You know those “burn-it-down” memoirs? In book after book, women become so fed up with their daily lives that they completely explode it with drastic and dramatic measures.

While I’m intrigued by the freedom of starting from scratch, I can’t help but experience these memoirs as more of a cautionary tale than a how-to guide.

How did daily life slip into something so unbearable for these women?

How can I prevent my own life from devolving into such unbridled desperation?

How can I “clear out the brush” of my life to ensure there’s less kindling for a five-alarm wildfire?

I think about sustainability often; how long can I endure my life as it is without losing my whole mind? One year? One month? One day only?

The specifics of these burn-it-down stories vary, but I find at the heart of each one is the fact that fear and inattention led to a life that was not sustainable.

Fear prevented the protagonists from being authentic and present-focused, and then they felt small and stressed in their own life.

Inattention led to professional and personal ruts, unhealthy habits and dependencies, and inertia that made them feel disconnected from their own life.

Lucky for me, I have plenty of practice confronting fear and inattention in myself and in my clients through decluttering. Bravely and intentionally clearing out clutter and curating what is joyful, valuable, relevant, and meaningful makes my life feel more sustainable. My home reflects my goals, and I know how to evolve both my stuff and my space should those goals change.

What is the brush in your life? Let’s clear it now.