Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be. ~Sonia Ricotti

Nothing can take you out of the present moment like packing up your belongings from a house you've lived in for almost 20 years.

Each object has a history, launching you into the past. If you are like me, it's hard to say goodbye to some things you've had since Bon Jovi's "Never Say Goodbye" was on the Billboard charts.(Google check: well, apparently the song that my middle school friend played on repeat in her cassette tape deck was never released as a single, so "technically" it wasn't really a hit. See how digging up the past can take you down a rabbit hole?) I start to wonder, what is so-and-so doing now? Why do I still have this folded note from 8th grade?

And then, every object from the past represents a decision about the future. Am I going to need this in my new life? It's pretty easy to get caught up in the imaginary crystal ball... It was hard enough trying to picture how the big things like the couch would fit in my new home; it could get frustrating trying to imagine my SELF with the book that I've held on to for 10 years without cracking open. Would this self be the one to finally read it?

More than once (a day, or an hour, depending...) I would remind myself to breathe and come back to the NOW as I was packing. I had to let go of any regret I had about what I'd done with the object in the past, and be realistic about the crystal ball vision of this object's--and my own--future.

I suppose this was the essence of Marie Kondo's "sparking joy" idea of organization. While packing, it was me, at that moment, deciding on the most peaceful path for what was in my hands.

Even if you are only relocating for a short time for a trip, you have to make decisions about what to take with you. There will always be the basics you need to keep you safe: your identification, your medication, etc. But there are other things that you may want to bring only because they make you FEEL safe: your favorite sweater, your own hair dryer. In the moment of packing, you may be playing out every scenario if you don't pack something. Instead, trust yourself to make a decision NOW. The future will take care of itself when you get there.

This happens when I travel to my yoga mat as well. If I'm taking a class with someone new, I may imagine that crystal ball showing me falling out of a challenging balancing pose or something before I've even started. That's why I always remind myself to arrive on the mat and to that moment. The poses will arrive and take care of themselves as I do.

How do you bring yourself back to the moment when your mind wants to travel elsewhere? Does getting away from your normal routine help you reset? If not, would you like to find ways that may help? Let me know.

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