A cluttered space equals a cluttered mind. I’ve been told this from way too many therapists over the years and it is truth. I can always tell when my mind is on rapid-chaos (my word for what happens inside my own mind) because my work-space becomes unbearably chaotic. I don’t generally make ‘messes’, but I do make piles — books, magazines, notebooks, papers, etc. And when my piles take on the ‘delicate toppling effect’, I know my mind is in a chaotic state. In general, this occurs about 3–4 times per year.

So how do I combat this? I take a week or so and unclutter the outside world around me. Sort my piles, file away papers, restack books, etc. As I do this, my mind too begins to unclutter. Then clarity surfaces.

This is what I’ve been doing this past week. I am now ready to tackle 2021.