Thursday, January 18, 2018

Clutter? You Say Messy~I Say Casual



I am what I am--Creative and Messy

'To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.'    
William Arthur Ward

Do you ever catch a glimpse of the truth of yourself as you go about your day? I do—and it always puts a smile on my face.

I am a person fraught with weaknesses that make other people shudder. My weaknesses are of the large variety that others love to point out to me--just in case I miss them.

One of my more notable weaknesses is my messiness. It's always been a great conversation piece among friends and family.


A Whirlwind of Activity

I have the unique ability to storm a room in a fit of creativity, creating a whirlwind of activity that leaves an untidy mess in its wake.  Some refer to my messiness as a force of nature while others just call it wrong. Me? I call it the creative process.

My inclination towards messiness arises out of a natural preference for organizing in piles, not files. 

I'm a girl who likes to have all her resources laid out before her when she works. As soon as I put it all away--neatly stored in files--my creativity disappears. I have to see it to be inspired--and for me it's all about the inspiration!


A Sheep in Form-Fitting Wolf Attire 

Sure, over the years I've learned to put up false fronts and outfit this sheep in form-fitting wolf attire for the comfort of others. I've learned to live comfortably and calmly in the world of others expectations—but it's not my preferred way of being. So retreating into my inner world is where I go to be free of judgment.


The Extrovert's Wondrous Inner World 

Although I am an extrovert who loves interacting in the outer world—the truth is--I relish retreating into my own world where I can fully appreciate my own company--unencumbered by the critical eyes of others.

In my own private world I fully accept, roll in, embellish and enjoy the person that I am. I answer to no one--leaving judgment on my person to dwell outside while I move into my fully-loaded free-flowing and uninhibited self. In that private moment I am incorrigible—and I love it.


Is My House in Perfect Order when you Visit? That's a Sign... 

If I'm compelled to tidy up the house before you can visit that's a sign I don't trust you--and we're not very close. The more I strive for perfection, the less I trust you. 


So if you visit and discover a more casually kept house~with the dining room table strewn with watercolor pens, art sketches, blog posts or other such clutter~that's a sign we're good friends with a large amount of trust and appreciation between us. 

And when I open the front door to invite you in for the first time, you can expect me to apologize for the way the house looks--after all I'm not unsympathetic to your expectations. Just know I'm not going to live my life to fit your expectations. 

'Sorry for the way the house looks. It's usually much messier!'

Once we establish you can be in my home exactly as it is--clean, but casually kept--you can visit anytime. I've got too much to do to be bothered with perfection!



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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

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1 comment:

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sue, love your "clean, but casually kept" - whatever makes you happy! I keep a pretty orderly house, because it makes me feel better. But some people do more, some less - it's all good. Your "If I'm compelled to tidy up the house before you can visit that's a sign I don't trust you--and we're not very close. The more I strive for perfection, the less I trust you." is more of your wisdom! I remember when I was a kid, my creative and casual mother invited everyone in without apology for any disorder. Except the rare times when her oldest brother would call and say "I'm in town today and will be there in about 20 minutes." Then she'd get all hands on deck for a 20-minute tidying marathon. She never said it, because she never said anything negative about anyone, but I could tell she always felt nervous, judged and intimidated by him.