Marie Kondo’s method: order your life and your mind.

A wellness tool based on order and the creation of a harmonious space.

The method of order of the Japanese Marie Kondo has become a worldwide phenomenon through her interesting book The Magic of Order. through her interesting book The Magic of Order.

The young expert explains: "We think that when we store something, we are putting things we don't need in a closet or a drawer or a shelf, however, this is an illusion. In the long run the places where we have stored what we didn't want will be too full and chaos will appear again".

Marie states that true organization begins with eliminationShe relates it to a transformation that goes beyond the physical: "By organizing your living space and transforming it, the change is so profound that you seem to inhabit a different place."

The relationship between order and well-being

This week, Sònia AlgueróTechnical Director of the Institute of Psychological and Psychiatric Assistance Mensalus, shares the essence of the Marie Kondo Method and opens a reflection on "letting go".

What does the Konmari Method highlight?

The fundamental pillar of the Konmari method (a play on words from the name of the creator) is based on discarding the unnecessary and keeping only the essential things that make us happy. Marie explains that, by physically getting rid of things we do not want, it subsequently facilitates the establishment of limits to that which does not satisfy us.

People accumulate objects without considering the meaning they have for us at the present moment. Most of them may have served their function in the past, but what role do they play now? For this successful author, discarding frees us from our burdens and leaves us with energy for the present.

There is a parallel between our current and past thoughts, behaviors and emotions. In the past, many of them had a function in our lives that, today, no longer exists. And not only that. Their presence in the now decenters us and generates confusion (between what we think-do-feel), distancing us from our true essence.

Marie Kondo and her method to achieve greater wellbeing

What is the relationship between physical organization and mental organization?

Physical organization has a direct effect on mental organization and goal planning. Focusing attention and energy towards a goal goes hand in hand with the liberation we were talking about.

Likewise, the Japanese author explains that putting things in order also means putting your past in order. It is something like readjusting your life and "closing chapters" in order to take the next step. In fact, if we think about it, closing boxes and closing stages have a lot in common: in both cases we move out of sight that which hinders us and steals space.

Leaving behind stages and integrating the meaning they have had for us, as well as recognizing that which has contributed to us and is already part of us, allows us to move towards our most essential self.

How do we decide to discard?

The Method proposes to leave aside the criterion of use or function, to enter into something deeper: "What does this object make me feel?

This is not an easy question to answer right off the bat, since it is something we don't usually ask ourselves. Trying it is revealing, I invite you to do so. When we ask ourselves if that object makes us vibrate, when we manifest the emotion that it transmits to us, it is then when we start to feel in order to decide instead of only thinking. This information is what validates or invalidates the withdrawal of the object.

If we finally choose to dispose of it, an interesting way to say goodbye is to thank it for the service it has offered. In this way, we will reduce the anxiety generated by eliminating our belongings.

So, the first step is to investigate and gather everything we have of the same category (clothes, books, papers, etc.) to make the choice. Being able to say: "I don't want this anymore, it has already served its purpose, now it is not what I need" is a great exercise since its effect does not end there; it has an impact on the rest of vital aspects.

On a psychological level, we can reproduce this process by focusing our attention on our deepest self. It is useful and revealing to ask ourselves if that thought or behavior that we are considering discarding makes us feel good or, on the contrary, blocks us and does not allow us to move forward.

Likewise, it is especially interesting to question ourselves if there is coherence between what we think or do and what we feel when we think or do it. In this way, our emotions will guide us towards our most genuine needs.

Is it easy to say, "I don't want this for my life"?

Many times it is more complicated than it seems. We are not trained to let go, quite the contrary. Re-educating the mind in this sense through physical elements makes it easier to "let go" of unwanted aspects of our life: a relationship, a task, a practice/hobby, a job, etc. The weight of obligation often obfuscates the capacity for self-listening.

That said, it takes courage and determination to set boundaries and move away from the fears that paralyze us and distance us from our essential self. For this reason I encourage you to answer, "What do I really want/need at this time in my life?"

What would you say to all those people who are reading this interview?

Introspectively speaking, accumulating anachronistic thoughts and behaviors leads us to a blockage of what is essential, plunging us into confusion and discomfort.

The Konmari Method reconnects us with the meaning of the things that surround us and brings the person closer to a "click" that, until now, was difficult for him/her. In the end, the outcome is very simple: "Take what you do want and let go of everything that no longer makes sense to you".