Do you have hang-ups? I have come up with 5 hang-ups you need to give up to get rid of your clutter and experience peace. “Get rid of your HEART clutter”, is what I should say. Why just 5 hang-ups? Two words, time and space. There are a lot more than 5. Because of time and space we are only going to touch on these 5 hang-ups. We can let these hang-ups defeat us and rule our lives and our decisions or we can see these 5 as an opportunity to learn and grow.
These 5 hang-ups are the ones that I have personally faced. As I have been clearing the clutter in my home, my art studio, and in my heart, I have come to the realization that I have some more hang-ups to deal with. What?!? Really!?! Actually I have a lot!
In light of that and as embarrassing as it is, I grabbed my camera because I knew you wanted to know about my hang-ups. I want to mix some humor about my physical HANG-UPS along with the reality of the emotional hang-ups that most of us face.
This area in my art studio was the worst. You should see the BEFORE! There was STUFF on every chair back and on the wardrobe knob. Sometimes, we have lived with the bad habit so long we don’t even realize that we are doing it. As I started to clear the clutter to build the new tables that’s when the reality hit me. And I began to pay attention to the hang-up habit.
As we go into 2018 I want to talk about HANG-UPS: the catch-alls in the physical and emotionally, the things that blindside us, the stuff that overwhelms us, the thoughts and attitudes that steal our joy and our peace of mind. This is not about resolutions. This is about facing the hang-ups and putting them in their place.
Sometimes it is hard to recognize the thought patterns that are so familiar to us. But when we look at the negative side of those, then oftentimes it becomes very clear. For example…
PERFECTION:
The antonym or opposite of perfection is failure, frustration, and inferiority, just to name a few.
The need to be perfect can be a major hang-up. It can be such a contradiction. Facing this truth and admitting that we can’t be and never will be perfect is very freeing. For me, I have all this clutter around me but I push myself for perfection in my art, in my family, and in many other areas. It is unreal expectations that lead to frustration for me.
The positive side of perfection is excellence, integrity, and quality.
My friend, Jackie’s favorite phrase is “perfectly imperfect”. Jackie refinishes furniture in a perfectly imperfect way.
PROCRASTINATION:
Merriam Webster‘s definition: to put off intentionally and habitually, to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.
Of course, when you procrastinate that causes you to wait until the last minute then hurry or rush to do what needs to be done. It makes others think you are lazy. Hubby, when he was well, would procrastinate. I would over compensate to the point that I came across as driven. He is gone and I am still in that pattern.
But what I am I talking about? I was procrastinating by just hanging those sacks on the chairs instead of putting the stuff in it’s place.
PRIDE:
The negative effect of pride is gloom, depression, sadness, and sorrow. That sounds really strange, doesn’t it. I am talking about pride that is attached to our ego. For the most part, pride is self-focused. It is easily offended if things don’t go our way. It makes us over sensitive to criticism. There is a positive side to pride and that is when it points to someone else. We show pride when we honor someone else for their accomplishment or we take pleasure in the promotion or advancement of another.
Several years ago, pride was a big hang-up for me as I saw others around me advancing. The irony of that is that I was the one who was encouraging them and introducing them to the people who could advance them. My thought was, “What about me?” I repented. The depression and sadness lifted and then I could sincerely rejoice in the success of others.
BITTERNESS:
Sharp, sarcastic, and brackish just to name a few. Bitterness starts out small. It starts when an offense is allowed into our hearts. We nurse it and rehearse it over and over in our minds. We fool ourselves into thinking no one will know, but anger, resentment, and bitterness have a way of seeping into everything. This one was huge for me. It was deeply rooted and I hated it. It was glorious when I found freedom from this monster.
Some of the antonyms of bitterness: contentment, happiness, and sweetness. I am still working on sweetness!
These chairs are no longer in the studio. I cleared, sorted, and purged the clutter. I have even built new tables and shelves.
CONTROL:
The negative side of control: disorganization, chaos, helplessness, and weakness. Control makes us feel like we need to hold on and to control others, control situations and circumstances. It is a lack of trust and shows we are scared to let go.
For the last several years I battled with control because of the things that were out of control. Joe’s health and our sons’ and their families were the main focus. I felt powerless and helpless. When I was able to give up and surrender to the Lord, that is when I found peace. I have decided I will fix what I can: broken lamps, broken washer and dryer, coffee cup rack, etc. and I will trust Him with my sons and their families.
BACK TO THE STUDIO:
I have a vintage stool in the studio and it has no back. There is no place to hang something on it. That’s good!!!
But there are other chairs, lots of other chairs. There are 27 chairs in my home. But, that’s another story for another time.
This pair of jeans was hanging on my dining room chair. But it was close to the wall so it would be out of the way.
This is so funny because I hung this blouse on the door knob of the CLOSET!!! This is something I did often and on almost every door knob in the house. After, I took this photo. I put my camera down, of course! I set the timer on my phone. It took less than 20 seconds to open the door, get out the clothes hanger, put the blouse on the hanger, and then hang it in the closet. It would be humorous if it wasn’t such a problem.
My apron hangs on the wardrobe in the studio. I am okay with that for right now.
This hang-up is bitter sweet. I took this photo 5 days before Joe passed away. Because of the effects of his health issues, he was always cold. He practically lived in this coat. When he wasn’t wearing the coat, it hung here. The coat is now in the closet and the bar stools have been recovered.
Here is a little tutorial on How to Re-cover Bar Stool Seats
THE SOLUTION:
The bottom line about these 5 hang-ups is that they are self-focused. I don’t have all the answers. But I know Who does. The first step might be to turn our attention off of us and shift our focus first to Yeshua and then to others.
It is my hope that this post has inspired you to think about your hang-ups. I want to challenge you to identify and name your hang-ups. And of course, I hope you were encouraged to face them head on and defeat them and experience peace.
Did you got a chuckle or two from the “hang-up” photos? That is such an irritating habit for me and I really am working to break it!!!
I am “perfectly imperfect” and I am a work in progress. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you (and me) will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV
’til next time
Nathalie
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