November/December 2025 Gathering-In and Letting-Go

From books to YouTube, we seem to be bombarded with advice on decluttering, freeing up space, and letting go. Sometimes that can become a pressure in itself, so here’s some light-touch support.

The photo shows some of the keys which are now in my possession, some of which date back to my great grandparents. I originally wrote ‘safekeeping’ rather than ‘possession’ but realised that by reframing the language I can give myself permission to let them have another life. I have hope that they can be useful to children and other artists, become part of a sculpture or display. But *when*? I find it difficult to pin down the correct ‘when’ so I will be taking Clematis for focus, Hornbeam for getting-on-with-it, Walnut for transition, and Honeysuckle for turning nostalgia into looking to the future.

What keeps you stuck? do you feel that sometimes you are at gold medal level of procrastination? When we reach the point of ‘what used to keep us safe now keeps us stuck’ we know we’re moving towards the action zone.

There’s something here about learning a new way of treasuring things – whether they’re tangible, or memories. Reframing how we think and speak helps – not ‘throwing things away’ but ‘allowing them to be loved by/useful to someone new’. Part of me feels this language is a little cheesy, but most of me loves this way of processing – and is a clear reminder that we are all a work in process.