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This episode, I’m joined by Dr Jan Eppingstall to talk about why so many of us who hoard struggle to trust our future selves to cope without keeping everything “just in case.”

We get into how doubts about our own resourcefulness and fears about scarcity keep us stuck, and share practical ways to build confidence in our ability to handle whatever comes next.

If you’ve ever worried you won’t manage without every single spare part or backup item, this conversation’s for you.

Trusting Our Future Selves to Be Resourceful
The psychological struggle of believing in one’s ability to cope without keeping everything
Personal anecdotes from the host about surprise resourcefulness
Exploration of cognitive distortions surrounding trust in future adaptability
Resourcefulness in Hoarding Behaviour
Contradiction: Resourceful justifications for keeping items vs. fear of not being resourceful if they’re discarded
The role of loss aversion and catastrophic scarcity thinking
Imagining multiple uses for broken items versus inability to visualise coping without them
The ‘Just in Case’ Myth
Reading and analysis of Ru Kotryna’s Instagram post on ‘just in case’ keeping
Discussion of how this reflects distrust in future self
Emotional impacts: fear of change, sufficiency, and facing the future without backup
How Distrust in Future Selves Manifests in Hoarding
‘Insurance hoarding’ and duplicate/back-up keeping
Information hoarding for fear of forgetting needed details
Emotional insecurity and sense of powerlessness
Host’s personal examples (nature as a self-soothing tool and fear of its impermanence)
Navigating Ephemerality and Change
Conversation about the fleeting nature of things and the difficulty in accepting impermanence
Reflection on attempts to freeze time by hoarding
Behaviours and Thoughts Stemming from Lack of Self-Trust
Executive function issues (planning, organisation, working memory)
Trauma and past experiences of genuine scarcity
Shame and immediate anxiety-reduction through keeping
Avoidance and ‘comfort objects’ as safety strategies
Psychological Mechanisms Behind ‘I Don’t Trust Future Me’
Discontinuity between current and future self
Impact of ADHD and perimenopause on executive functioning and time perception
Cognitive gaps between imagining needs and recalling/locating stored things
Irony of ‘preparedness’ leading to greater unpreparedness
Building Trust in Future Resourcefulness
The value of journalling resourceful moments
Small experiments: let go of duplicates and record how needs are met afterward
Reviewing past examples of having coped or improvised successfully
Consumerism and the Illusion of Solutions
Attraction to gadgets and solutions for perceived problems
The sunk cost fallacy and struggles to let go
Owning up to aspirational or impulse purchases and being flexible in letting go if they don't work
Scarcity Thinking and Its Long-Term Effects
Personal stories of genuine scarcity and the enduring fear it creates
How fear of not having enough directs attention to objects as solutions, rather than inner resourcefulness
Difficulty breaking the object-focused habit even after circumstances change
Breaking the Pattern: Psychological Approaches in Therapy
Building evidence of existing skills and resourcefulness
Addressing deeper self-worth issues and messages from childhood
The importance of social connections, seeking help, and curiosity
The Power and Pitfall of Backup Systems
Possessions as emotional and practical backup
Drawback: Items often become inaccessible or forgotten
The paradox of keeping as “preparation” that often fails in practice due to volume and executive dysfunction
Strengthening Connection with Future Self
Using ACT techniques and self-compassion
Treating your future self like a friend and planning for their needs
Internal monologues about preparing spaces and making life easier for future-you
Alternative Pathways to Security and Preparedness
Community and social resource sharing (borrowing, lending among friends/family)
Developing adaptability, self-confidence, and skills rather than accumulating more items
Experimenting with minimalism and embracing uncertainty
Actionable Steps for Building Trust in Resourcefulness
Saying “I’ll figure it out when I need to”
Experimenting with running out of non-critical supplies
Documenting and reflecting on resourceful problem-solving
Letting go of low-risk items and noticing outcomes
The reminder that listeners have survived all past problems resourcefully
Encouragement to recognise and trust personal growth and capabilities
Emphasis on learning, adaptability, and present-focused living

Links

The Ru Kotryna Instagram post that inspired this episode
Podcast ep 183: ADHD, executive dysfunction and creating hacks and systems to reduce clutter chaos, with Carrie Lagerstedt
Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom session: Accountability Booking Form
Dr Jan Eppingstall at Stuffology
https://www.facebook.com/stuffologyconsulting/
https://twitter.com/stuff_ology
https://www.instagram.com/stuff_ology/
Dr Jan Eppingstall on Pinterest
Website: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding
Become a Dehoarding Darling
Submit a topic for the podcast to cover
Questions to ask when dehoarding: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/podquestions
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