Letting go of the old to make room for the new can be difficult. Professional organizers talk about this step a lot and always advise that if you bring one thing new into your house (or life) than something old has got to go. While we all get excited about new possibilities or new moves, we also can be crippled by the fear of stepping out of our cushy comfort zone. Change, when it's made for the betterment of ourselves, is always great, but after we've made the decision to do something new, our old friends Mr. Fear and Ms. Doubt come along and slap us with a dose of negativity. You know who these two are. They're those little voices you hear saying things like "You can't do this! Have you lost your mind? What do you mean you 'deserve' this? Just who do you think you are?" Next thing we know, we start questioning ourselves left, right and center. "Is this the right time? What if it doesn't work out? How do I know for sure that this decision is the right one?" We need to stop listening to these two 'fearful friends'



When I heard my own little gremlins nagging at me recently over the decision to sell my home and move to another city, my response to them was this: There will NEVER be a perfect time for anything if I keep procrastinating and letting doubt rule my life.

One of the commitments I made to myself a long time ago is to minimize my missed opportunities in life. I know I'd just hate myself if I arrived at the Pearly Gates thinking, "I just know I should have done..." whatever it was that I wanted to do and simply didn't try.

Yes, selling my house and moving to another city is a big step for me, but I just know that this is something I'm meant to do right now. I've lived in this house in for years, raised my family here, and I've had some wonderful times in these 4 walls. Yet I just know that another chapter of my life is beginning and it's time for me to let go of the old and embrace the new experiences that are waiting just around the corner for me.

So, here's a couple of tips on how to get rid of whatever is holding you back and bring in the new possibilities:

1. Get clear about what you really want then make a decision and act on it.

There is no sense in doing something half-way plus if your mind is full of doubt, and then you're just spinning your wheels for nothing. Once you're crystal clear on what it is that you want to do, then like the Nike commercials say "Just do it!"

2. Clean out your 'inner' closet before you start.

If there are a whole lot of negative thoughts about your decision renting space in your head, get rid of them! Think of this step as 'mental housecleaning' and sweep those cobwebs out the door for good. Remember when I said that you had to get rid of the old to make way for the new? This is the time to dump all those old, tired and washed up pity party thoughts you've been hanging on to for years. So pack them up, put them in a garbage bag and kick 'em to the curb. You're not going to need them when you finally get to your 'new' place, wherever (and whatever) that may be for you.

3. Smile!

Once you've taken the mental trash out, made a firm decision on what in your life needs to change, sit back and grin like the Cheshire cat did in Alice in Wonderland. Congratulate yourself for taking that first positive step to building the life you've always knew you wanted, but never thought you deserved. Because frankly, aren't you worth it?