De-cluttering

I've found that I've been alternating between agreeing and resisting Marie Kondo's advice, and so I've let it sink in, and reread it to see where my resistance is coming from.  It's not that one person is going to have the solution for everyone, so there's that, and yet, the idea of only having what brings you joy (and picking up every item and asking that question) in your living space, which should be a sanctuary, and treating what you have with respect, makes sense.  (For the record, my biggest resistance was in regard to books, her suggestions felt cavalier to me.)  Why would I want to be surrounded by objects that didn't give me joy, or worse caused stress?  Or maybe even worse, be surrounded by things I hadn't even given much thought to, built up from sheer passivity?

Later in the book she talks about when you feel resistance to letting go (for things that don't spark joy) to ask if "this is an attachment to the past or a fear of the future?" That seems useful in general.  Perhaps it's necessary to clear out the clutter (mental and physical) of what you don't want first to find what you do.  That passivity is easy enough to slide into, how much more so when you can't even see what matters to you, because it's buried under everything else?  She says it changes lives, and I can imagine it would, because it would bring clarity.  But still....I need to start in earnest.  I've only gone through my dresser, so far.

And oddly enough, all the books I've picked up lately seem to relate, unintentionally.  It is eye-opening to realize how much of my life is still in the "should" category:  So much obligation or expectation, not enough joy or love.