Simplify

Slow Down!

2009-12-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

We're in the age of speed - everything keeps getting faster and faster. Hi-speed Internet, fast-food, 5-minutes to whiter teeth, shakes rather than meals, 8-minute abs, the 4-hour work week.... With all this speed, we're going somewhere fast - but where?

Working with my clients, I often hear the remark - "I simply do not have time to get organized."

Take a moment (say the 5 minutes while you're whitening your teeth) and really think about all of the ways you speed up your life. Where is this speed getting you so much quicker? It seems like the classic tale of the turtle and the hare needs to be re-visited. When you're on the racetrack of your day does it merely spit you out at the end, exhausted and catatonic in front of the TV? If so, is all this speed serving you? My wish for you, especially during the joyous days of the holidays, is to live life in the SLOW lane. Really be in the moment when you are doing anything - do not jump ahead in your mind to the next task on your to do list. As the acclaimed author Eckart Tolle profoundly teaches, practice the Power of Now.

Social Media Simplified

2009-11-16T22:01:00.000-08:00

"Social media" - the buzz words of the day. But what the heck does it mean? Everyone is talking about social media but most of us do not even know how to define it. Think of it this way - have you ever gone to a fancy restaurant, acted oh-so-sophisticated by ordering a five course dinner, and secretly had no idea what food was going to come out? If what you had ordered was even food at all!

For me, that is social media. I know I want to order it but have no real idea of what is going to come out. So I decided to go to two expert "chefs" of social media and find out the essential ingredients of this crazy dish called social media. Tyler Barnett, CEO of Tyler Barnett PR, and Greg Cargill, CEO of bigMethod, are two leaders in the field of social media marketing. Their bios are included at the bottom of the article. The answers can apply to anyone but are specifically helpful to those using social media for business.

AH: What is social media?

TB: It is simply a way to communicate and interact with the internet as the platform. It is a person-to-person connection digitally.

GC: It is part of the evolution of communication. It is using the Internet as a medium to interact online.

AH: For someone not doing anything today, what three steps would you have them take?

TB: One, get a twitter account. It is easy to use and a good way to get started. Two, set up a blog. Go to wordpress and set one up. All you have to do is write about yourself and whatever you are passionate about. The amount of content is the key. Third, set up a facebook page and a fan page for your company.

GC: Learning and understanding the tools are key so I would first find a blog on a topic you love and read it. Understand what a blog is about. Second, explore twitter. Look up the best practices. Lastly, sign up for enewsletters related to social media. These newsletters will help to expand your knowledge of social media and how to make it work best for you.

AH: On average, how much time should you commit to social media and how can you use that time productively?

TB: In under an hour per day you can send 3-4 tweets, update facebook 1-2 times, and write a blog post.

GC: First, you need to define and develop a strategy before you do anything. Having a succinct strategy for your social media presence from the start will make the process much easier.

AH: When is it time to hire someone like you to help?

TB: The sooner the better. It really comes down to time; if you do not have the time to commit to social media you need to have someone helping.

GC: It is most effective to bring someone in at the very beginning to help develop the strategy. Often times people wait until they are too overwhelmed or are about to release a new product. It is much more beneficial to have help from the beginning to help, at the minimum, create a social media strategy. And many people feel they cannot afford to hire someone like me but there is no barrier to entry. If you are an entrepreneur, you can hire me for a few hours to give you a crash course and to map out a strategy to help meet your specific goals.

Greg Cargill is from bigMETHOD - a digital marketing agency focused on leveraging social media to connect their clients directly to their audience. They want to guide you through the new media frontier, implementing comprehensive strategies for using innovative tools that lead to definitive success.

Tyler Barnett Public Relations is a full service consumer and lifestyle public relations firm, taking pride in consistent innovation, meticulous focus, and out of the box creative strategy. They provide their clientele with a fresh and exuberant take on an industry that's constantly changing and evolving.

The Mighty Brain Purge

2009-11-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Every Wednesday I post on clutter. Usually it will be on physical clutter but today it's about mind clutter - the gunk that is clogging our brains.

I've read that we only use 5% of our brain capacity (I have met people that only use 2% but that is another topic!). I cannot believe that this little teensy 5% has the power to do so much. While I certainly will continue to strive to tap into the rest of that 95%, until that day comes, I am going to try to maximize the 5% that I do use. One tool I use on a regular basis is the mind purge. Our brains have the awesome power to hold so much - a sponge that seems to soak up more and more information. However, some of this information is better to release than to waste up any of that dear 5%.

Let's take an example. Why do we remember that we need to cat food AFTER we get home from the store? Why didn't our brain remind us while we were AT the store? We all get those random reminders, our synapses firing at the most inopportune times. Rather than rely on the not-so-reliable timing of the brain, write down these thoughts. Make a list of every possible thing you can think of that you have/want to do. Keep a small notebook with you at all times, or if you are a techno guru, have your PDA on hand. Jot down these thoughts as they come to you - because we all know that going back to the store for the cat food is not fun.

Interview with Hypnotherapist, Ellen Coleman, on Chronic Disorganization

2009-11-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

While I work on organizing the outer lives of clients, it’s impossible to neglect the inner reasons that lead so many people down the path of disorganization and clutter. Our outer lives are the external manifestations of our internal thoughts and feelings. To find out more about how our thoughts and feelings can effect our lives, I went to an expert! I had the honor of speaking with Ellen R. Coleman, a former university professor and a certified clinical hypnotherapist. She currently is in private practice at Mindworks Hypnotherapy in West Los Angeles, CA

AH: As a hypnotherapist what are some of the psychological reasons that prevent people from getting rid of clutter?

EC: Many people who tend to get overwhelmed with clutter are people who typically lack good organizational and time management skills. Others who clutter are struggling to deal with aspects of their life that are out of control. And while cluttering can actually add to the disorganization and lack of control, it often feels as if they are gaining a sense of control by alleviating internal anxiety about unresolved issues they are hiding, from others and themselves as well. By cluttering, they are “getting things out in the open”. Subconsciously, they express symbolically in their external behavior what they are unable to deal with internally, and this may alleviate some anxiety. But in the long run, without resolving the issues, as clutter builds up and creates problems in their relationships (e.g. by angering a spouse), their activities (e.g. having no room to exercise or entertain) and their self-image( e.g. feeling messy, being a slob), the effort to feel less anxious has exactly the opposite effect.

There are other very different reasons for pack rat behavior. Collecting stuff can be a way of attempting to gain security by bringing back and vivifying memories from periods of the past that were going much better than the present. Feeling vulnerable and insecure, such people surround themselves with things that have positive associations with better times. And they keep collecting such objects in an effort to alleviate the current emotional pain that, unresolved, grows stronger and more stressful.

People who are under a lot of stress are likely to have a very difficult time using their imagination and using their memories so that these objects they collect become tools for triggering the good memories. In contrast, getting rid of things from their past can cause these individuals to experience grief. It’s as if they are losing cherished parts of themselves, aspects of their positive identity. So simply throwing things out is not a viable solution.

Irrational hoarding, which is gathering up and keeping more and more of something than can reasonably be used, is often an attempt to experience a sense of abundance. Having lived through earlier times of lack or deprivation, the individual is trying subconsciously to deal with the residual fear or anxiety and ward off the recurrence of those lean times.

Not all attempts to compensate involve material deprivation. Quite often it is a spiritual lack, be it of love, affection, faith, understanding. In part, because contemporary western society tends to be much more materialistic, the ability to feel and express these spiritual gifts has not evolved in many of us. For people lacking spiritually, it’s only real if they can see it, smell it, touch it, wear it, drive it, or in some other way manipulate it. If they are not able to interact with it through their senses, it is too elusive, too subtle, it’s not really with them. Thus, material acquisitions stand in for the love or friendship or compassion that’s missing. Such individuals surround themselves with objects to allay feelings of insecurity, low self-esteem, and loneliness. In direct contrast, there are those who use their cluttering to stake out their boundaries. They surround themselves with objects to serve as a protective barrier to keep people away. It is a barrier to the intimacy they fear. This behavior is prevalent among adults who suffered childhood abuse, especially physical and sexual, when boundaries were violated repeatedly.

AH: Tell me if you had a client that showed these symptoms, what are some of the different methods you would use with her/him?

EC: Before using hypnosis, I engage them in a form of cognitive therapy to identify both the events that trigger the behavior and the underlying issues that cause the behavior. Through a series of pointed questions, I first get them to review the history of the pack rat behavior: when did it begin, what was going on in their lives at the time, and what now precedes their going out and getting more unnecessary stuff. Was it having a fight with their husband, being side-swiped on the freeway, failing an exam? What negative thoughts are going on in their mind and in what parts of their body do they feel tension or stress?

Next, we work on discovering where in their lives they feel unfulfilled; what they feel their life lacks; what’s causing a sense of loss, and how they would like their lives to be different. Are they attempting to compensate for the absence of someone or something they long for, but feel they can not have?

In hypnosis, I access and infIuence the client’s subconscious mind where almost 90% of the total mind power resides and positive change originates. I use de-sensitization techniques to reduce and hopefully eliminate the experience of anxiety that typically results from the triggering events we’ve identified. Using creative visualization, they learn to reframe those experiences as opportunities for taking control. They receive and accept my suggestions for replacing the negative behavior with positive behavior and empowering feelings because these suggestions support their strong desire to improve their lives. Hypnosis is not mind control. No one can use hypnosis to get another to do anything they do not want to do. It’s simply a technique for removing obstacles to their success.

I use direct commands and guided imagery. I implant into their subconscious mind other suggestions that improve their self-image, self-respect, and sense of control by creating associations with those positive experiences from their past when they enjoyed success, fulfillment of goals, the freedom to do the things they wanted to do. Using those associations, they vividly imagine themselves attaining what they lack and long for. They learn to bring up and feel the positive feelings that accompany those gains.

In so doing, they are creating a mental blueprint their subconscious uses to develop the healthy attitudes and beliefs that motivate them to make the positive behavioral changes in their everyday lives.

Finally, I create and implement a systematic reinforcement strategy that enables them to begin clearing areas of clutter and ridding themselves of unnecessary stuff, starting with the least threatening and moving through to the most threatening.

AH: What are some steps people can do to begin to move forward if clutter and disorganization are preventing them from leading the life they want?

EC: For three consecutive days, start with a few minutes of deep focused breathing. Breath slowly in through the nose, up from the diaphragm, holding the breath at the top for a count of three, before slowly exhaling through the mouth, as if blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Always keep your attention on the breath. This dissolves distracting thoughts and keeps you in the moment, your most resourceful state.

After the breathing, for no more than five minutes, visualize three objects that you would be most willing to give to a friend, donate to a charity, or throw out. Then, one by one, imagine yourself taking each of the necessary steps to give your friend the object, or donate it to Good Will, or throw it out in the trash. Be as specific as you can.

While imagining taking those steps, see yourself smiling, holding your head high, walking proud, speaking positively, feeling strong and happy.

On the fourth day, make arrangements to take one of those actions. Each succeeding day, until you are able to take the chosen action, visualize yourself doing it. On the day you take the action, reward yourself with something fun.

Another tool would be to set and abide by the following rule: Never bring into your space any new, non-essential item unless you have gotten rid of at least one item you already have.

Finally, start developing your own positive reinforcers. When the urge to go out and get something new and non-essential arises, do something else instead that feels good or gives you pleasure. Don’t reach for a cigarette or a candy bar. Listen to some music, take a cat nap, do some breathing and stretching, fix yourself a healthy snack, take a bubble bath, phone a friend, ride your bike or take a walk. Write in your journal or blog.

Network with other clutterers online. Replace the negative behavior with something positive. Each time you succeed, you raise the likelihood that the next time you will succeed again, and more easily.

For a complimentary consultation on how you can stop hoarding and regain your life, contact Ellen R. Coleman, C.Ht. at 310 478-3377. Check out her website at www.mindworkshypnotherapy.com.

Layer with sweaters not STUFF

2009-11-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

As the weather turns (yes, even in Los Angeles), so many of us rejoice in pulling out a great coat and a sweater. While I think layering in fashion is fantastic, the same rule does NOT apply to other areas of your life. Do not let clutter create layer upon layer around you! Your space should be your sanctum. It should give you energy; inspire you to reach inside and be the best possible version of yourself. So for yourself, take ten minutes this week and clear the clutter in one space - even if it's one drawer or the dining room table.

Proven Strategies to Add Efficiency and Order to Your To Do Lists

2009-10-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

For most of us, to-do lists (be them post-its stuck to every inch of your desk or scribbled lists on the back of a receipt) are our guides to productivity. They are the script that leads us closer to achieving our goals. While some tasks are lofty – world peace – and others slightly less so – get new tube of toothpaste – all of these tasks occupy vital space in our minds. By writing out our tasks on lists, it allows us to free up that precious space in our mind. Based on my own personal experience and tips from getting-things-done gurus like David Allen and Steven Covey, here are some strategies to add efficiency and order to your to-do lists.

Respect Your Calendar: Your calendar is for time-sensitive tasks ONLY. If you have a meeting tomorrow at 4, this event goes on your calendar, not on your to-do list. If your need to work on a project for an hour today, this task goes on your calendar. Your calendar is sacred ground. Respect its ability to organize your day by ONLY putting time-sensitive information on it. Now what about everything else….
Create Context Specific To-Do Lists: I picked up this tip from David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, and have found it increases my efficiency ten-fold. Rather than one master to-do list with everything imaginable listed in no specific order, create separate lists based on the context needed to complete them. For instance, all errands go on an errand list. All calls, go on a call list. Here are my suggestions for some categories:
• At Computer: Any task that you need to be sitting at your computer to complete goes on this list (Internet research, pay bills on-line, buy gifts on-line, write proposal for work, etc.)
• Calls: Any calls you need to make go on this list. I also find it helpful to list the phone number next to the name so you do not waste time looking for a phone number when you have the opportunity to make a call.
• Errands: Any errands that require you to leave the house and do/buy/return something go on this list. This list is great to have with you when you are in the car so you can refer to it. If you happen to be out for lunch, the list can trigger your memory that you need to pick something up at the hardware store that happens to be down the block.
• Spouse/Partner: Once your head is out of the clouds and your feet are planted firmly on the ground, you realize that being in a partnership is not all roses and chocolates. Someone actually has to pick up the cat food, take the kids to school, make the dinner reservations, etc. I keep a list of all of the things I think of throughout the day that I want to review with my partner. When we’re sitting down to dinner it’s easy for me to talk about these different tasks and know that I’m not forgetting anything.
• Books/Movies: How many of you have been told: “You have to read this book. It’s amazing!” Of course, when you get to the library or book store, you can’t remember for the life of you the name of the book or author. I like to keep a short list of movies and books that I want to watch or read.
• Someday/Maybe: Someday I will learn Spanish. Maybe I will take fly fishing lessons. Someday I will read the top 100 classic books. These tasks are definitely things you want to remember and refer to on a semi-regular basis.
• Waiting For: This list is to help remind you of things you have done and which you are waiting for a response. For instance, I sent a letter to the court house refuting a ticket I received. I put this on my Waiting For list to be sure that I get a response from them.

By creating separate lists, you can go directly to the list you want based on what tools you have available (phone, computer, in your car, etc.). Now rather than sifting through a long list of EVERYTHING you need to do, you can efficiently go to one list and start completing items on this list. It is more productive to focus on one activity at a time, rather than constantly switching from one type of task to another.

Now where do you keep these lists? For most of you, you will have an electronic calendar that allows you to create to-do lists (Outlook, Gmail Calendar, etc.). Others of you may prefer to keep your lists on the notepad on your phone. And some of you may rely on a paper day planner. Whatever system you use, these context-specific lists can work for you. In future posts, I will take you step-by-step through how to set up these lists on some of the most common calendar systems.

Organizing "Stuff" is Easy - It's Organizing People that's a Bitch!

2009-08-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

I'm going to take a pause with tips on how to organize your "stuff" in this post. For me, I happen to have been born with a day planner in one hand and color-coded files in the other. It's never been the "stuff" that's been a struggle for me. The real challenge is organizing the people in my life. Here's my list of the top 5 people to have in your life.

1. YOU: Because there's no escaping yourself. You can try. A glass or two of a fine Pinot might do the trick for a short time but once the haze wears off, there you are again. The same you. Not the you comprised of your ceaseless thoughts and rollercoaster of emotions. The You (capital Y) that resides beyond these constraints. The You underneath the jumble of thoughts and emotions that reflects the perfect person you are. Learn to love her (because there's no other choice!).

2. That Dr. Phil Friend: The one that tells you the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, 100% of the time. Sure they piss you off sometimes because the Truth Pill is not sugar-coated. But this person will help you see beyond the rose-tinted glasses and give you that kick in the butt to make real changes in your life.

3. Cheerleader: One, you are going to need someone to balance out your Dr.-Phil friend. Two, an encouraging word and reminder of just how fabulous you are is necessary from time to time.

4. BFF: Yes, I used that cheesy descriptor (but I'm from Wisconsin so a bit of "cheesiness" is to be expected from time to time). By "best friend forever" I'm referring to having someone in your life that has known you, well, forever (or at least as far back as memory goes - in my case, it's age 4). They've witnessed the bed-wetting incident, the horrific perm, the first kiss, and you've certainly had at least one blow-out fight. This person serves as the constant reminder that no matter what happens in life, there is always someone there for you.

5. Soulmates: This word has come to take on such a weighty, romanticized meaning. For me, I take out the romance and add a dash of realism. I believe that at different times in our lives we come across people that will reflect back to us an image of our own souls. These moments may be fleeting so don't let them pass you by. It's at these times of reflection that we are given the gift to witness the greatness of our own humanity.

And if I can leave you with one final tip I try to live by, it's this - after you are with someone, do you feel better or worse about yourself? If the answer is better, they should be someone you consider keeping around. So this week, work on organizing yourself around people that love you for the perfect person you are!

Ancestry Smamcestry

2009-08-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

My ancestors were poor Irish Catholic farmers. For generations the equation remained the same – toil in the fields by day, drink by night, and repent your sins on Sunday. I recently began to ask - How many generations does it take before some of the traditions begin to get diluted?

What’s the harm in watering down a few lessons passed down to me and making them my own? One lesson is the do it-yourself mentality. I can hear the echoes now: “If your hands aren’t broke why would you pay someone to wash your floors?” This do-it-yourself standard has dominated my behavior my entire life. I still wash my own car, scrub my own toilets, and make most meals from scratch. Until recently, that is. I’ve been trying to practice what I preach and embrace simplicity. And if that means hiring a cleaner from time to time to scrub the floors so I can spend treasured time with those nearest and dearest to me, then so be it.* So here’s to setting down that mop (for this week, at least!) and enjoying a glass of wine.

* Warning: Be careful not to add too much water or you could lose the tradition altogether. Add just enough to make it your own. Hold onto the aspects of the tradition that bring you joy and toss out the parts that do not align with the life of your dreams.

Clarity Amongst Chaos

2009-08-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

We've all had THOSE days. You know what I'm talking about. The ones where you wake up on the metaphorical wrong side of the bed. I don't think that phrase is strong enough - "wrong side of the bed" just doesn't cut it. It's more like you're in a dead sleep, someone picks you up over their head, and proceeds to drop you on the floor. Yeah, that's the day I had yesterday.

It started okay. I crept into the kitchen to have my morning cereal. To my dismay, the milk was sour. Hmm, I had just bought it. Upon more investigation, I figured out that it wasn't the milk so much as the whole refrigerator had stopped working. I knew we had to get it fixed asap or throw everything away. Usually I would simply call the landlords and they would take care of it. Not today. They were in Europe (lucky them) and not home to deal with a broken refrigerator. I started calling repair shops (none were open). One of their answering machines even hung up on me. I then realized I was late for work - note here that as a professional organizer, it's a cardinal rule to never be late (we're supposed to be organized, right!). Halfway through the project I got a return call from someone that could come out today to fix the fridge! Hallelejah! The only catch - they give a four hour block of time - and I was midway through a project. I ended up re-scheduling the second half of the project to go home and do the waiting game. I arrive home to a locked door, realized I forgot my keys in my rush to leave in the morning, and am officially locked out. I'll stop here, but you get the point.

Now I'm sharing my chaos with you not to complain (okay, to complain a little) but more to serve as a reminder that controlling our outer environment is not possible. It's our inner selves that allow us to navigate our outer lives with grace. So as much as we all try to control our outer lives, take some time to reflect on your inner being. Practice on manifesting grace in all the obstacles that life throws at you. This practice will be the hardest and most rewarding gift you can give to yourself. So when the refrigerator kaputs or any number of uncontrollable things, remember to breathe, ask for help, and keep moving forward.

Confession Time

2009-08-04T18:56:00.000-07:00

Although I'm a subscriber to a spiritual belief system today that doesn't have any neat label, in my youth, I was raised in a large Irish Catholic family. The nuns, the Latin, the stand-up-sit-down pew liturgy, the rosary, the confessional - all of these elements have been embedded in me. So like the nun with some racy lingerie peeking through her habit, I have a confession to make today. I am a professional organizer that - gasp - has an extremely DISorganized problem.

Since starting my business I have not updated my financial statements and have no clear idea of where my business stands. I share this information with you in hopes that you will define your own fear and face it head on like I did today!

I believe that when there is fear in our life, we tend to avoid it like the plague until it becomes the elephant in the room that can no longer be ignored. For most of my life I have had a fear of money. I witnessed my parents struggle to raise me and my siblings. Now today I continue to live paycheck to paycheck not because I have to, but because it's all I've ever known. Today I faced my fear and spent the entire day reviewing and updating my finances. During the process, my stomach was knotted and my anxiety level was high. However, I faced my fear and got through it. Now I have a clear idea of where me and my business stand. Whatever your fear is, please take a moment to think about one thing you can do today to face that fear. Like me, is it finally looking at how you spend your money? Or is it a fear of failure that continues to hinder you from moving forward in your career? Or maybe your fear of being vulnerable has prevented you from having deep personal relationships? Take a moment to shine a light in that corner you've been avoiding. Sometimes it's not as scary as you think.

Jump on the Zen Habits Bandwagon!

2009-07-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Zen Habits is one of my favorite blogs! And if that's not enough to convince you to check it out, consider this: it's one of the Top 100 blogs on the Internet, and covers: achieving goals, productivity, being organized, GTD, motivation, eliminating debt, saving, getting a flat stomach, eating healthy, simplifying, living frugal, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits. 'Nuff said!

I'll keep this post short so you can go straight to the Zen Habits blog to check it out!

Cleanse Your Soul with a Good Exfoliation

2009-07-26T16:14:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I spent the day at a Korean Day Spa. I'll take a moment to pause for the obligatory waves of jealously to pass.

Now as I was saying, yesterday I was at a spa. Part of my treatment was a full body scrub. Most of us can extol the virtues of using a dab of exfoliator in the shower - softer skin and no more cracked elbows. But the virtues of a two-hour full body exfoliation is more akin to a cleansing of the soul. Now stick with me. For centuries, people have elevated the cleansing of our outer bodies to reflect an inner cleansing that leads to greater clarity. As an organizer, I'm a firm believer that our outer lives often reflect back to us our inner thoughts and feelings. Whether you are clearing out the clutter in your office or, as in my recent case, scrubbing away the top layer of my dermis, the clarity that arises after you are done is profound.

So since it's Monday and for many of you, the start of your week, I encourage you to strip away some of that outer clutter - whether it's a stack of bills you've been avoiding, the dreaded "junk" drawer that's a catch-all for any number of things, or a simple sugar scrub in the shower. As the the Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu is quoted as saying, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Let today be the day that you take a single step toward more direction and clarity in your life.

T.G.I.F.

2009-07-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of the mantra of the day - T.G.I.F. (and for those few of you out there that live under a rock, this catchy little acronym means Thank God It's Friday!) - I want to share with you a simple organizing strategy I use myself. For me, this acronym has a double meaning. Every Friday I use these letters to help me go through my in-box (you know, it's that dreaded pile - or piles! - that you haven't processed). It's simple, so go grab your stack and go! Here's what you do:
Toss: Anything outdated or irrelevant must go! Toss them (by toss, I mean recycle of course!).
Give: You’ll come across items that should be delegated to others – so give them away!
Immediate Attention: This is the pile that can make your stomach turn. You’re sure to unearth items that should have been done yesterday. After you’ve completed the simple sort, address these items ASAP.
File: Create a stack for all relevant information that needs to be filed. And if you have time, file them away.

Now go enjoy the weekend!

My First Trip to the Land of Blogging

2009-07-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Launching my company and website has been a rollercoaster of irony – so many highs and lows that I’m feeling dizzy. In an effort to embrace my passion for living simply and hopefully help people see the virtues of simplifying their lives, I’ve made my life much more complicated! So here I sit contemplating this paradox. Where did I take a wrong turn down this path of simplicity and end up on this complicated road?

Whenever I come to one of these questions, I like to take a “zen” moment. For me this means sitting by my window and eating a 100-calorie fudgecicle (trust me, nothing helps you live in the moment better than a fine piece of chocolate!). As I concentrate on the chocolately goodness I ponder paradoxes. Good/evil. Simple/complicated. Fast/slow. The only conclusion I’ve come to is that these paradoxes will always exist. The question now becomes, amidst all of this craziness, how do we find peace and simplicity within ourselves?

This blog will be about my journey for this ever-elusive peace and simplicity that we all strive for. I hope you can glean some insight from my missteps. I will also include some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way as well as some insights from others. And since so much of what I do with clients involves organizing their outer lives to help bring inner clarity, there will be tons of organizing tips and some of my favorite products.

Please join me on this journey!