Are you ready to let go, or shed, in order to experience life more fully? My success tip this week comes in the form of an interview I did with a reporter from the “Albuquerque Journal” newspaper’s “Live Well’ quarterly magazine, published Saturday, March 2, 2013, in which I discussed downsizing of possessions, money, weight, obligations, and other areas.

Success Tip: To experience more quality, let go of more quantity.

Many Deciding To Shed Their Stuff

An interview with Janis Pullen by Rick Nathanson, Journal Staff Writer
People often come to a point in their lives when they realize, “all their stuff, the house, the cars, the toys, their general accumulation of possessions, isn’t serving them and it’s time to downsize,” says Janis Pullen, an executive business and life coach.

The first step for downsizers is “to know clearly what you want and don’t want, as well as what you need and don’t need,” she says. “If it’s something that makes your heart sing and lights you up, that’s not the thing to get rid of. The unnecessary surplus, ho-hum, take-it-or-leave-it stuff is where you start.”

That “stuff” can be sold traded, donated, gifted or bequeathed to someone. Rather than leave children and grandchildren items in a will, downsize now by giving them heirlooms, jewelry and artwork. For some people, generating a priority list or a timeline may be helpful in keeping on task to shedding material things.

Another strategy for letting go, Pullen suggests, is to create a photo album of items that have personal or sentimental value and give away the actual item. “It’s really the memory that’s most important, not the item itself, so whenever you want to reminiscence, pull out the photo album.”

In addition, downsizing can involve weight loss, finances, relationships and obligations, says Pullen, who is also founder of the Weight of Money and the OWL Weight Loss programs. People often decide to simplify after major changes in their lives such as retirement, illness, death of a spouse or just “reaching an age of wisdom when they realize that many of the things they’ve filled their lives with are not fulfilling.”

Whatever the reason, when people finally get to that point, Pullen says, the number one thing to remember is “stop upsizing.” In other words, “quit buying more stuff.”

Janis Pullen, executive business and life coach, says simplifying and downsizing your life can also involve weight loss, finances, relationships and obligations.