I experienced something similar yesterday as I loaded the boot of my car with items to go to the recycling centre. We moved house in October and much of our belongings ended up in storage, too much. But every time I tried to choose items to get rid of, a memory or a possibility of future requirements held me back. Once I had finally succeeded in prying away some old deckchairs, an ironing board, a rusting lamp and several flowerpots and placed them in the boot of my car, suddenly they lost their glow of sentimentality. They were now just bits and pieces that no longer fitted into our life. Moving them away from the items I cherish helped me to see them in a new, dimmer light. Just 22 more carloads to go 😉
I have noticed that when I return from vacation, everything has changed since the last time I sat at my desk. Now I know why! It's not because anything here has changed, it's because I'm different. Cheers to disrupted pathways! Thanks for the illuminating article, Dr. A.
Thank you. This so beautiful describes what I've been experiencing in 'clutter-clearing' - the jolt of clarity and beauty when things are 'displaced'. I particularly like: 'whether it means creating intentional micro-disruptions within a stable structure or finding small anchors of familiarity amidst larger changes.' Both feel vital - literally. The small anchors of familiarity and order are so important, just as deliberately creating micro-disruptions. And for me, even knowing all the science, it's what I call magic.
You’ve done it yet again, Alexander…. Painted an image in my mind so real that I start bringing it to life.
Today it is the houseplants gathering near the front door like nervous houseguests unsure if they should leave.
My brain has them speaking in short bursts interrupted by nervous laughter when you are not close by, reassuring each other that if they stick together no one will be left behind. It’s so much more pleasant to rub shoulders, they say, rather than shout from room to room when you’re out of the house. They’ve got stories to tell.😆🤭
Here’s my packing theory (shared by me, this person who up until ten years ago, had moved more times than years I’ve been alive) create one pile of things that are “last out, first in” (coffee pot, coffee grinder, mugs, salt and pepper, at least one dish, and place setting, maybe a loaf of bread and real butter(you can toast it in the oven), a favorite snack and some sort of ice water holder so that you can have sustenance. This is the sacred box, carried by you, strapped into the passenger seat of your car, and You carry it in first into the new place.
Oh! And I almost forgot: one important trick of this almost pro-mover: place one set of clean sheets all inside one of the pillowcases, along with pillow and blanket plus soft lounge type pjs and slippers. (Bonus points if you make a small shower kit with soaps, shampoos and loofa to treat yourself with as soon as your ‘crew’ leaves.) This little cluster of essentials is given to your most trusted friend. Their task is to first and foremost, make your bed at the new place. After this ever so important task is completed, they can help schlep everything else. You will be SO happy that you have followed these two important rules of moving.
All the other treasures in your house can be packed higglety-piggilty, because we all know the reality of moving is that whatever else you take great care with packing up will be hopelessly misplaced for weeks at the new place. Stay calm, creative and awesome!
Oh, Alex, now I am thoroughly embarrassed, because alchemy and alchemize are new words for me! I didn't know they were sort of common parlance in psychological terms about 'transformation.' OOPS.
Even so, I admit I am a creature of habit. I like my routines. The days flow by nicely when I am in the midst of a familiar environment. I am the type of person who cannot relax enough for creative flow to happen when I am in a noisy coffeeshop or even at the library, where watching patrons is far more interesting than working on my essays.
But I did think about the strange magic that happened when I first made my creative space. For years, I'd lamented to Ben about how I wanted to write my memoir. Finally, one day he said, "Then why don't you write it?" I had no answer but realized that my desk--which I'd originally set aside to be my workspace--was cluttered with piles of paper and books. It was not at all conducive to creativity.
So I set about rearranging what was on my desk. I set up a corkboard above it, where I secured inspirational quotes and images. I placed my laptop and a notebook and a jar of pens on top of the desk. I made it my own. I made it a place I wanted to show up and write every day.
And guess what? The very next day I began writing my memoir. That was over two years ago, and I have shown up at my desk almost every day since!
Thank you, Alex. Funny thing, life. I’ve just commented another post by saying that it’s amazing how much light is awaiting us outside the chaos. I love your alchemy analogy about disruption. We are indeed habits animals, with repetition as a learning process, and automatisms as a way of life. On my part, I walk when I need clarity and creative ideas for my novels and life.
Your overwhelming boxes and the negrido point reminded me of the time I tidied my daughter’s room and got everything out of it to clean before putting everything back in order. I used to sit for a moment on the floor at the entrance of her room with all the displaced objects, already exhausted by the task. Somehow, writing this sentence makes me feel as a displaced object myself at the time, which I kind of was. Anyway, thank you for that great post that gave me food for thoughts with my coffee mug in hand on that Saturday morning. Lots of love.
There is one room in my house that is in chaos - this room, my office, where I do financial stuff, write, and paint a bit. There is one reason I placed 'financial stuff' in the description. I'm still working on my taxes. Yep. I don't think of myself as a procrastinator. Hmmm. Perhaps it's time to wear my glasses and see more clearly.
Thank you again for writing so interestingly. I prefer structure also, but have lived through lots of chaos as well. Not that this relates exactly but when I lose my writing creative spark I turn to my hobbies for a bit. Most recently it’s bows. Sounds crazy I know! But designing them and creating them frees my mind to think of nothing more than the bows. For me that is like loosening a valve in my mind to release the intensity that builds when I am writing. I will write again when I’m nudged to attempt it once more.
I experienced something similar yesterday as I loaded the boot of my car with items to go to the recycling centre. We moved house in October and much of our belongings ended up in storage, too much. But every time I tried to choose items to get rid of, a memory or a possibility of future requirements held me back. Once I had finally succeeded in prying away some old deckchairs, an ironing board, a rusting lamp and several flowerpots and placed them in the boot of my car, suddenly they lost their glow of sentimentality. They were now just bits and pieces that no longer fitted into our life. Moving them away from the items I cherish helped me to see them in a new, dimmer light. Just 22 more carloads to go 😉
I have noticed that when I return from vacation, everything has changed since the last time I sat at my desk. Now I know why! It's not because anything here has changed, it's because I'm different. Cheers to disrupted pathways! Thanks for the illuminating article, Dr. A.
Thank you. This so beautiful describes what I've been experiencing in 'clutter-clearing' - the jolt of clarity and beauty when things are 'displaced'. I particularly like: 'whether it means creating intentional micro-disruptions within a stable structure or finding small anchors of familiarity amidst larger changes.' Both feel vital - literally. The small anchors of familiarity and order are so important, just as deliberately creating micro-disruptions. And for me, even knowing all the science, it's what I call magic.
You’ve done it yet again, Alexander…. Painted an image in my mind so real that I start bringing it to life.
Today it is the houseplants gathering near the front door like nervous houseguests unsure if they should leave.
My brain has them speaking in short bursts interrupted by nervous laughter when you are not close by, reassuring each other that if they stick together no one will be left behind. It’s so much more pleasant to rub shoulders, they say, rather than shout from room to room when you’re out of the house. They’ve got stories to tell.😆🤭
Here’s my packing theory (shared by me, this person who up until ten years ago, had moved more times than years I’ve been alive) create one pile of things that are “last out, first in” (coffee pot, coffee grinder, mugs, salt and pepper, at least one dish, and place setting, maybe a loaf of bread and real butter(you can toast it in the oven), a favorite snack and some sort of ice water holder so that you can have sustenance. This is the sacred box, carried by you, strapped into the passenger seat of your car, and You carry it in first into the new place.
Oh! And I almost forgot: one important trick of this almost pro-mover: place one set of clean sheets all inside one of the pillowcases, along with pillow and blanket plus soft lounge type pjs and slippers. (Bonus points if you make a small shower kit with soaps, shampoos and loofa to treat yourself with as soon as your ‘crew’ leaves.) This little cluster of essentials is given to your most trusted friend. Their task is to first and foremost, make your bed at the new place. After this ever so important task is completed, they can help schlep everything else. You will be SO happy that you have followed these two important rules of moving.
All the other treasures in your house can be packed higglety-piggilty, because we all know the reality of moving is that whatever else you take great care with packing up will be hopelessly misplaced for weeks at the new place. Stay calm, creative and awesome!
Oh, Alex, now I am thoroughly embarrassed, because alchemy and alchemize are new words for me! I didn't know they were sort of common parlance in psychological terms about 'transformation.' OOPS.
Even so, I admit I am a creature of habit. I like my routines. The days flow by nicely when I am in the midst of a familiar environment. I am the type of person who cannot relax enough for creative flow to happen when I am in a noisy coffeeshop or even at the library, where watching patrons is far more interesting than working on my essays.
But I did think about the strange magic that happened when I first made my creative space. For years, I'd lamented to Ben about how I wanted to write my memoir. Finally, one day he said, "Then why don't you write it?" I had no answer but realized that my desk--which I'd originally set aside to be my workspace--was cluttered with piles of paper and books. It was not at all conducive to creativity.
So I set about rearranging what was on my desk. I set up a corkboard above it, where I secured inspirational quotes and images. I placed my laptop and a notebook and a jar of pens on top of the desk. I made it my own. I made it a place I wanted to show up and write every day.
And guess what? The very next day I began writing my memoir. That was over two years ago, and I have shown up at my desk almost every day since!
Maybe that's alchemy? :)
Long before I got to the section on disruption, I was thinking... ah, disruption equal's growth.
May we all find growth in these troubled times.
Is this nigredo,
our country/world in chaos?
May grace gold follow.
Thank you, Alex. Funny thing, life. I’ve just commented another post by saying that it’s amazing how much light is awaiting us outside the chaos. I love your alchemy analogy about disruption. We are indeed habits animals, with repetition as a learning process, and automatisms as a way of life. On my part, I walk when I need clarity and creative ideas for my novels and life.
Your overwhelming boxes and the negrido point reminded me of the time I tidied my daughter’s room and got everything out of it to clean before putting everything back in order. I used to sit for a moment on the floor at the entrance of her room with all the displaced objects, already exhausted by the task. Somehow, writing this sentence makes me feel as a displaced object myself at the time, which I kind of was. Anyway, thank you for that great post that gave me food for thoughts with my coffee mug in hand on that Saturday morning. Lots of love.
There is one room in my house that is in chaos - this room, my office, where I do financial stuff, write, and paint a bit. There is one reason I placed 'financial stuff' in the description. I'm still working on my taxes. Yep. I don't think of myself as a procrastinator. Hmmm. Perhaps it's time to wear my glasses and see more clearly.
Thank you again for writing so interestingly. I prefer structure also, but have lived through lots of chaos as well. Not that this relates exactly but when I lose my writing creative spark I turn to my hobbies for a bit. Most recently it’s bows. Sounds crazy I know! But designing them and creating them frees my mind to think of nothing more than the bows. For me that is like loosening a valve in my mind to release the intensity that builds when I am writing. I will write again when I’m nudged to attempt it once more.