I was preparing myself mentally to pack for my week and a half long trip home to Atlanta for the Holidays. Because I am obviously the most important person in my office (she said with heavy sarcasm) I had to leave straight from the office to go to the airport which means I had to bring my luggage with me to and from work. It is important to note that my office is located right smack dab in the middle of all the typical New York tourist areas. There’s luxury shopping on one end, and cheesy sightseeing on the other. I just knew it would be a shit show trying to lug a huge suitcase through all those people, so I was determined to pack only a small carry on suitcase and my offensively large purse. This required Parisian level curation for my wardrobe. What do I mean by that? A French wardrobe is thought to be one consisting of very few pieces that are of impeccably high quality, and that can be easily mixed and matched to create a chic and well styled look with each ensemble. When you clean out your closet, only keeping the good and the useful and giving away the things that are unnecessary, you end up with a selection of things you actually like. It’s easier to get dressed in the morning and to shop, because you know your wardrobe. You know what your real wants and needs are. You know what pieces you should invest in. You know where you’ve wasted money. You know what stores you should probably stay away from, and you know what your true sense of style is. Have I convinced you yet?

Photo: CluelessAs I executed my packing plan using Pinterest as my guide, I thought to myself how efficient and easy it makes packing and getting dressed to minimalize your wardrobe. To just go through it and be honest with yourself about what you don’t really need, want, or wear very often and to give those items to someone who needs them. I took this thought a step further and wondered why I don’t apply this same concept to my life more often.

Photo: Parks and Recreation
If you step back and really take an inventory of your life there are some things and some relationships that don’t benefit you. They take up unnecessary energy and they fill the space in your life with clutter. Draining ass people for example are like a size 4 pair of True Religion jeans that no longer fit you or your style, yet you hold on to them on the off chance that they will somehow become useful to you again. I am here to tell you that they won’t and you need to let them go (the jeans and the draining ass people, because both are trash).

Thinking back on the people and the bad habits I have fought to keep in my life through some false rationalization or some sad means makes me cringe. Staying in a toxic friendship to keep the peace. Trying desperately to hold on to someone who in all honesty just isn’t that in to me. Spending money on things I didn’t need because I convinced myself I deserved a treat or five. I can’t even get into how much money I didn’t have that I spent on food I didn’t need to be eating anyway. Cringe worthy! No one really warns you about how cluttered your life can become as you grow older. You accumulate a lot of things, habits, and people that are just taking up space that could be otherwise used for something productive. Notice I never said to throw anything away, but to give it to someone who needs it. This is a two way street, because you may be taking up unnecessary ass space in their life too. By removing yourself from their life you give them the freedom to pursue what’s right and better for them as well. I know you want to think that you are God’s gift to the world, but girl you’re probably draining the hell out of someone else too. Let’s be real.

As this year approaches its end, make a pact with yourself to curate your life with Parisian level skill. Take an inventory and let go of the bad, draining, useless, unhealthy, unproductive, unfulfilling, uninspiring, things habits and people that are stopping you from being great. And try not to be those things to anyone else. If you find that you are, then do us all a favor and back out slowly then take off in a full sprint out of their lives and do better!

Thank you for reading. This has been a tremendous year of growth and opportunity for me and I appreciate you taking the journey along with me. Hopefully there’s much more to come in 2016. See you there.