Latest / The Rosanne Callens Podcast / E18: Sometimes Growth Is Deleting (Here's Why)
Transcript
- Rosanne Callens: Hi, friends, Roseanne Callens here. I had one of those moments this week that I'm sure you've probably had too. My phone popped up with a message that said, storage almost full. Now, isn't it funny how quickly we react to that message? I mean, we ignore all kinds of things, but the minute our phone tells us that we're running out of storage, suddenly everything becomes a priority. We're scrolling through thousands of photos, deleting screenshots we forgot that we even took. I was like, my gosh, I forgot to make that recipe. And we We're also removing apps that we haven't even opened in years. And we're asking ourselves these questions like, why do I have 14 pictures of the same sunset? Or what was I even planning to do with the screenshot from 2022? And while I was cleaning up my phone, I started thinking about something. Why is it that we immediately make space when our phone stops working properly, but we tolerate clutter everywhere else? I know people who have thousands of unread emails, not dozens, thousands. Every time they open their phone from their lock screen, there are these little red notifications staring at them. You know, 246 unread messages on their green little message icon, and thousands on their email every time that number reminds them of everything that they haven't dealt with yet. Now maybe you're one of those people and you're saying, well, Roseanne, that doesn't bother me. Well, maybe, for a lot of people it does. it really does create a little bit of a stress response, And maybe it's not consciously, maybe it's not every minute of every day. But you know what everyone? Those little reminders, they add up. They become background noise. They become these tiny open loops that are sitting in the back of our minds, quietly consuming a lot of energy. And the funny thing is, this podcast isn't even about email and it's not about photos. It's not even about phone storage. It just got me thinking about what we're carrying. Let that sink in. As I was deleting screenshots, I realized most of them weren't even important anymore. And at some point, of course I thought they were. I mean, maybe it was a quote that I wanted to remember, a recipe that I wanted to make, a business idea I wanted to explore and come back to, a piece of advice I thought would change my life. But years later, there they sat. And it wasn't because they weren't valuable. and it wasn't because I needed them. They were still there because I never made a decision about them. So much of the clutter in our lives is coming from these delayed decisions. We keep things because we haven't decided. We stay committed because we haven't decided. We are holding on to projects. Obligations, goals, my gosh, memberships, subscriptions, and sometimes even relationships because we haven't decided. And every unfinished decision takes up space, my friends, not just physical space, mental space, emotional space, energy space. I mean, think about how many tabs we have open in our minds at any given moment. The things that we need to do, the people that we need to call, the emails we need to answer, all the decisions that we need to make, all of the projects we need to finish. Eventually all of that creates just this whole internal clutter. And just like our phones that are running out of storage, life starts to feel slower, heavier. And just harder to navigate all around. One of the things that I'm teaching in electric leadership is that your energy is one of your most valuable resources. Yet so many of us are spending enormous amounts of energy carrying a lot of things that we don't need. A lot of old commitments, a lot of old expectations, old goals, and guilt. Old screenshots. I even felt guilty about some of the recipes I didn't make. I was so inspired at the time. The older I get, the more I realize that making space is just as important as adding something new. I mean, I'm always talking about it, but we're always talking about growth, you know, new opportunities, new habits, and new goals. But sometimes growth can be deleting. I just really I want to say that again. Sometimes growth can actually be deleting. Growth looks like letting go. Growth looks like unsubscribing. And sometimes growth looks like deciding that something no longer deserves a place in your life. And maybe that's the question I want to leave you with today. What are you carrying that no longer deserves space in your life? I mean, think about this. Maybe it's a folder of screenshots. Maybe it's someone I know that has 2367 emails and that little red notification with that number on top. Maybe it's a commitment that you've outgrown. Or maybe you're harboring some guilt over something that you feel you can't change. maybe it's an expectation that no longer fits who you've become. Whatever it is, I want you to imagine. What would happen if you finally made a decision? Not someday, not when you have more time, not when everything settles down this week. Because I think we underestimate just how much energy is tied up in our unfinished business. Every time you see that notification badge. Every time you look at that pile, every time you think, man, I really should deal with that. A little bit of your energy is leaking away. And eventually, everyone, those little leaks add up. So here's what I want you to do this week. I just want you to pick one area. And maybe that's your inbox. Maybe it's your photos. Maybe it's your closet. Maybe it's your calendar. Maybe it's that list of obligations that you've just been carrying around. I want you to set a timer for 17 minutes and simply ask yourself, does this deserve space in my life? Not did it matter once or not, might I need it someday. Ask yourself, does this deserve space in my life right now? And you might be surprised by how much freedom comes from making a few simple decisions. Because literally, this is what I discovered when I was cleaning out my phone. I wasn't just creating storage. I was creating breathing room. And that I just think that's what a lot of us need right now. A little less clutter, a little more space, a little more room for what matters most. And even spending the time with me, I appreciate so much because I do know that your weeks are so full of many, many things. My challenge again is very simple. I want you to clear one thing. Delete one group of photos, unsubscribe from a few emails, clean off one little corner of your desk, cross off one obligation that no longer belongs in your life, and just clear one thing and notice how that feels. And also, of course, if you'd like a little extra encouragement along the way, you can sign up for my morning usepiration emails. It's my daily email that you get filled with a little quote for the day and just a little reminder to help you create a life that you don't need a vacation from. And you can sign on, you can sign up, and you can sign up for those at roseannecallens.com. And so until next time, my friends, I want you to make a little space because you never know what amazing things are waiting to fill it.