When Life Feels Like a Junk Drawer

Have you ever opened a junk drawer and felt instantly overwhelmed?

Rubber bands tangled with paper clips, expired coupons mixed with old batteries—a cluttered mess of items that once had purpose but now only add to your confusion.

Life can feel exactly like this after a significant setback or an extended period of stress. Your routines disappear, your days feel scattered, and mental clarity becomes a distant memory.

But just like that cluttered drawer, your life isn't broken—it's simply waiting to be sorted. Let’s explore how you can find clarity, reclaim your routines, and begin again, one manageable step at a time.

Why You Feel So Disoriented

Unexpected changes—like a health crisis, job loss, divorce, or even sustained stress—can disrupt your internal compass. Here's why:

• Loss of Structure: When your daily routines vanish, days become chaotic and reactive rather than calm and intentional.

• Mental Fog: Decision fatigue, grief, and uncertainty cloud your thinking, making even simple tasks feel impossible.

• Avoidance & Overwhelm: Feeling out of control makes it tempting to procrastinate, leaving issues unresolved and adding to the chaos.

The key to moving past this isn't waiting for motivation—it’s taking action. Motivation follows action, not the other way around.

Start Small: Regain Clarity with Manageable Steps

Restoring order and clarity doesn’t require tackling everything at once. Focus instead on small, consistent actions that can create a meaningful shift:

1. Choose One Daily Anchor

Establishing one simple routine creates stability and signals safety to your brain. Consider routines like:

• Taking a brief morning walk

• Writing down your three priority tasks each day

• Making your bed each morning

2. Clear Your Mental Clutter

Commit to a daily 5-minute "brain dump."

• Write down everything that’s on your mind—without filtering or organizing it.

• Simply releasing these thoughts helps clear mental space and reduces anxiety.

3. Identify Your Season

When life is chaotic, naming your current season can help you reframe and understand your journey better:

• Are you recovering?

• Rebuilding?

• Redefining your purpose?

Naming your season provides clarity and helps you respect the pace of your recovery and growth.

Practical Ways to Move Forward

According to resilience strategies outlined in my book "Flourishing After Adversity," regaining control after disruption involves three fundamental things you always have control over: your thoughts, words, and actions.

Conquer Your Thinking Traps

Avoid mental pitfalls by recognizing common thinking traps such as jumping to conclusions, mind reading, and personalizing blame. Replace negative thought patterns with factual, balanced thinking.

Develop a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset allows you to accept circumstances beyond your control while focusing your energy on what you can influence. Embrace the philosophy that challenges can become opportunities for growth.

Discover Your Hidden Strengths

Each experience of adversity has the potential to reveal untapped strengths. By reflecting on past successes and coping strategies, you strengthen your resilience muscles and discover powerful personal resources.

My Journey: Sorting Through Life’s Junk Drawer

After experiencing five major life-changing setbacks—including breast cancer, losing a child, and divorce—I didn’t just lose my routines; I lost my sense of self. It felt overwhelming to even decide what to do next.

But, like sorting through a junk drawer, I started with small steps. Creating simple, daily anchors helped. Accepting slow progress allowed me to function first and flourish later. I found clarity by focusing on actions within my control, adopting a growth mindset, and consciously reframing my perspective from victim to victor. (Too learn more about my story, click here.)

You can do the same.

One Action to Take Today

I invite you to choose your first daily anchor today. It might be as simple as drinking a glass of water before coffee, opening your curtains each morning, or sitting quietly for two minutes.

This small action won’t instantly transform your life, but it will set your direction. Order and clarity begin with small, repeated actions—one tiny victory at a time.

Your life, much like a cluttered drawer, isn’t beyond repair. It’s simply waiting for you to start organizing it, piece by piece, step by step. You’re not alone—and it's never too late to reclaim clarity and purpose.