we persist on stuffing our metaphorical pockets with things that really won't serve us on our onward journey?

There's a material cluttering going on in many Western cultures. The voice of the collective has hammered it into us that we need possessions -- fancy cars, shiny bling, evermore electronics -- to prove that we're worthy. There's a constant drive for fame and fortune, a hunger for bigger, better and more that leads us to forget who we really are and what we're here to do.

All these trappings feed our emotional clutter. Like those old and limiting stories that we keep tucked away under our outwardly perfect appearances. The tempting tales that limit what we believe is possible and leave us feeling like we're not enough.

It's a vicious cycle that deludes us into thinking we need to be perfect before we can take action. That we need to be more -- more attractive, more youthful, more wealthy -- to have a message that sparks change. It feeds our old wounds of not being loveable and worthy, just as we are.

The end result? We get too scared to show up. So we don't. We stay safely hidden, waiting in the wings, perfecting our masks and looking for fixes to quell our procrastination.

This state of being leaves us frustrated. We're sick of being stuck. We know we're meant for more. We yearn for lives that are deeper than merely counting down until retirement.

And when this stuck feeling becomes unbearable, we numb the pain. We drink, eat and fill our pockets with stuff that we can't take with us.

The bottom line is that you can choose a path other than clutter. You can sew up your pockets so they keep their shape. It takes conscious awareness and deliberate action to change your story, but it absolutely can be done.

It's also something to be grateful for. Becoming aware of the contents of your pockets let's you see what you've been up to. For most of us, that's hiding. Pretending. Numbing ourselves into oblivion.

You just have to look at our obesity levels, the epidemic of workplace apathy, and the mountains of stuff in our landfill sites. Do you see how we've been stuffing our pockets?

Now that you see, you have the choice to stop. To choose self-empowerment over the status quo. To step into your truth and embody your power.

The truth is, people won't remember what you bought for them, they will remember who you were being for them.

They won't thank you for your perfection. They will love you for your real, vulnerable and raw imperfection.

They will see their light because you showed up in your own glorious, imperfectly perfect light.

It's a choice. It's what sparks our truth, it's what gives us permission to be ourselves, and it's what spreads hefty parcels of hope to those around us.

4 Steps to Get Started

1. Practice self-acceptance, forgiveness and gratitude.
No matter how cynical you are, it's time to embrace these habits. The truth is, they are at the root of everything and can have a tremendous impact.

2. Acknowledge what's in your heart.
Recognize how much it has to offer if you allow it to open up beyond the usual cynicism and fear. It's okay to want to leave the world in a better place than when you found it. It's okay to desire to leave a lasting footprint steeped in love.

3. Tune in to what's real.
Trust that it's the heart connection that lives on, not the material one.

4. Empower your heart.
We all have a tendency to let our minds dominate, but they think within the parameters of safety and caution. If you trusted that you really couldn't fail, what would you dare to do? What impact would you leave because you took a leap of faith?

Do you choose to stuff your pockets, hoping for a rich life with what you accumulate along the way? Or do you let go and flow through life, intentionally, doing what you love and sharing your open heart with others?

Having the courage to stop filling your pockets with endless clutter is bold. Allowing your true self to lead is brave. To take a step before you can see the path is edgy.

But it's a fully alive place to be.

So the question is: What do you want in your pockets?

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