In our household, it’s Christmas wish list time. Letters to the North Pole have been posted. I won’t even comment on my son’s (arm-length) checklist save to say that a real-life elf and the latest Apple product are just two of the many items. Hmmm … good luck with that, Santa!

In anticipation of new goodies, we’ve had a good sort through to get rid of what’s no longer useful, fun or working, in order to make room. There’s been a healthy purge of the toybox: donations, rehoming of things that will once again be treasured, and a half-filled garbage bag of broken bits and pieces. His room suddenly feels much calmer and lighter. Without all the junk, it’s easier to breathe and now there’s space to play with whatever may be left under our tree.

This inspired me to do my own ‘sort and purge’. Not just of the house clutter — don’t mention my closet, which is an ongoing endeavour — but my life and head space. A new year is fast approaching, a great time to set goals and invite new things into our lives, but likewise, we have to make room for them.

As a teenager, I loved my holiday job stocktaking in a Hamilton store. While an internal stock-check doesn’t involve a cool scanning gun, it can be equally vital for business operating smoothly — life business. It means taking a good look at ourselves and deciding what’s working, what’s not, and getting rid of anything that’s taking up unnecessary mental space and draining our energy.

The top of my list to clear out are:

• Grudges. It takes effort to hold a grudge. Repeatedly reminding ourselves of the painful story of how this person hurt or wronged us, we relive that pain all over again. While we might never condone their actions, can we give ourselves the gift of recognising our emotive attachments to them and just letting them go?

• Regrets. Shouldas-wouldas-couldas can weigh heavily. But no matter how much we pine, wish or stew in remorse, we cannot change the past. Isn’t it better to recycle that energy into something new and productive for our future? If there is something we can do to make amends — an apology, an act, even a posthumous letter can be releasing — then do it. Christmas is a great time for forgiveness; sometimes it’s the very thing we need to give ourselves. And then, move on.

• Shoulds. Let’s declutter all those things we do resentfully, or don’t do and feel bad about because we think we should. Who makes our rules? Whose expectations are we trying to meet, and why? Can we let go of other people’s ideas of what’s right for us and listen to our authentic self?

• Negative patterns and attitudes. We can hold onto old ways of being or go-to reactions that no longer serve us — beliefs, assumptions or world-views that tarnish our optimism and colour how we see/experience our lives. Releasing these and making room for new and positive perspectives can broaden our horizons, expand our self-imposed limitations and allow more possibilities to come our way.

Where might you want to get rid of the old to make way for the new?

It may feel like a big task but it’s worth it. And if you’d like a helping hand clearing the life-clutter, maybe put some coaching sessions on your Santa list!

• Julia Pitt is a trained success coach and certified NLP practitioner on the team at Benedict Associates. For further information contact Julia on 705-7488, www.juliapittcoaching.com.