The "Stuff" of Life

Over my 27-year career in Talent, I have had the opportunity to travel domestically and internationally, which means I have seen many hotel rooms.? As I checked out of my hotel room today to head to another hotel in another city, I came to the realization that my hotel room ritual is an analogy for the expansion and contraction of life both personally and professionally.? Let me explain.

When I arrive at my hotel room, I sit my one suitcase and computer backpack in the middle of the room.? Before I unpack anything, I spray every surface, light switch, doorknobs and remote with Lysol spray…that’s another story for another time.

I arrive in this small space and unpack everything filling the closet, the drawers, bedside tables, desk, and bathroom with my “stuff.”? I spread out and live in the space for my duration.? The night before my departure, I start consolidating my stuff by taking it out of the closet, drawers, bed side tables, desk and some bathroom items and begin packing.? The morning of departure, I continue to move all my things to one spot and throw away anything I’m not taking with me.? I want everything in one spot, so I don’t forget anything.? I finally get everything back into my suitcase and backpack and make one last pass of the room.? It hit me today that this is a microcosm of life.

We begin life in our new home as a baby with just a few items our parents have bought and/or our family and friends have given as baby shower gifts.? As we grow, we accumulate “stuff” and spread out.? We have our own room, accumulate friends, knowledge, experience, and skills.? We go off to college and continue to accumulate friends and more “stuff.” We graduate college and begin work and then settle down to raise a family.? Our space gets bigger, and we continue to gather more “stuff” and spread out.

At work, we learn, we grow, we gather friends and co-workers (good and bad).? We grow our library of books and models and frameworks and life lessons.? We expand our career and gather more “stuff.”

After a long career, we begin preparing for retirement.? We think about all the relationships we gained, books we’ve read and, hopefully, lives we’ve impacted.? We look at all our “stuff” and wonder why?? We retire and begin to consider downsizing, which means addressing all this “stuff.”? I have a rule…keep, donate, or throw away.? And thus, the struggle begins.? How do we downsize with all this “stuff.” Most people don’t want our “stuff,” so we have to decide what to do with it.? But we begin the process because we may be downsizing our home size as well.

As we age, our priorities change, and we realize the “stuff” we have isn’t what life is all about.? If we are lucky, we live a very long life.? And at the end of life, many will have just a few possessions or “stuff.”? My grandmother died last year.? She was living in a shared nursing home room.? All her possessions were in the small room with her.? She had very few material possessions but a lifetime of memories.? Much like the baby who just came home from the hospital, she had very little, but she had the things she needed.? This is the expansion and contraction of life…the circle of life.

Now before my direct reports or co-workers start salivating over my office or my job, I want them to know I’m not going anywhere any time soon.? My circle of life is only a half circle at this point. ?Go out and live your personal and professional life.? Collect what you need to collect but think about what the “stuff” means to you. ?It may provide value now but not in the future.? Use it, enjoy it, but be willing to let it go.? There’s more to life than just “stuff.”