During a recent client meeting I said “cluttered situations create chaotic thoughts.” This came up after my client expressed the pride and relief she felt about having several days where she did not spend money.
It was a big win for her.
I see this with a lot of clients. By working with a financial coach and knowing that somebody will ask how things are going, they naturally become more aware of what they are doing with their money. This leads them to make better decision about when and how much the spend.
And that awareness reduces the clutter of transactions, deliveries, shopping bags, and more.
I applauded her progress and explained how this is beneficial to mental health. It’s not dissimilar to the benefits from decluttering your home. I experienced this first hand when I purchased the book called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (check out my recommended reading page) and went through the system it describes.
It’s an odd thing to realize how directly our environments effect our mental health. I used to think that cluttered and disordered thinking created a cluttered and disordered environment – like it was a one way street. However that book tought me, it’s a two way street.
You can literally improve your way of thinking by improving the condition of your home. Not only will limiting your purchases improve your financial wellbeing, it can have lasting affects on your mind.
Before buying that next thing, ask yourself these 3 questions.
- If I don’t buy this now, will I still want it in a week?
- If nobody ever saw this, would I still want it?
- Does it serve a purpose that can’t be met by something I already have?
If you answer “no” to any of these questions, push pause and seriously consider leaving it at the store.
Check out the video of this topic at the Picture It Tina YouTube Channel:
