Making peace with your magnificent brain

It’s a lot more organized than you realize.

A deer in the technology headlights

Over breakfast this morning, Inspired Spouse, who is a lover of all things technological, informed me that there is a new android from Google. (blank look)

At least that’s what I heard. Inspired Spouse informed me gleefully that it was a kind of phone. Which could possibly be synced with a computer and other digital devices so that you could access your information anywhere.

If this is going over your head, don’t feel badly. Although I appreciated the information and enthusiastic delivery, I wasn’t tracking the whole thing myself.

A dose of healthy skepticism

I confess. I tend to reserve my rejoicing regarding new products that organize. Whether it’s a phone or digital doodad or paper organizer or (insert retail item of choice), there is simply no better organizing tool than your own brain.

Unfortunately, unlike many gadgets, your brain comes with no user’s manual. This makes it easy to fall prey to the belief that your brain is broken. Disorganized. It’s easier still to succumb to clever advertising that convinces you that some doohicky will make you be organized and save your life.

Celebrating your brain

This is a topic we’re discussing in the Inspired Organizing program right now: the truth that your brain is organized. Really. Since the day you were born. In fact, as you went through childhood and got older, your brain became even more refined and orderly.

Like any tool, you just need to know how to use it. The two keys to utilizing this miraculous natural order inside your head are awareness and space.

Key 1: Awareness

Awareness is most effective when you concentrate on your strengths (for example: creativity, appreciation for color, skill with words, estimation of distance). Even though we all have weaknesses, they’re really, really hard to change. So, by focusing on what you naturally do well, you get lots of good-feeling material to work with in your organizing.

To create awareness, just jot down a list of things your brain is really good at. You may find you want to use some of these strengths in your organizing systems. You might even discover that you already do!

Key 2: Space

In my experience, the people who create the most satisfying, enduring organizing systems are the ones who allow their process to be spacious. In other words, they stop looking for a quick fix.

Stepping out of the quick-fix mode is challenging in a culture that values taking a pill to solve dis-ease and buying its way out of problems. Frankly, choosing to step out of that mentality is a decision I have to make again and again, not just once. But it’s worth it.

Organizing is a process that evolves over time – because you evolve over time. Thank heavens for that! I invite you to notice if you’re open to creating an attitude of space in your life – so there’s room for discovery.

Things to try

Become aware of what you’re good at: As suggested above, take a moment to write down all the things your brain is naturally good at. Add to this list over time. Then think about how your might use these strengths in your organizing.

Create space: While you’re writing, jot down your thoughts to these question: How open are you to letting go of the quick-fix mentality? What might need to shift in your life in order to accomplish this?