Release: Create a Clutter Free and Soul Driven Life

by Peggy Fitzsimmons

Most of us are overwhelmed by stuff that is not essential to our lives and is out of alignment with our true spiritual nature. Although our souls are inherently free, we also have an ego mind that orients us toward fear, scarcity, self-preservation, and holding on. With the ego mind in the driver’s seat of our lives, we accumulate clutter. Physical clutter is the most obvious, but we are also burdened with mental, emotional, energetic, and relationship clutter. All forms of clutter reflect the same thing; a soul not being true to itself. Create a Clutter Free and Soul Driven Life provides practical strategies to release clutter in your inner and outer environments and create a more soul-directed life. It introduces the skills of presence, mindfulness, resonance, and inspired action to put you on the road to freedom; free to live with only the things that help you share your love with the world in your unique ways. 

136 pages, Paperback

Published December 11, 2020

About the author

Peggy Fitzsimmons holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Arizona State University, and has worked in the fields of counseling and healing for over 25 years. Peggy counseled adolescents and adults with mental health and addiction issues in a variety of clinical settings, including private practice, wilderness therapy, psychiatric inpatient, and residential treatment. She expanded her clinical work to include holistic and mind-body approaches by training for several years in Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy, as well as Intuition Medicine®, a practice of intuitive energy healing.
Peggy also lived and worked at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in New York; was a staff member of Campowerment, a transformational retreat experience; and was a consulting producer on Oprah Winfrey's Emmy-winning TV series Super Soul Sunday. In addition, she has utilized her expertise to help many people “get their houses in order” through intensive decluttering.

In her book Release: Create a Clutter-Free and Soul Driven Life, Peggy shares her vast knowledge and practical insights about decluttering with readers who want to improve their lives— by freeing themselves from clutter and living in alignment with their true soul nature.

Reviews

[Miranda Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

“All forms of clutter reveal the same thing, a soul not being true to itself.” I appreciated so many points of this book; the fact that it went through multiple types of clutter, not only physical clutter, and emphasized the link between the mind and clutter. However, parts of it were a bit cheesy and far fetched to me.. possibly just a personal preference issue. Overall a good read with good points.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peggy's brilliant book is a journey of releasing and observing the psychology behind our clutter (physical + mental) that can get in the way. She takes us through a process of getting back to being true to ourselves while embracing and honoring all aspects of our imperfect humanness. And she reminds us how to harness our power to lighten our load (on every level).

Her emphasis on the relationship we have with ourselves as being our primary relationship highlights the importance of how this is the foundation for all our other relationships. Once we tap into this deep sense of connection, we become more in tune with the magic that is always happening, which are the guideposts we can follow, moving along our journey in the direction most aligned with our soul.

Peggy also reminds us that "the true value of you have lies in sharing it," which she's done so brilliantly through sharing her personal experiences, wisdom, insights, and educational background with her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. Peggy, thank you for sharing such a priceless gift with me and so many!

[Deb Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book touched on so many aspects of my life and in such a kind and helpful way that I reach for it over and over again. It has simple steps to follow that are clear and easy to understand. I found the examples provided to be especially helpful. The tone of the book is non-judgmental... we are all in this together. We all struggle with this. Seeing and recogizing clutter for what it is, whether physical, emotional, energetic or relational is the first step of a practice made easier by the way this author guides us in the book. Seeking our true soul and sharing our love with the world is no simple task but it is made clearer by reading this. Highly recommend.

[Leza · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so easy to get weighed down by the past, whether that’s physical clutter, or old emotional baggage that keeps us from living joyfully. Her “ten percent solution” makes it non-threatening to let go, a bit at a time, and begin to experience the lightness that comes with releasing the things that no longer enrich our lives. This book is an investment in your joyful future!

[Gail Melichar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have stuff in my life. I help others organize so for me to have stuff is really insane. I am constantly telling people I work with that they are holding onto things for a reason. We'll talk about things and either they are ready to get rid of it or they aren't. I don't push. I make suggestions.

So, why was I so stuck when it came to myself? From the Introduction that the author, Peggy Fitzsimmons, wrote, "Everything we hold onto carries weight. It might be mental weight, like the weight of jealous thoughts; or physical weight, like the weight of the old set of encyclopedias in the basement; or the emotional weight, like the weight if conflict with a family member. Everything we hold onto has a cost. It might be an emotional cost, like the cost of keeping up with society's ever-speeding treadmill; a relationship cost, like the cost of not accepting someone's choice for a partner; or a financial cost, like the cost of having to wash the car every week because it doesn't fit in the jam-packed garage."

And bingo...we have a winner! I was able to do for others what Peggy has done for me and what I could not do for myself. I could look at my life and see the "cost" that all these things were bringing to my life. I knew exactly why the things I had "jam-packed" into my garage were there, but I could never "release" those things until now.

Thank you, Peggy, for your insight and for writing this book!

[Linda Blouin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a timeless how-to book and yet so much more. Peggy holds our hand as we pass from our cluttered lives to an enlightened life, in all aspects, including our relationships and thoughts, as well as our abodes. Filled with gentle instruction from her deep understanding and experience, Peggy is a master at helping one "do the work" and yet accepting ourselves in present time and place.
I wish she were my sister, or best friend, she is so personal and thoroughly loving, as she guides the process. She has garnered the evidence for living a freer, happier, more connected, realized life, and she is willing to share it all with us. Thank you Peggy.

[C. Merkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever felt like you hold onto things, people, thoughts too much and while you know that this internal/external clutter isn’t serving you, you just can’t let go? Well this is the perfect book for you!

Peggy Fitzsimmons masterfully unravels the driving forces behind these challenges in a simple way for all to understand, and she leaves you with strategies to take action – just 10% change to begin with, which is something anyone can tackle.

This book can help you release things that no longer serve you and realign yourself with your soul. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking to live their life with more freedom and clarity! Excellent!!!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the common how-to book for reorganizing your space. Ms. Fitzsimmons takes us on a journey that shows us how the practical is soulful and the soul can be practical. She reminds us that true decluttering is far more than removing unnecessary material things from our physical environment. She does give practical tips for achieving the best kind of decluttering, but emphasizes that “Decluttering is an ongoing process, because every moment is an opportunity to choose the scared of the ego or the sacred of the soul.” So worthy of the read, so worth the practice!

[Laura Ries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently interviewed Peggy for my creativity group who wants to clear way for creating more art. Peggy is very personable and her approach to clearing clutter both mentally and physically is a great way to get started.

After the interview and reading the book, I was inspired to let go of what no longer served me. 2 car loads have been given away to bless someone else.

This is a great book if you are wanting a clear and gentle way to get started living a life that has more meaning.

Thank you Peggy for not hoarding this knowledge!

[Meryl Russo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Released clutter (emotional, physical, spiritual, mental) and opened my soul! Such profound, honest, relatable and actionable pages which have inspired me to release what doesn't serve me. And...reminds me to just take the next step (VS feeling like I have to climb the mountain NOW). A loving, gentle, compassionate approach to clutter which normalizes feelings we all share - and move forward to freedom! A MUST READ!

[Julie Mateu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short but powerful book is packed with messages and metaphors for life. I felt like the author was talking to me.. she had such insightful training tools and she empowered me to organize my life and do it in a simplified and healthy manner. A must read.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a psychologist with a clutter-filled house, I greatly appreciate this book. It did get a little "cluttered" with some ethereal views, but that was not dominant throughout the book. I took the suggestions offered earlier and took what I needed and left what didn't serve me behind.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book. It is meant to be read one chapter at a time and then set aside to process and make space for the ideas in one’s own life.
It walks that inviting and grace-filled path that is not “new agey” and not mainline doctrine of any one religion.
I highly recommend this book.

[Stacey Datnow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Devoured it. Life changer. I’m a psychotherapist and I’ve told almost every client to read it. It’s a must read.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always appreciate a book that makes me do the work I need to, like clean out cupboards. More about intangible clutter thAn physical, but no less convincing.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just another "organize the clutter" self-help book!

Perfectly timed, Release is a deep dive that exposes our core selves and the things we keep hidden that inevitably rule our lives, decisions, relationships, and the more obvious – accumulation of stuff.

Not just another "organize the clutter" self-help book. Instead, Release opens our minds to the patterns and behaviors that lead us to overindulge and form habits that separate us from contentment, happiness, and a connection to something greater than ourselves.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect is that there is something here for everyone. In one book, very few writers can meet you where you are now with transformational tools and hit you in six months only to deliver again and again. Release is one of those keepers that you re-read every so often to uncover something new about yourself and the areas of your life where you are ready to let go.

[Dotty Posto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an INCREDIBLE book that I will be reading again!!!

I know Peggy - and this is such a testament to her heart and her teaching.

There are so many gems here for some 'basic decluttering' - and even BIGGER gems if you take all of the areas of life to 'declutter'.

I am already using these ideas in my own life and using them with my coaching clients...