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Is clutter taking over your life? And I don't just mean material clutter. I also mean email clutter, schedule clutter, emotional clutter, mental clutter, and the like. Does it seem to you that there's always too much to do, and too little time to do it in? Does this put you into a nearly constant state of anxiety and stress?
As a Life Coach, I find this stressful overcrowding of our lives to be a major theme in my sessions with clients. Several years ago, I began to look closely at the idea of decluttering and simplifying our lives in all sorts of ways, so as to create more "breathing room" and more time for the people and activites we value the most. I was studying Buddhism at the time and begin a serious attempt at developing non-attachment as a mental, emotional, physical, and materialistic approach to my life and lifestyle. I decided to begin my practice by vowing to let go of at least one thing in my life every day for a year. I called this my Letting Go Experiment.
[Click on sidebar links titled Letting Go Experiment, Organizing, Planning, and Time Management for relevant articles, including monthly reports on my own Letting Go Experiment.]
It is almost five years to the day that I began my Letting Go Experiment which was supposed to last 365 days but actually lasted sixteen months from June 14, 2006 to the Fall of 2007. In June of 2008, I revisited this process in my article Letting Go Experiment: Two Years Later.
Today, in 2011, I find myself wanting and needing to clear out my life again. I have a great urge to downsize and simplify. This is the season of yard sales, thrift shops, flea markets, and used book sales, and I am getting ready to unload! I am also in the process of shedding an unneeded 22 pounds, as well as some thought patterns and emotions that are not serving me.
So, what about you? Is it time for you to streamline your life? Imagine what good might come of that!
Showing posts with label Organizing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Organizing. Show all posts
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, June 30, 2008
Letting Go Experiment: Two Years Later
In June of 2006, I began my Letting Go Experiment - a personal project intended to last for one year. I was curious to see how my life might change if I released 365 "things" from my life - one per day for a year. Mostly, I released material things - household items, clothing, books, magazines, tapes and CD's, office supplies, unopened food packages. But here and there, I also released non-material items: habits, thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and the like. At the end of the first 365 days, I reported on what I had done.
Then, I decided to extend the experiment. I continued to log everything I released from my life for another four months and again published the results in my blog, Letting Go Experiment: Month 16.
The last entry in my daily Letting-Go Log is dated October 31, 2007. But I find that letting go continues to be both a theme and a practice in my life, two years after I began in June of 2006.
In the months between November 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008, I released the following from my life: a few more household items, a couple more magazine subscriptions, a commercialized celebration of the December holidays, 30 additional pounds of body weight (a total of 45 altogether), an entire wardrobe of clothing, sizes 14 through 22 (I am now a 12), except for a few pieces that were altered, some unproductive eating habits, and some prescription medication. And that's not all.
More important than all of these "things", the most challenging and worthwhile things released from my life during this experiment were non-material - all were forms of thought originating in my mind: limiting beliefs, assumptions and interpretations, negative self-talk, fears, resentments, petty jealousies and other negative emotions, prejudices, unrealistic wants and expectations, unproductive habits and behaviors.
What have I learned from this experiment?
1. I have too much stuff! Yes, even after 2 years of releasing material stuff from my life, I still have more than I need, and my physical space is still more cluttered that I would like it to be. A life of material simplicity is still a goal. Imagine how our resources might expand, or be preserved, if we all had this goal!
2. Letting go of excess material stuff also seems to result in letting go of excess and non-productive non-material thoughts and behaviors as well. This is excellent incentive for continuing to let go of the material stuff.
3. Letting go of "stuff" makes room for new (and better) "stuff" to come into one's life. [Read "stuff" as anything of value: people, relationships, things, work, play, ideas, emotions, experiences, thoughts, habits, beliefs, etc.] [Yes, it really does seem to work this way!]
4. Letting go involves what Buddhists call "non attachment". And I have found non-attachment to be a very challenging concept to put into practice - and a subject to explore further in another blog entry.
So, what about you, dear reader? What about the internal and external clutter in YOUR life? If you released some of the non-productive "stuff" in your life - both material and non-material - what room might you create for something new and better to come into your life?
Then, I decided to extend the experiment. I continued to log everything I released from my life for another four months and again published the results in my blog, Letting Go Experiment: Month 16.
The last entry in my daily Letting-Go Log is dated October 31, 2007. But I find that letting go continues to be both a theme and a practice in my life, two years after I began in June of 2006.
In the months between November 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008, I released the following from my life: a few more household items, a couple more magazine subscriptions, a commercialized celebration of the December holidays, 30 additional pounds of body weight (a total of 45 altogether), an entire wardrobe of clothing, sizes 14 through 22 (I am now a 12), except for a few pieces that were altered, some unproductive eating habits, and some prescription medication. And that's not all.
More important than all of these "things", the most challenging and worthwhile things released from my life during this experiment were non-material - all were forms of thought originating in my mind: limiting beliefs, assumptions and interpretations, negative self-talk, fears, resentments, petty jealousies and other negative emotions, prejudices, unrealistic wants and expectations, unproductive habits and behaviors.
What have I learned from this experiment?
1. I have too much stuff! Yes, even after 2 years of releasing material stuff from my life, I still have more than I need, and my physical space is still more cluttered that I would like it to be. A life of material simplicity is still a goal. Imagine how our resources might expand, or be preserved, if we all had this goal!
2. Letting go of excess material stuff also seems to result in letting go of excess and non-productive non-material thoughts and behaviors as well. This is excellent incentive for continuing to let go of the material stuff.
3. Letting go of "stuff" makes room for new (and better) "stuff" to come into one's life. [Read "stuff" as anything of value: people, relationships, things, work, play, ideas, emotions, experiences, thoughts, habits, beliefs, etc.] [Yes, it really does seem to work this way!]
4. Letting go involves what Buddhists call "non attachment". And I have found non-attachment to be a very challenging concept to put into practice - and a subject to explore further in another blog entry.
So, what about you, dear reader? What about the internal and external clutter in YOUR life? If you released some of the non-productive "stuff" in your life - both material and non-material - what room might you create for something new and better to come into your life?
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Letting Go - Clearing the Clothes Closet
For all that I've been writing lately on letting go, de-cluttering, and organizing, you would think that I am an organizational consultant rather than a Life/Work Coach! There is a method to my madness!
This past weekend, I focused on my clothing. I went through my clothes piece by piece, trying on many things. I sorted through everything I own - outfits and accessories for all of the seasons. I made some rules for myself - some criteria by which I would decide whether to pitch or keep each piece. Here is my list:
1. Does it fit well? (If it doesn't, have it altered or let it go.)
2. Does it look good on me? (If no, let it go.)
3. Is it in my color palette? (If no, let it go.)
4. Have I worn it in the past year? (If no, let it go. Special-occasion clothes can be exempt, but clothes that don't fit anymore but might again someday are not.)
5. Is it dirty or in need of repair? (Clean it, fix it, or toss it.)
6. Is it in fashion? (If no, is it timeless? If still no, let it go.)
7. Is it relevant to my current lifestyle? (If no, let it go.)
and the clincher...
8. Does it bring me joy?
The results?
Although I was not brutally honest about all things, and did hold on to three pieces that do not fit now but that I still hope will fit someday, I still managed to let go of about 15% of my current wardrobe - all items that were taking up space but were never worn. About half a dozen items were good enough to be placed in a consignment shop. A lot more went to another resale shop as donations. Two bathing suits and a few items of underwear were tossed. One pair of slacks was repaired. Three items went to the dry cleaners and several more were washed. Three pairs of slacks were brought to a seamstress for alterations. And one pair of favorite shoes is about to go a cobbler for new insoles.
And one final result: Yesterday (Monday), I was filled with energy all day. I got many, many tasks accomplished. I felt lighter and freer. This was the result I was hoping for! May it last and last!
*****************************************************************************
If you have enjoyed this post, please share your comments below and then visit my Web site and subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter.
This past weekend, I focused on my clothing. I went through my clothes piece by piece, trying on many things. I sorted through everything I own - outfits and accessories for all of the seasons. I made some rules for myself - some criteria by which I would decide whether to pitch or keep each piece. Here is my list:
1. Does it fit well? (If it doesn't, have it altered or let it go.)
2. Does it look good on me? (If no, let it go.)
3. Is it in my color palette? (If no, let it go.)
4. Have I worn it in the past year? (If no, let it go. Special-occasion clothes can be exempt, but clothes that don't fit anymore but might again someday are not.)
5. Is it dirty or in need of repair? (Clean it, fix it, or toss it.)
6. Is it in fashion? (If no, is it timeless? If still no, let it go.)
7. Is it relevant to my current lifestyle? (If no, let it go.)
and the clincher...
8. Does it bring me joy?
The results?
Although I was not brutally honest about all things, and did hold on to three pieces that do not fit now but that I still hope will fit someday, I still managed to let go of about 15% of my current wardrobe - all items that were taking up space but were never worn. About half a dozen items were good enough to be placed in a consignment shop. A lot more went to another resale shop as donations. Two bathing suits and a few items of underwear were tossed. One pair of slacks was repaired. Three items went to the dry cleaners and several more were washed. Three pairs of slacks were brought to a seamstress for alterations. And one pair of favorite shoes is about to go a cobbler for new insoles.
And one final result: Yesterday (Monday), I was filled with energy all day. I got many, many tasks accomplished. I felt lighter and freer. This was the result I was hoping for! May it last and last!
*****************************************************************************
If you have enjoyed this post, please share your comments below and then visit my Web site and subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Getting Organized
For the past few months, the theme of many of my blog articles has been on letting go and clearing up the clutter in my life. This all goes hand-in-hand with getting organized. Now, normally, I'm a pretty organized person, and most of the rooms in my home reflect this. But my office is another story. In this room, stuff piles up and often it takes me a long time to find the information I need to find. I feel frustrated and blocked. And this has been happening despite the fact that I have had excellent consultations with professional organizer, Nancy Black (www.organizationplus.com), and with Feng Shui and Nurturing Spaces consultant, Linda Varone (www.lindavarone.com), and I have implemented many of their suggestions.
As I have learned from professional organizers, Feng Shui practitioners, psychologists, and other coaches, this state of clutter and disorganization, particularly in a person who is not chronically disorganized, indicates that something else is afoot. In my case, it reflects the fact that I am going through some transitions in both my business and in my life in general. [More about this in the next blog article - A Transition Coach in Transition].
Two days ago, I attended a women's networking meeting in my area (North Shore Women in Business). The speaker was Marilyn Paul, Ph.D. Her topic: It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys. (Also the title of her book; citation below.) A gifted and inspiring speaker, Dr. Paul worked with us to address the underlying causes of disorganization and to develop a strong motivation or purpose for overcoming our blocks to change and then to doing the work of changing our habits.
Though this is a major oversimplification, Dr. Paul breaks out the process of organizing into three basic steps:
1. Get to "Ready": This basically means doing the psychological work of understanding what's behind the disorganization: handling limiting beliefs and other blocks, visioning the desired change, identifying the purpose and motivation for change, and then making a committment to take action. [This is where coaches really come in handy!]
2. Build Workable Systems: Develop ways to eliminate clutter and become organized that organically suit who you are. [This is where professional organizers really come in handy!]
3. Create New Habits: Start taking the new action(s) and keep doing it/them long enough to replace your old habits with new ones. [It is said that habit change of any kind requires a minimum of 21 days of doing the new habit. Often it takes longer. This is another place where coaches can help to solidify the change!]
There are a lot of concrete suggestions for handling these three phases in her book, and I cannot wait to complete it! Here is the full citation:
Paul, Marilyn. It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys: the Seven-Step Path to Becoming Truly Organized. Viking Compass/Penguin Group, 2003.
In terms of clearing clutter, here's a tip I overheard in a conversation after the speech was over: When going through your belongings with the question, "Do I keep this or not?", here are two questions to ask yourself:
1. Is this relevant to my life now?
2. Does this bring me joy?
If the answer to either of these questions is no, pitch it!
If you are dealing with issues of clutter or disorganization, what might be your first step towards change?
*****************************************************************************
If you have enjoyed this post, please share your comments below and then visit my Web site and subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter.
As I have learned from professional organizers, Feng Shui practitioners, psychologists, and other coaches, this state of clutter and disorganization, particularly in a person who is not chronically disorganized, indicates that something else is afoot. In my case, it reflects the fact that I am going through some transitions in both my business and in my life in general. [More about this in the next blog article - A Transition Coach in Transition].
Two days ago, I attended a women's networking meeting in my area (North Shore Women in Business). The speaker was Marilyn Paul, Ph.D. Her topic: It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys. (Also the title of her book; citation below.) A gifted and inspiring speaker, Dr. Paul worked with us to address the underlying causes of disorganization and to develop a strong motivation or purpose for overcoming our blocks to change and then to doing the work of changing our habits.
Though this is a major oversimplification, Dr. Paul breaks out the process of organizing into three basic steps:
1. Get to "Ready": This basically means doing the psychological work of understanding what's behind the disorganization: handling limiting beliefs and other blocks, visioning the desired change, identifying the purpose and motivation for change, and then making a committment to take action. [This is where coaches really come in handy!]
2. Build Workable Systems: Develop ways to eliminate clutter and become organized that organically suit who you are. [This is where professional organizers really come in handy!]
3. Create New Habits: Start taking the new action(s) and keep doing it/them long enough to replace your old habits with new ones. [It is said that habit change of any kind requires a minimum of 21 days of doing the new habit. Often it takes longer. This is another place where coaches can help to solidify the change!]
There are a lot of concrete suggestions for handling these three phases in her book, and I cannot wait to complete it! Here is the full citation:
Paul, Marilyn. It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys: the Seven-Step Path to Becoming Truly Organized. Viking Compass/Penguin Group, 2003.
In terms of clearing clutter, here's a tip I overheard in a conversation after the speech was over: When going through your belongings with the question, "Do I keep this or not?", here are two questions to ask yourself:
1. Is this relevant to my life now?
2. Does this bring me joy?
If the answer to either of these questions is no, pitch it!
If you are dealing with issues of clutter or disorganization, what might be your first step towards change?
*****************************************************************************
If you have enjoyed this post, please share your comments below and then visit my Web site and subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter.
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