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Well hello!

It’s a hot Sunday afternoon which means any outside activities were done early and it’s now inside time in the air conditioned comfort of my home.

My upcoming personal styling course requires some organising. Now, it’s been a hot minute since I actually studied anything apart from the weather before an event, so I had to have a think about what I need.

I’m not entirely sure about what being a qualified personal stylist is actually going to look like for me. My research (aka scrolling of Instagram) shows me that most personal stylists do very creative and clever reels, stories and posts. Fun filters, catchy text, and pictures. Videos, or the new version…reels. Reels. Ummm…right. I’m about to turn 52 years old/young. Am I ready for this?

On top of learning the intricate details about the actual styling part, I’m going to have to learn some new social media skills.  Pronto!

First things first….purchasing a new laptop. Because our old one is, well, old. And full. FULL!

Do you want to know how many emails I had in my inbox?

Take a guess….300? Maybe 3,000? I mean, I’m a busy lady. I have a job. Actually I have two jobs. And I’m a wife, and a mother. Yes…the children are adults but I’m still in demand. Who actually has time to sort through emails?

Sooooo…..if you guessed 16,989 emails in my inbox, you guessed right.

Don’t judge me…I know many of you reading this just can not believe I have this little….issue. Yes,  I do hide it well, but today I’m admitting it publicly. It’s my way of helping others who may also struggle in this area.  You are not alone. If I can clean it up, you can. We CAN make a change and be better at managing our inbox.

It actually hadn’t bothered me. Until I transferred all 16,989 emails on to my lovely, little, clean and unencumbered laptop.

My laptop felt heavier with all those emails. I had already done it a disservice by plonking those 16,898 emails on to it. And I don’t even know how I actually managed to do that. It required knowledge of my outlook account, remembering passwords. But I did, and I needed to make amends.

I’ve heard that a messy bedroom leads to a cluttered mind (or I say, marriage!) and so I’m thinking now that maybe a messy inbox leads to a cluttered creative? How does one create content with 16,898 messages in her inbox? Before the creating even begins?!

Can our inbox be a metaphor for our life? Should we “tidy” things up in our life to make space for bigger and better things, and opportunities?

Mmmmm.

So off I go, deleting groups of emails. Like hundreds at a time from companies I don’t even buy from. And I’m unsubscribing as I go. Because I can’t ever remember subscribing to these emails. Furniture stores, clothing stores ( women’s and men’s), makeup brands, perfume, rugs, wrinkle smoothing remedies, vitamin and supplements, pyjamas, underwear, swimwear, pools and spas. We don’t even have a pool or spa.  You name it, I was a serial subscriber. But it ends today!

As of this minute, I’m a serial unsubscriber!

Because 16,898 emails clutters not only my computer, but it clutters my brain. That’s not how I want to be remembered. I don’t want my kids to have to clear my inbox after I’ve gone and talk about me being a hoarder of unnecessary and absolutely useless information. I don’t want them to have to bring in an email exterminator. So I’m being the email exterminator. And it’s taking FOREVER!

Not only is it taking forever, but I’m not even sure I’m doing it right! I may be feeling like the ancient old lady thinks that a Tic Toc is a biscuit with the time carved in icing (if you know, you know!)

My knowledge of technology is quietly turning something off at the powerpoint and switching it back on to reset and miraculously start working. So far, I’ve hidden my lack of knowledge from the world. I’ve managed to look like an IT expert while not really having a clue about anything. I’ve got printers down pat at work, but am I going to be able to mask my inadequacies forever, especially in an industry that relies so heavily on social media?

That, my friends, will be my challenge.

The good news is, my brain now has 16,000 less emails registered. And it feels so good!

I feel slightly more organised, slightly more efficient, and a little lighter. And I won’t be upset about not knowing that I can get 20% off a pair of bamboo undies for the next week. Instead, I’ll wait until I need more bamboo undies and I’ll pop down to the shops to buy some.

What a way to start the new week!

Countdown to my course is on.

In 26 sleeps I’ll be walking into a room of unknown fellow students. And in my bag, a laptop. A laptop with only important and life changing emails in the inbox….as long as I figure out how to delete the deleted ones!

I’ll feel ready. Ready to learn new skills and jump at new opportunities.

And so will my inbox.

Have a great week…

Love,

Cherie with a C.