Can we start a rebellion wearing slippers?
It’s in the pre-dawn hours when I always feel like we could start the rebellion.
I’m the only one awake. I’ve had my first cup of coffee. I’m wearing my slippers. I’m writing.
It always seems laughable later.
Even now, as I write this, only two hours later, I’m like, “What are you talking about, Stephanie? Who starts a rebellion wearing slippers?” And then my own curiosity gets the better of me. “What rebellion are you even talking about?”
Pre-dawn Stephanie: It’s a rebellion that starts at home.
Sensible Stephanie: What does that even mean?
Pre-dawn Stephanie: This is a time of upheaval and disruption. I feel it. If you don’t feel it, this isn’t for you. Go on with your day.
Sensible Stephanie: Fine, fine. Tell me. It’s not like I’m unaware of what’s going on in the world.
Pre-dawn Stephanie: Alright. Don’t laugh. It’s awkward for me to write about this. It feels clunky and I feel very exposed. But here it is …
To declutter is to redesign the system you live in, materially, emotionally, economically, physically. It’s an order-of-magnitude shift. This type of decluttering goes way beyond The Container Store vibe.
Physically, you create space. Open space invites energy, ideas, possibility, new ways. Nature likes this. It’s also nice not to trip over things anymore.
Emotionally, you become clear about who you are and what your purpose is in this life. One artist I worked with let go of projects she’d kept out of guilt. Guilt was taking up far more space than the canvases ever did.
Materially, you stop overbuying because you know what you have. Every single client I’ve worked with has had multiples of things they didn’t use. We have too much of what we don’t need, and not enough of what we want.
Economically, you buy with intention and power. That is, you buy to support who you are and what you stand for.
Here’s the rebellious thought:
Consumer culture runs on speed. More. Faster. Upgrade. Replace.
Capitalism, unchecked by unions, governments, watchdogs, or conscious consumers, produces grotesque inequality.
Unchecked capitalism wants you weak, spinning, distracted.
“I’m so busy.” “I’m overwhelmed at home and at work.” “I can barely keep up.”
At my peak earnings in corporate America, I had never felt so behind.
Clutter is the byproduct of speed. It’s what accumulates when life moves faster than intention.
To declutter is to rebel. To create friction against the frictionless flywheel. To pay attention. To stand still. To make sense of what is buried within your clutter like
a job that doesn’t fit
a relationship that needs attention
a version of yourself you’ve outgrown
a system that is designed to distract you
To declutter is to liberate oneself.
That’s how we start: at home, in our slippers. It’s where the real work happens. When you’re not weighed down at home, you have energy for what matters. To vote, to protest, to care for your neighbor.
I feel like we could all use a happy ending right about now. How about this one?
“I woke up feeling at peace for the first time in my life.” A woman I helped said that to me. She was 58! This is what becomes possible when you stop being trapped by your stuff.
Will you join the rebellion?
If your answer is YES! Book a FREE Clarity Call. I might be in my slippers, but I know how to start a rebellion at home.
