It is not only a time to ‘stock-pile’ or take an inventory of what went well this year, but it is also time to purge. It is the perfect time to get rid of the extraneous. There is a saying that says in essence that, “if you have not used it in a year, it’s probably time to let it go.”

This is well worth looking into as 2025 comes to a slow end. We can question ourselves and say, “Do I really need to hold on to this?” It may be old paper files, old books and just general stuff. There are strong chances that they may have served their purposes.

Or it could be about purging those digital files. That is a whole other task. The other day, I spent an inordinate amount of time clearing out old stored emails. It could be that the goals have already been reached. Holding on to the old stuff weighs us down both mentally and spiritually. We may unknowingly be in the process of creating bad karma. We must bless those events of the past and let them go.

We can gently let the people go who are no longer a part of our lives. If we still own personal phone books, we could look inside and note how many of those names can easily be deleted. How many of those people are no longer a part of your 2025?

Also, our digital contacts certainly need serious updating. Some names simply need to be deleted or even blocked so they will never, ever make the mistake of calling us again. A block is a sure thing.  Regardless of the reason and there may be multiple reasons, a good block and delete is definitely in order. The neighborhood children used to say, “It’s old, tired and stanky.” So, let it go!

The same holds true with our wardrobes – the clothes, coats and boots.  Someone else could possibly use those items. As the idiom goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”  I often make drops to our local donation bin. Once I have let it go, I never think about any of those things again. In fact, I let out a sigh of relief as I close the hatch after making each donation.

Though I am not a minimalist, I firmly believe that less is more. We have to admit that the heavy baggage holds us back. I have seen people who are stymied in life because they can’t let go of the junk. Once our lives end, someone else will throw it all away and possibly leave it in some alley. Yes, that is a hard reality, but it is indeed a fact.

So, purge now! Start making way for the new. Expect new contacts, new clothes, new boots and coats. As you get rid of the old stuff, your shoulders will lift and your face will turn to the sun with a bright smile.

Lynn M.
November 8, 2025