Friday

#03-07 Breaking Up is Hard to Do - The Ins and Outs of Demolition

Hello people, Brini here with the further adventures of my apartment renovation! This week we’re demolishing the dining room. It’s a very simple process of removing screws and taking the built-ins apart, but the larger issue is change and how we deal with it.

Accepting change in our lives can be scary. The key is detachment. If you’re able to remain detached from objects and outcomes then you’re much more likely to be in a position to welcome exciting new experiences into your life. It’s not as easy as it sounds, however. Letting go of our past, whether it’s in the form of material possessions, relationships or situations can be a daunting proposition. The important thing to remember is that, ultimately, we’re not defined by these things. The more we’re able to derive our sense of self from inside the less we’ll be likely to form limiting attachments to our surroundings.

I’ve found that this can be accomplished with reflection. It’s helpful to keep a journal and record your thoughts about the events in your life that are challenging. These journal entries can serve as a map of your psyche which will help you understand your attachments and see that they are unnecessary. If you’d like to explore these concepts more fully I recommend a book: The Marriage of Spirit, by Leslie Temple Thurston. She has some extremely simple exercises that can help you let go of limitations and live more fully in the moment. As Socrates said “the unexamined life is not worth living?. Explore your possibilities fully!