In The Clutches

So I picked up the book the Shoptimism by Lee Eisenberg at the library yesterday. I'm always learning about the dis-ease of compulsive behavior even the seemingly harmless addiction to acquiring. Acquiring differs in my mind from 'hoarding' when the participant is easily able to release the excess. Still the obsession with acquiring items can take up so much 'head space' and time that the focus of one's life drops to the bottom of the list. Here again, a life run on reaction to feelings becomes the ball and chain which prevents us from achieving our dreams. I have learned that one thought must override another if brain change is to be achieved. My old thoughts were "I'll do it later", "I don't feel like it", "I'm so tired", "I'm so depressed." Some thoughts that I've adopted over the years include: "Less is more", "Do it anyway", "Do it now", "Later never comes" and "Picking up is a gift I give myself." As Byron Katie says, "I don't think, I am thought." Bringing my thoughts to consciousness and shifting them has made all the difference to me.

Clutter Crazy?

Heading out on a trip with the Girl Scouts yesterday, I was told one of the girls didn't have her permission slip. The mom who had brought her to the meeting place drove back to her house to get a parent and brought the mom to sign a new one. The frazzled mom filled out the new form (this was holding us all up after all) and then opened the girls bag and fished out the original form. The mom who was responsible for the girl said, "I figured it was easier to go back and get you than it would be to look for the form." Knowing something about this mom's history (disorganization) I know that her belief must have been supported by many years and many incidents where that thought would have been true. Where are we in life when we are unable or unwilling to look at what's going on in the moment and question it?

What Are You Willing To Do?

I've been thinking about willingness lately. I heard it said that "willingness is a one person job." That means I can serve as an example to others, but I am powerless to bring anyone to the willingness they need to succeed. Having the willingness to ask for help is how a client will eventually find me. What will take them the rest of the way is the willingness to do what they don't feel like doing. Overriding our feelings by first acknowledging them and then putting them in their proper place is what success is all about. The reason for this is that if our "feelings" are in the drivers seat then our "purpose" is forgotten. Keeping my purpose of being organized in the forefront of my mind meant trusting that a life of small moment by moment actions which supported my "purpose" was the answer to my biggest question ..."How can I...?" I believe faith is forward motion. If I have no faith then I'm stuck. If you are reading this, maybe you are stuck too. I recommend taking a step back and asking "What am I willing to do?"

Fear of the Middle

The quote "It gets worse before it gets better" comes to mind with these before and after shots. The first shot is actually the 'in process' shot. If you can't handle how your stuff already is, then making it any worse is terrifying. Thought I'd show how it's not so scary in the middle. Happy organizing!

Facebook and Time Management

As I journey into the world of Facebook I truly wonder how much time I want to give to this endeavor. It's been fun to touch base with the old gang but I am reminded how the computer is a time sucker for so many. If the past few days are going to be the normal then checking in on my "Wall" will be one of those things I always have time for. It must me filling a need for me. My job is to figure out what that need is ('connection with community' or 'escape into the past') and make time for satisfying that need in life enhancing ways. Last night it happened with a phone call with an old friend so at this point the score is FB ten, head in the technology sand, zero. At the first Time Management group we barely had time to go around and share our answers to Julie Morgenstern's probing questions (from the book Time Management From the Inside Out). I need to schedule another class to go into the analysis of the answers. First, I will send it as homework because one member of the group responds best when tasks are assigned and graded. It is wonderful to help adults realize and work with their innate natures!!!!!!!!!

Facebook

Just got on FB this weekend. Was this the best thing to have done on the second week of my Time Management group? I was reading the information from a class on Organizing with Depression and thought I throw out this idea. "You don't have to feel like doing X, you just have to do X". Pulling ourselves into action is the best cure for being stuck. Here's to doing what I don't feel like doing today!