A fellow yogi mentioned to me today how helpful it has been to express gratitude for items before donating/discarding it. I find that the process of thanking the objects that have come into our lives and homes, is transformative. It has allowed me to let go of guilt and sadness. I take a moment to recognize how that object has impacted my life and what I've learned because it. Sometimes, the lesson is as simple as a reminder to try shoes on before buying them. At other times, the lesson is that I need to have more meaningful conversations with my love ones. The quote below from Pema Chodron illustrates this perfectly.