Hello,

In my kitchen, there’s a cupboard I almost never touch.

It’s wedged above the fridge, and inside are things I’ve been keeping for years: a chipped mug, a bowl I never liked, an old teapot with a handle that burned my hand once. None of them useful, none of them beautiful, and yet there they sit.

I tell myself, “I might need them one day.”​
But the truth is, I won’t.

They take up space. They gather dust. And still, I hold on.

It made me think about the other “cupboards” I carry. The ones no one else can see.

• The habit I know doesn’t serve me but feels comfortable.
• The belief that if I let go, I’ll regret it.
• The stories I replay, even though they only weigh me down.

Sometimes we hold on, not because something is precious, but because we’re afraid of the emptiness that might follow if we let it go.

But here’s the secret: emptiness isn’t a threat. It’s an invitation.
It’s space. Space for clarity. Space for something better. Space for what’s actually meant for us now.

This month, I’m practicing noticing the cupboards in my life, physical, emotional, mental and asking myself: “Do I really want to carry this into the next season?”

✨ Journaling prompt for you:​
“What am I still keeping (physically or emotionally) ‘just in case’? What would it mean to release it?”

Don’t rush your answer. Let yourself sit with it. Write freely, even if it feels messy at first. Sometimes the truth doesn’t show up until the third page.

I’ll be right here, clearing my cupboards too.

With kind regards,

Åsa Strahlemo
CEO of Sköldmö AB