The Konmari Method and Its Impact on My Life. The power of letting go of possessions that do not bring joy is greater than I previously realized. Although the first half of Marie Kondo’s book was frustrating, I persevered and was blown away by the latter half. The philosophy it espouses is similar to David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” approach, which has also significantly changed my life and is a practice I follow daily. If I didn’t know better, I would think that Kondo and Allen were a married couple. The act of letting go of my books, despite not having a large collection, was initially difficult. This was due to my dyslexia, as reading a book is a significant effort for me, making it emotionally taxing to part with my books.
I had a career in organizing night club events and parties in the early years of 1998-2005, and I had kept all my costumes. I cherished them so much that I had a special suitcase just for them as they brought me joy. The part in Marie Kondo’s book about taking a photo of the memorabilia touched a chord in me because I wasn’t attached to the items, I was attached to the joy they once gave me. When I was putting them in the discard pile, I was overcome with emotions, my anxiety was at an all-time high, and I needed to talk to someone to calm myself down. I ended up calling different people. The day I started the Konmari method, I woke up at KFC with no memory of how I got there, and the only thing I remember was the person taking my order asking, “Can I please take your order?” to which I replied, “I don’t even eat KFC.”
It took me six weeks to complete 90% of the Konmari method and nearly 18 months for my mindset to fully adjust to its teachings. The changes I’ve experienced since starting have been incredible – I wrote a chapter in a published book and have just finished the first draft of my second. I even decided to return to hosting parties, with my comeback event being a huge success, leading me to plan more events in the future. The books I read and audio programs I listened to provided me with so much wisdom, and by letting go of physical possessions that no longer brought me joy, I freed up my mind to believe in myself and pursue my goals. For example, releasing my emotional attachment to my clothes unblocked my mind and allowed me to manifest my desires. The joy I’ve gained from this process has spread to hundreds of others as well. By freeing myself from emotional attachments to objects and memories, I was able to bring my dreams to reality. Is it possible that this is why some people get stuck – by focusing on the dream instead of creating it?’
There are many other examples of how my life improved after following the Konmari method, such as getting my own place built and acquiring an almost brand-new car and even a second car. And I even had the opportunity to build an apartment. If anyone wants to get their life in order, I recommend reading this book as the first step. The process may be emotionally challenging, but the peace and joy it brings is worth every effort. Surrounding yourself with these positive feelings makes every step worthwhile.
