Before the year turns, it’s worth taking a look at what’s been piling up.

Not in the garage, but in your thoughts.

You know how it goes.

The boxes you meant to sort. The tools you kept “just in case.”

The stuff that was once useful but now just takes up space. You walk past it a hundred times, thinking you’ll deal with it later.

And after a while, you don’t even see it anymore.

Your mind works the same way.

Over time, it fills with old beliefs and half-truths. Ideas that once helped but no longer fit who you are now.

The Stories We Keep

Every man carries a few:

• “It’s too late for me.”
• “This is just how things are now.”
• “I should be able to handle this alone.”
• “If I need help, I’ve failed.”
• “I used to be more confident / stronger / better.”

Some of those thoughts might have pushed you through tough seasons. But they can also keep you from seeing what’s possible now.

And like the clutter in a garage, you don’t have to keep them just because they’ve been there a while.

A Quick Check-In

Grab a pen or your phone.

Write down the thoughts that come up when you think about your health, your body, your energy, or your sex life.

Then take one thought at a time and look at it honestly.

Ask yourself:

How true is that, really?

For example:

“Maybe I’m too old for sex” — probably not that true.

“Sex isn’t like it used to be, but I still want intimacy.” That one’s closer to real.

See the difference?

One thought closes doors. The other opens them.

This isn’t about radical positivity. It’s about keeping the thoughts that move you forward and letting go of the ones that don’t.

Creating Space

Sometimes the goal isn’t to add new ideas.

It’s to clear enough space to see what’s actually there.

Once the clutter’s out, you can see the walls, the floor, and the path forward.

And yes some tools you’ll still need.

The ones that work. The ones you trust. The ones that still fit your hand.

Bring those into next year with confidence.

And if you need new ones — new thoughts, mottos, or habits — write them down.

Put them on the shelf. Use them when the job calls for it.

When you finally stand back and look around, you can see the floor again.

And that space, that feeling, is often all you need to start moving forward.

Final Thought

You don’t have to fix everything before January.

You just have to stop tripping over what doesn’t serve you anymore.

Clean it out. Keep what matters.

Make room for what’s next.

Because sometimes, the best way to move forward

is simply to make space for it.