I have the habit of cutting my hair. I walk into my kitchen, open a drawer and take out my kitchen scissors, walk them into my bathroom, and cut my hair! Yesterday, I got the urge to cut, cut, cut. It was uplifting. As I was cutting I thought to myself that I was snipping off what did not matter. And, as I continued cutting and watching the hair fall into my sink, I felt happy and free.

Read about why I embraced my grey hair and how you can too!

With that, I decided it is time to get rid of the fluff in my daily life, too. And, with that thought in my mind, I smiled as I snipped off more dead ends of my hair.

WHAT IS FLUFF?

Fluff is the stuff that is not necessary in life and eventually will be detrimental to your emotional and physical health. Let me be clear — there is far more substance in my life than fluff but I am still overburdened. And, just like the dead ends of the hair on my head; too much is not attractive.

They say that when you trim your hair it grows faster and that appeals to me because I am a woman after 50 who is so busy I am dizzy. I realize that to be at my optimal I need space, minus stuff, to grow like the plants in my garden.

WHY RID YOURSELF OF FLUFF?

I want to rid myself of the fluff that doesn’t matter. I want to prune my life. To be clear in all things, like a freshwater spring reflecting on a clear day. I want to be done with my non-essential fluff, so I have time to just be — to concentrate on meaningful priorities. It’s unhealthy to spread myself too thin because there is no satisfaction in touching the surface of life. I want to rejoice in the whole. I am not interested in a humdrum existence. I want satisfaction. As a woman after 50, you should want the same.

THIS IS FLUFF

Remove the people who don’t care about you, the conversations that bore you, the memberships you no longer desire. Stop saying yes to specific actions when you want to say no or following accounts that don’t satisfy you. Stop keeping items you no longer need and saving clothes you will never wear. Or everything else that does not align with your vision of what brings you that feeling of relief, contentment, and joy after 50.

EMOTIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS

Let’s not forget emotional entanglements — this stuff is deadly.
Negativity and complaining, and toxic relationships that put you in a spin. My philosophy is no more! Like hair, get yourself, untangled!

I LOVE THE WORD GENUINE AND SO SHOULD YOU

Be genuine and sincere to the you in you. Trim everything down in order to have a clearer vision and the time to genuinely appreciate your lifestyle as a woman after 50.

I genuinely love my husband, my pooch, sentimental possessions, and my home. I love the plans I make with people who I enjoy, respect, and love, all knowledge, travel that feed my mind and soul, the solitude of nature, and who I am. These are important keepers. No trimming them down.

“I would rather make fewer plans but grander plans.”

Sizing down my fluff will make me stronger than ever while allowing me to live a more genuine lifestyle. Who needs 15 nearest and dearest friends? Not I. I find it satisfying to prefer being alone than spend an evening with people who don’t rock my curiosity.

I would rather make fewer plans but grander plans. I favor meaningful relationships over the roar of a crowd. And I lean toward one or two associations that fulfill me. This paring down and cutting out stuff allows me time to just be.

In other words, I have decided to cut off what no longer serves me. This feeling gives me further peace of mind, and a fresh outlook on life. And it truly feels like a breath of fresh air, just like walking down the hall with the kitchen scissors in hand to trim off hair I no longer need.

I have no desire to redefine who I am; just redefine what I want.

YOUR HEART IS YOUR SOUL SISTER

Listen to your heart. She is your soul sister. She won’t lie to you. She is your better half. Trust her. She knows the unnecessary excesses in your social life, your nonessentials, and the meaningless stuff you hoard.

“Remember this: We can only cherish a limited amount of things, people, and ideas at one time.”

If you listen to her messaging, you will toss out your angst and exchange it for comfort.

Putting your emotional house in order by getting rid of the excess fluff will add new meaning to your life. A new reset is good for the soul.

Remember this: We can only cherish a limited amount of things, people, and ideas at one time. None of us can take in everything, even wise women over 50.

I can only take care of so much stuff. I want to care for everything and everyone I love in a relaxed and joyful manner. In order to accomplish this quest, I must give myself the time to properly cherish things, people, places, and ideas. This is the only way I can feed my soul.

Now is your moment to choose. Work with your soul sister, your heart. In concert with her, you will decide what are your keepers and what your discards are. Keep everything that is special, near and dear to you, and get rid of your excess fluff. I am convinced that putting your life in order will help you on your journey after 50.

If you enjoyed this story, please subscribe to my email list. When I post a new story, you will receive it in your inbox. You might also enjoy my post: How to Regain Your Natural Enthusiasm.