Margin // Brain Space

Do y’all ever have those days where you feel like you literally have marbles pinging back and forth in your brain? Back and forth. Back and forth. Not able to settle on one thought or image or feeling.

I normally am a pretty simple girl. But lately my schedule has been insane and therefore, my brain has been just as jumbled as my desk.

And in an effort to clear it out, I think moving faster equates to getting things off my list. Fast mode does NOT equal peace. It just doesn’t.

What if instead of having to speeding up our pace we simply removed stuff. Remove information.

“Science says” our brains only handle a certain amount of information anyway so why are we cluttering it with so many things that just don’t matter?

These days we pin things to remember how to make this or organize that. I feel like I’m so scared I’m going to forget that idea that pops in my head. What would happen if I did forget an idea I had or really helpful pin for making baby food? I feel the tension in my body as I add one more thing to my list to learn or buy or become. It’s exhausting. Even if it’s not something major. I’m taking a step back. Here’s what I’m doing to create some margin when it comes to brain space. Hint: I’m just letting go (cue Elsa!) of a lot and learning to be OK with that.

1. I’m gutting my pinterest – Oh how I wish Pinterest has a quicker delete option. I am not deleting as much as I hoped but the things that are tips I will never use (when I get real honest with myself), I’m deleting.

2. I’m gutting my facebook feed – This is happening. If we have mutual friends, I’ll normally accept friend requests, but y’all, I have no idea why. My check system is if we’ve had a real conversation (even over email if it’s real enough), they stay.

3. I gutted my instagram – Do this. It’s been so liberating. The people I follow inspire me without making me feel like I have to do 80 things. If my posts don’t inspire you, you have my full support to unfollow me.

4. I’m deleting old files – Scrolling through a mess of files, my eyes darting back and forth to find the right one, seems small but it drives me bonkers. So I’m getting it cleared out.

5. I’m going to read only one (MAYBE two) books at a time – This one is hard for me because I like to bounce around. But it’s just that, bouncing around. When I’m reading one at a time, I can go deeper and immerse myself in the idea of it that much more. I’m giving myself leeway to do more than one because I like business and spiritual books and they both tap into a different part of my brain.

We are so guilty of clinging to these clippings and evernote notes and pinterest pins and more all in the name of “we might need it one day.” It’s why our closets don’t close and we have piles of laundry to wash. (We’ll address this soon) But we don’t have to let that be true for something as important as our brain.

Anything that was intended for recreation or goodness that weighs me down with guilt or makes me feel anxious that I haven’t got to yet, I’m letting go of.

For you, it may be that you DON’T do any of these things because you need to let go of it too much pruning. What helps you declutter your brain and thoughts?