I’ve started a new practice.

Once a month, I take fifteen or so minutes to go through my closet and have an honest conversation with myself about specific items.

I assess what is never going to fit again, what never really looked good on me, or what I no longer need. Last month, it was shoes. Anything with a high heel had to go. My back, feet, and podiatrist have been telling me this for a long time. Uncle.

Honesty tours have helped to thin the closet while regaining much-needed hangers and a better grip on reality. Such tours are not for the faint of heart, as the name honesty implies.

The secret is to not do it all at once. A little bit at a time works just fine. It allows me the dignity I require and staves off any shame.

I do honesty tours in my journal, too. It allows me to be honest with myself sans audience. The ego must take a rest so my soul can speak. Turns out my soul is fluent in gentleness and love.

Parting with things that no longer serve me — whether it is because they no longer fit my body or because they block my path to a more meaningful life – is refreshing.

Slow, steady, honest, rewarding.

How do you get honest with yourself?

Mary