I didn’t know what a “clothing swap” party was, much less, what to bring or what I would find that evening. The idea behind the swap was in purging what you no longer wore or wanted from your closet, you could trade those items with someone else and both be better off than you were before. It follows the old saying, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”
What a night! Well, you get a group of women, a few bottles of wine, and the opportunity to “shop” for something new, good times flow. Laughter was our music and stories were our entertainment.
Each guest took turns pulling one of their clothing items and sharing something about it, such as why we bought it or what we liked about it…. Amazing what stories and connections we have about our clothes! One woman’s dress represented success from losing weight after a new baby and completion of a PhD. When she wore it, she felt the accomplishment of a major milestone and the joy starting a new chapter in her life. Another woman shared the story about her dream job interview and how the suit gave her confidence to be her best self. One of my stories included the blinged-out t-shirt with the declaration to never buy any more bling… Love it on others; hate it on me! Milestones, feelings, memories, goals, disappointments – the stories had points of connection for us all.
After reminiscing on the night, I realized how much we need to get rid of the old stuff in order to take in the new. If our closet becomes too crowded and overgrown, we can’t see what we need. It’s time to let go of some stuff! Making room for the new becomes possible when we decide it’s time that something is no longer serving us in the best way possible.
So could we hold perspectives or thoughts which could benefit us by purging them? It’s tough to look at something, such as a belief, which has been meaningful to us up until now, and make a declaration that it is no longer working. It may be comfortable, or represent a familiar time and place. It’s tempting to hang on, but making room gives the space for something else to come along. What is something you might throw out? How could this shift your focus? What could making room do for you?