Packing & Purging

let go. let grow.

By Christina Nguyen

August 16^th, 2017

I've had 10 months to mentally prepare for the day I would walk out into the world with just a laptop and a suitcase. The question of what to pack for an entire year has been looming over me. The question of what to purge was equally as difficult. I've accumulated so many treasures, trinkets, and gifts that filled my home with memories and inspirations from all over. There was so much joy in collecting these objects. My 710 square foot sanctuary expressed who I was and who I am. Everything had its purpose and created the backdrop to my life.

The truth is that getting rid of all my things was hard. Some things were easy to trash or give away. Some things I felt torn about or still contained hopes of something I would get to one day. Pro tip: give yourself a buffer period for the mighty purge because the lifting can be heavy. This exercise rocked my emotions, forced me to identify and prioritize my values, and changed my views of society & culture. But on the flip side, it's changing my lifestyle and helping me simplify in more areas than I could have imagined. I'm a few weeks away from leaving and I've managed to get rid of it ALL... my 10-year old car that has taken me across the country 4 times, the funky apartment with Banksy Fly Rat that greets you at the top of the staircase, every single piece of furniture that has made my space feel like a home, all of the shoes, clothes, accessories that have styled me for each of New England's season... you name it, it's gone.

I could share the details of what actually made it into my suitcase for the year but to be honest, it's nothing exciting. Tons of travel bloggers have imparted their wisdom in countless blogs on packing essentials for the nomadic lifestyle. The bottom line is pack the things that make YOU happy and be prepared to do lots of laundry :) Keep what brings you lightness and hold onto what brings you joy. Also, remember that you can buy nearly anything anywhere.

Here's what packing and purging really helped me do:

Let go of attachment to material things. Mindfulness is a multipurpose tool. Respect the impermanence of all things.

Let go of attachment to people. It's okay to friend yourself and go at it alone sometimes. Maintain healthy meaningful relationships but stay open to new connections and hold lightly.

Let go of attachment to the past. Narrate calmly, challenge your emotions, and focus on lessons learned. Open your mind to what's come and gone. Make now count.

Let go of attachment to outcomes. Question your attachment to a specific outcome and practice letting things be. Release the need to know and stay open to the art of possibilities.

Let go of attachment to feelings. There is beauty in the ebb & flow of human emotion. Feel them, acknowledge them, express them, and know they are temporary.

Letting go ultimately has shed light on the truth within myself. You are who you are in each moment no matter what changes. It's about what we believe in ourselves and the world around us. We shape our experiences with our attitude, perspective, and openness to explore, learn, share, create, and pay it forward. Letting go gave me the tools to experience freedom, space, and meaning.