Create more space for the things that matter | Ashley Wrencher | TEDxBirmingham

I’m an avid collector of all things
sentimental I still have my dance
competition medals my first baby
earrings my first love note
my first preschool teddy bear book bag
I’ve even kept my first official luggage
set is a college gift from my
grandmother now unfortunately I also
collect random things like inspiring
home decor and printed recipes from
Pinterest every now and then a few of
these items and these two collections
get put in a do something with it
tomorrow pal and in some instances I’ve
had years of tomorrow’s as recent
newlyweds my husband and I really took
time to enjoy our first year of what it
bliss we went on dates and trips and
vowed to unpack our moving boxes
last summer just before our first
anniversary a tornado hit our home and
in a matter of seconds our personal
belongings were converted into scattered
debris now I first learned about the
storm when I was at work our roof had
been ripped open and it was raining
inside our master bedroom for the next
48 hours my husband and I frantically
tried to save our wedding gifts
graduation videos family pictures
clothes family furniture old paperwork
we tried to save a lot of things and we
we did save some things like my baby
earrings and that preschool book bag my
grandmother’s luggage it didn’t survive
we paid a price for waiting to unpack
our things tomorrow because in that
moment
tomorrow was just too late now I felt a
lot of different ways on our road to
recovery I have felt guilt I felt
frustration but most of all I felt
grateful you see my husband the man I
said I do to just a few months before he
was working from home that day and he
felt that storm but he wasn’t harmed and
I still got him and yes we lost a few
things but I learned more important
things like my grandmother didn’t give
me that luggage as a going to college
gift she gave me her support just a few
months before she passed away and I
finished college with that luggage and
her memory was with me when I turned my
tassel now I’ve thought about this a few
thing a few ways and maybe maybe if I
had just unpacked when I should have
from the last trip my luggage could have
been salvaged or maybe the storm was
sent to me to force me to deal with my
tomorrow pile today
maybe you’ve mastered the declaring of
your closets your stuff may not be
clothes or pictures or heirlooms maybe
your stuff is a toxic relationship or a
dead-end job or a book you want to write
or a trip you want to take tomorrow
twisters of life may touch your home one
day and I don’t ever want you to know
what it feels like to see your tomorrow
pal as debris as for me I’ve secured
what I need to now and I take digital
pictures of my sentimental things just
in case because home insurance does it
cover matters of the heart for you maybe
it’s time you get out of that toxic
relationship throw away your junk habits
or negative thinking maybe today is a
good time to try that new hairstyle
start that blog relocate get that health
check-up or just pick up the phone and
say hi or I’m sorry I got it I got it
today it’s a great time for you to write
that two-week notice take you right up
to your boss and say how you really feel
or maybe not put the notice on your
vision board as motivation to apply for
that next job doing things today may be
a chore sometimes trust me I know but it
is critical for living a life of less
regrets more fulfillment and more space
for the things that really do matter
making this move today ultimately
protects what matters most you thank you [Applause]