Slow much?

Not only is today the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere and the first day of winter in the southern, it’s also National Day of Slowness.

It’s odd-sounding, I’ll admit. Slowness is associated with snails. And traffic. Slowness is my brain on an un-caffeinated morning. So, how is slowness a good thing?

A few years ago, I discovered the Slow Movement when I read In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré. All the parts of the Slow Movement are efforts to get humanity to slow down and savor life. There’s Slow Food (heard of that one?) — the antithesis of fast food. Slow Foodies encourage buying locally grown foods, preparing them deliciously, and then savoring them as they’re eaten. Sounds like a slice of Under the Tuscan Sun, but you don’t have to travel to Italy — you can have this experience in your own kitchen.

Other parts of the Slow Movement include Slow Cities, Slow Sex, Slow Medicine, Slow Children. Inspired Home Office is all about Slow Organizing.

Can you imagine bringing more intention and love to your life?

In this driven culture, I believe that we don’t need more. Even though that’s what every ad and publication wants you to believe. We don’t need faster internet or more apps or the latest thing. Honoré calls this the “cult of speed.”

What we really need is to slow down enough that we can be present with what we already have, and find gratitude there.

Slowing down brings our stress level to nil, allows us to connect meaningfully with ourselves and others, and deepen our sense of contentedness. Aliveness. Purpose.

Slowing down is a process.

Most people’s initial reaction to slowing down is “Where on earth would I find the time to slow down?!” The truth is, you have to reserve it. Maybe on Sunday nights, you can make a Slow Meal. Or you can attend an Office Spa Day once a month for some Slow Organizing.

Lately, I’ve been reserving 30 minutes at the beginning of my day to meditate and find gratitude for the abundance in my life. It’s changing me in positive ways I could never have anticipated. I love it. Even when it’s hard to reserve that time.

A way to begin

If you want to slow down, it helps to choose one area you and learn the terrain. To start, simply notice which area of your life seems most out of alignment. Which area of your life could bring your more joy or peace if you paid attention to it? Start there, and be curious about what you’d like to experience. See if there’s any slowness you want to invite there.

Is there an area of your life you’d like to slow down? Feel free to comment and share!

One comment

On a recent post, I mentioned how difficult it is to keep kitty litter off the keyboard A cat-savvy reader suggested this desk attachment called the Kitt-In Box.

Adorable, isn’t it? I’d be willing to bet that if I added a warming bed, it would be kitty bliss!

Hat tip to Nita for the resource!

3 comments

Cords.

They always seem to come up in Office Spa Day or in the Wish Kit Class…

“The cords over and under my desk look awful!”

For all the mobile (and stationary) devices we use, juice still comes out of a hole in the wall. And every cord we connect to that area adds to the visual distraction. It might not be visible when you’re seated at your desk, but stand in the doorway. Yup. There they are.

Here’s what I use in my own office. A combination of these:

And this (had to crawl around under the desk to take it):

All together, the hook and cable ties probably cost $0.11 at the hardware store.

Here are some other solutions I’ve seen:

This DIY one courtesy of Darcy (click photo for instructions):

Photo credit: RecyclArt.org

I love the 3M “Command” line of products – they stick to surfaces without damaging them. I just found out they have a kit for cord-wrangling!

You probably have the supplies for this in your drawer — it’s not perfect, but it’s simple and brilliant.

Photo credit: TokesterJokester

Here’s one IKEA cord-taming solution that looks interesting (see all 5 here).

Phot credit: Unplggd.com

Home Depot has some interesting, more permanent solutions (click for images).

Here’s one more from the Container Store called the Cord Zipper. Hat tip again to Darcy!

What do you use?

I’d love to know what you’ve found that works for you. Feel free to email me a photo and I’ll add it to this post or just comment below.

2 comments

Do we have any garam masala??

It didn’t dawn on me until I attempted to make my first real curry dish: I had no idea whether we had the right spices. I couldn’t reach most of them. The other half were in unmarked baggies.

My spice cabinet was an organizing project in waiting.

Since this is a home office blog, my spice cabinet is a stand-in for just about any organizing project you might have in your office.

• You might be out of shelf space and have no room for all your books.
• The cords under your desk look like a pit of vipers.
• You’re planning to teach a number of classes this year and have nowhere to put all the related ideas and information.

They’re all spice cabinets of the mind.

When you have an organizing project ahead, it’s helpful to know the terrain. I chronicled the steps of my own organizing process in the hopes that you’d gain some tools for your own.

Here’s what my starting point looked like:

The 6 things any organizing project needs

1. Vision

Inspired by Darcy and the images of organized spice cabinets I found on Tea & Cookies, I imagined an ideal image of what our spices cupboard could look like. I fell in love with the idea of enjoying cooking because I could find all the ingredients without swearing or knocking something to the floor.

The more photos I looked at, the more excited I became. Consistent sizes! Easy to read labels! Alphabetized! Pretty spices in pretty jars!

2. Spending plan

Being averse to the word budget, I created a spending plan. We use our spices a lot and we had some gift money from Christmas, so I planned my spending. Even though I wasn’t sure it was possible, I decided to commit $50 for the spice cupboard project.

Money is one consideration. The spending plan is also about time. How much time are you willing to devote to a project? I counted the spices and figured that 45 spice jars would take me about 2 hours to complete. Heh. More on this at the end.

3. Research and Design

With a dollar number and a time frame in mind, the next step is to start figuring out the steps to implement your vision. Research and design have to hold hands to work well together. Do a little research, sketch a rough design. Do a little more research, edit the design. Repeat.

To start, take a look at what you currently have that might be helpful to your project. I took measurements of our cabinet, checked that the shelves were truly adjustable, and counted how many spices we had.

Research your options. After looking at all the jars on Tea & Cookies, I went to a couple of local stores to compare prices and couldn’t find any I liked. I decided to order these adorable square spice jars that are the right size and capacity and were $1.10 each including shipping.

When the jars arrived I thought about how to display them. I googled images of spice racks and ended up on another organizer’s site with this brilliant, inexpensive solution to creating “stairs” that could display the spice labels (the way I saw it in my vision).

Before heading to the hardware store, I drew a sketch — a design — of what I needed.

I didn’t end up with this exact plan, but drawing it helped me figure out a better solution. I bought three 1″x 2″x 8′ boards and a friendly helper-person cut them into 9″ lengths for me (props to Lowe’s for providing this service!).

All told, the supplies and materials cost $49.20. Woohoo for the spending plan!

4. Doing the plan

Note: I didn’t say, “Follow the plan.” If you’ve ever done a project like this, you’re probably aware that it’s not a linear, Point A –> Point B process. There are detours. There are discoveries. Ideally, you roll with them and make adjustments as you go. At least I tried to.

As I arranged the shelves and played with the label maker, things started to come together according to plan. I was so happy to see how well the shelves worked — it was like playing with blocks. Fun!

My new label-maker worked like a charm, although I did have a few labeling mishaps.

It definitely got messier as I worked. This is normal. Don’t be alarmed.

And then messier still…

As the plan came along, I started to feel really great. The first shelf of spices looked awesome — just like I envisioned.

When I got to the second shelf, I realized I had a problem.

Because of my height, I couldn’t see the spice labels on the second row. Or the third. Inspired Spouse is 5 inches shorter than me, so just tippy-toeing wouldn’t work. I figured this issue would be worse up on shelf #3, the highest one. It never dawned on me in the Research and Design phase to measure myself.

I tried redesigning the plan. I played with the configuration of blocks to give the jars a boost up. And then, just like that, I got stuck. Nothing worked. I wondered angrily, “What’s the point of labeling if you can’t read the labels?” I started to think the whole project was a bust.

Anxiously, I sought the ear of my devoted, patient Inspired Spouse who listened as I recounted everything I’d tried.

–  Shit! It’s not working!

– It’s okay. No one’s going to die.

– (pause) (laughter) Oh, right. I’m taking this too seriously.

Sometimes a loving, level head is just the thing. In fact, the shelf issue got better from there and I found a decent solution. A re-re-re-re-re-re-design.

However, lots of people get to this stuck/angry/helpless point and don’t know it’s totally normal. Doing the plan includes getting stuck and taking detours. When it happens, take a little space or share it with someone who’s willing to listen. When you resolve the stuckness, you’ll get moving toward your vision again.

Before and afters — coming up next.

5. Clean up

This is the part of the creative process I usually put off. It’s no fun. I had all these glass and plastic jars left over, old spices to compost, unused wood blocks and new jars to find homes for. This is why I do Office Spa Days — we all have cleanup to do and encouraging support can help. It’s also helpful to build cleanup time into your spending plan since ideally the whole project includes the time it takes to truly complete it.

I did get it all cleaned up — partly because I knew I would be blogging about it and showing you my before-and-after photos. So, without further ado, here they are!

* The big reveal *

Before and after:

6. Celebration

Look at what you’ve created. Really look at it — and partay! It’s so easy to rush to the next thing without pausing to enjoy it.

I called Inspired Spouse back into the kitchen for the nth time and we looked at my creation together. I held up the camera to compare it to the starting point. We marveled together.

It’s okay to feel proud of yourself and pause a while to recognize your accomplishment. In fact, we’re more likely to do something like this again if it feels good. So celebrate you! Celebrate your vision — even if it didn’t come out exactly the way you expected. You did it!

I did it! Yay!

How long did it take?

Good question. Most people under-guess how long a project takes to complete. It’s part of our natural optimism. One of the interesting and fun things we do in the 6-month clutter-clearing class is practice guessing (in advance) how long a project will take from start to finish.

Want to play?

Comment below how many hours and minutes you think it took me to do all the steps mentioned in this project. The first person to guess the exact duration before this Friday will receive a $25 gift certificate to Spice and Tea.com to add to your own seasonings collection! Everyone else will receive Jen’s Semi-Famous Fajita Seasoning recipe (it’s awesome!).

So that’s organizing projects in a nutshell!

Feel free to share your about your own organizing project experiences – past, present or future.

29 comments

Organizing Cupcakes won’t solve every organizing dilemma, but they’ll give you a little squirt of inspiration and insight, just like those cakey bombs of sugary goodness. Enjoy!

Large sheets of paper

I’ve worked with several clients over the years who adore paper and who use it in their craft – photography, architecture, design, etc. The problem is that the paper sizes don’t fit a standard 8″x11″ or legal size file cabinet. Even scrapbookers have developed special storage containers for their 12″x12″ sheets of paper.

What’s a paper-lover to do?

Flat files are a great solution. Here are some options to consider based on your budget, the paper-size you’re storing, and how much space you have.

Steel and wood flat file cabinets

At one point in my search, I even discovered someone who’d make a twin bed frame with two large sliding drawers underneath for paper storage.

Cardboard containers

I love these cardboard drawers that double as carrying cases.

And the simplest option (below) can be stored flat as well as upright.

If you wanted to do it yourself, you could recycle large cardboard boxes and design your own to custom-fit your paper.

This problem is so common, “large paper storage” is one of the most frequently Googled searches that lead people to my site. Sometimes, making a list of ideas you could try (a technique I describe in one of my ebooks) helps you come up with new solutions.

Other ideas?

What ways do YOU store large paper?

Photo credits: all images link to their sites of origin.

Care to comment?

In-joke at the Inspired House

When someone makes a mistake around here, we jokingly fire one another. When Inspired Spouse forgets to take out the garbage, she’s fired. When the cats scratch my office chair or jump on the counter, they’re fired. “You’re fired, Pepper!” It’s a silly way to protest something without offending anyone. Humor lightens things that could otherwise be taken personally. Now you’re in on the in-joke.

Unfortunately, I’ve gotten fired for the same thing two weeks in a row. That thing is my failure to check the voice mail which allows an unfortunate number of messages to add up (5 one week and 7 the next). Inspired Spouse didn’t think it was so funny the second time.

Honestly, I hate voice mail. I am tactile — and voice mail isn’t something you can touch. I am visual — and I can’t see it either. Back in the 90′s when I had an old tape-playing answering machine, I was pretty good about it because I could touch the buttons and see the blinking red light. Remember those itty bitty cassettes? I loved my answering machine!

Fast forward 15 years, and now my phone company gives me super-slick digital voice mail at no extra charge. It would be a great deal except sometimes I go a whole week without checking my voice mail. I can hear the little “boop-boop-boop” dial tone thing when I pick up the phone, but I ignore it. Auditory processing is not my strong suit.

It’s not me. It’s not you, either.

Is there something wrong with me because I don’t use this handy tool? Of course not. Is it frustrating and unprofessional? Yes to both.

When people ask about the most effective software programs, gadgets, and apps, it’s a similar scenario. There’s nothing wrong with technology, but you have to first discern whether a particular tool is a good fit for you.

What’s the difference between tools that are truly helpful and those that are a frustrating failure?

The organizing truth: The best tools work the same way your brain naturally does. When you use a tool that’s outside of your natural skill set, it’s less likely to work for you. It will create more frustration.

How can you tell? If you procrastinate using something or dread it or it takes forever, that’s usually an indication that the tool isn’t a good fit for you. If it’s easy and fun, keep doing it. You’re on the right path.

It’s partly the tool, but it’s also…

When you’re thinking about adding a tool (like software, a gadget, or something low-tech like a file folder system), think about what your intention is. Think about how others will benefit when you use this item. For example, I use voice mail because it’s my intention to provide clients multiple ways to connect with me and, in turn, to respond to them promptly, professionally, and compassionately.

At the moment, my intention isn’t matching the reality if I only check voice mail once a week. But I can think of other options that could work better for me and still match my intention.

Thinking about your intention connects you with the bigger picture, freeing you up to see other options besides the tool that’s causing your problems.

Thinking it over

Something really astonishing happened last night when I decided to broach the subject of my firing with Inspired Spouse — and brainstorm a better solution. Since I’m visual and tactile, I shared that the best scenario for me would involve receiving paper messages, placed on my computer keyboard (in a perfect, and probably unrealistic world, I thought). I hesitated to tell her this because I didn’t want her to be my secretary (it is MY business after all!), but I shared anyway.

Here’s what she said, “Do you realize I’ve offered to do that for you at least 3 times in the last year?” Huh! You know, come to think of it, she had - and I had dismissed it! So if you happen to leave a voice mail for me, you now have a new message-taker. And I’ll reply SO much faster now.

If you’re struggling with technology or organizing, think about what would work best for you and those with whom you’re in contact. Talk it out with someone if you get stuck. Try things out — and remember that organizing isn’t a destination; it’s a process of discovering what you need over time and using your creativity to address those needs. You’re worth it!

7 comments

Everyday Organizing Genius

Creative people can be organized! In this feature, learn about the simple genius organizing ideas that everyday entrepreneurs use… And get a sneak peek at what their home office looks like!

Lea Shulman, Interior Designer

1.What about your career do you find most fulfilling?

I have to say the most fulfilling thing I find about being a designer is that each project is never the same.  It’s like having a blank piece of paper and a box of crayons when I get started with a new client.  I get to do what I love for a living.  That in itself is very fulfilling!

2.What was it like going from a design firm to a home office?  What were your concerns about running your own business from home?

Honestly the transition has been a little difficult, but now that I am in a groove (nearly) I really love it. My previous employers gave me a lot of freedom and flexibility, so it is nice to have even more of that. But working in a house that I share with two small kids and a husband is very distracting sometimes.  It’s hard to keep away from the dishes in the sink and the mountain of laundry piling up!

For me, the major concern is about time-management and work/family balance.  I was already in a life-transition when I left my previous employer.  My family was growing.  It wasn’t until recently that I accepted there isn’t enough time in my life for everything.  So I only take on the projects I can handle, and every morning I look at my list of things to do and choose what is realistically going to get done.

3.Talk about your workspace set up.  What changes did you make in order to make it feel professional to you?

The first thing I did was measure and lay out my space!  Then I designed a storage unit that I was lucky enough to have my father build.   I ordered a HUGE desk from Target that is stylish and can accommodate my drawing board.   Good, stylish organization makes me happy, from the pens in their fancy glass tumblers to the colored folders and all the pretty baskets and bins for samples.  I find it much easier to use binders instead of filing folders so I have a lot of important information right there on the bookshelf when I need it.  No digging in the file cabinet for my tax information or purchase orders and notes!  I must have a clear space to work so I can be creative.  I never got around to painting or doing the window treatments that I wanted (designers are famous for never finishing their own spaces!) but it’s a great little space where I can be productive.

4. Did you have to establish any emotional/energetic boundaries with your family?  What were they?

I share my office with two things:  My husband and the laundry sorter!  My husband needs a quiet, clear area where he can make calls to clients when he is home, or have a place to work on days when he is not in the city.  I’m lucky – he understands that our office is really my headquarters.  I was very firm in setting the family parameters:  There will be no toys or other various household items stored in our home office!   I need spur-of-the-moment access to a working , grown-up and private space if I need to take a quick call, or the baby surprises me with a nap and I can unexpectedly get something done for Lea Shulman Interiors.   I’m even getting used to ignoring the lurking laundry sorter when I’m working!
What plans are ahead for your business?

I’m very excited to be starting a new project in the next couple of weeks.  I’m designing the renovation of a Brooklyn, NY production studio. The owners have been running their business from a small bedroom in their brownstone for a few years now.  The basement of their brownstone was once a dentist’s office and I’ll be designing a funky loft-style, complete renovation for their new “home-office.” I’m thrilled to be working for another young, home-based entrepreneurial family

Lea Shulman founded her company to obtain balance between the high quality work she became accustomed to providing to her clients and the desire to raise happy children and have a great home life. Lea Shulman Interiors was founded in 2008 after working in the design industry for almost fifteen years. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design and has a diverse background that includes work as an in-house kitchen consultant and interior designer with a custom home builder in Greenwich, CT.

Lea has been published both individually and in collaborative projects in publications such as Kitchen & Bath Ideas, The Bridal Guide, and Better Homes and Gardens.  She has also been featured on local charity kitchen tours in Connecticut and been published in industry trade catalogs.

Care to comment?

Have you felt the urge to buy school supplies all month?

I have! I get so excited to gear up for a productive fall — especially with all the back-to-school sales advertisements! My favorite is the Staples commercial with “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” playing in the background. Too funny!

You certainly don’t need to buy anything at all to gear up.

Buying stuff isn’t always the answer to organizing challenges. However if you’re going to get some supplies anyway, here are my top 10 recommendations to make the most of your creativity and energy.

10. Good scissors

Stop settling for the kids’ safety snippers or the clunky, rusted pair that cramps your hand. For about $12 you can get a pair of knife-sharp cutters that will make you whistle while you snip. Tether them to your desk or write your name on them so they don’t “disappear”.

9. Calculator

If you’re a not a numbers person, you need something that lets you work out the numbers — and see them — to make business decisions. I’m a fan of the solar-powered type with fat buttons. I think I must use mine at least 2-3 times a week!

8. Fun sticky notes

Sometimes you just need a cute piece of paper to write a note on! Stickies come in every color, lots of shapes, some are printed with decorative designs. I also like to use them as temporary file labels since they’re so colorful and easy to remove.

7. Blank love notes

If you ever get the urge to write a thank you or a word of encouragement, it’s a hassle to run to the store to select the appropriate card. And yet, connecting meaningfully with customers and collaborators is essential. Having a box of sumptuous blank cards (and stamps) allows you to connect with ease. I found these and these at Cooke’s (delicious!), but you can also get them on Amazon.

6. Flip chart paper

For goal-setting, vision statements, and project management, having a big display can be an effective reminder. In fact, the best kind has a sticky top so you can easily hang it up on the wall. I have both 2′x3′ blank and grid-style. Here’s what they look like in my own office:

5. Scented markers

Who says these are just for kids? Using these on flip chart paper gives you lots of colors to choose from and fragrances that make them fun to use.

4. Inspiration board

Do you have dreams for your business, your clients, and your life? What better way to remind you of where you’re going than a board to post meaningful quotes, letters from happy customers, and images that inspire you? In my office, I have a whole wall devoted to these things, but you can also use a cork board, magnetic dry erase board, cork tiles, magnetic paint, etc. When your workspace inspires you, anything is possible! Here’s a snip of my 2010 vision board (circular paper calendar of the seasons):

3. The perfect pen

I’ve found mine – it’s a Pilot Precise V5 (super-fine) in black – the refillable version. It writes like a dream. On the unfortunate occasion I use one of those scratchy freebies, it’s maddening and it breaks my concentration. If you don’t yet have a perfect pen, go to a local, old-fashioned stationery store and try out their sample pens. And if you’re ever in Salem, Oregon, check out Cooke Stationery – a writer’s dream come true!

2. Colored folders

When you have deliciously colored folders in your tiered holder (#1), it brings both functionality and beauty into your space at the same time. Vanilla manila folders are perfectly functional, but for inspiration and uniqueness, multicolored folders are delightful! Ive even seen versions with designs, sparkles and a fuzzy velvet surface.

1. Tiered holder

If you were only going to buy one organizing tool for your home office, this would be it. This single tool is the best answer to “I have to see it to remember it”. Instead of leaving things all over your desk to remember them, you label them clearly and then pop them into this lovely holder for immediate retrieval. They come in metal, bamboo, clear acrylic, wire mesh, etc. I have two in my own office – one for clients, one for current projects.

Agree with this list or have something to add? What creative supplies are essential to running your business?

18 comments

Finding ways to be truly content with less

************************************

At Breitenbush Hot Springs a few weeks ago, I pulled the Release card from a decorated basket. When I looked more closely at the image, it was a snake shedding its skin — a message to discard material possessions in service to spiritual awakening. It hit home.

Material goods being a stumbling block to deeper spirituality is an old and universal theme. From the Buddhist tradition: “Attachment is the source of all misery.” From the Bible, “…it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Suffice it to say, the physical trappings of earth have been a spiritual distraction to people for a long time.

Inspired to simplify

Recently, I read a biography of Mother Theresa and was inspired by her extreme simplicity. Along with her sisters, she owned only one thing in the world: her dress. She completely trusted that if she needed something, it would come along.

Now that I’ve gotten the hang of decluttering, I dream of stripping away my comforts down to only the bare essentials. Like the snake shedding unwanted skin, I dream of ditching everything to travel to the sacred places of the world to deeply immerse myself there.

At odds with mainstream culture

It’s hard to admit to this longing of mine, since our culture is so preoccupied with having. Our Western identity is so tied with the power and prestige of certain possessions, it’s hard to imagine living any other way.

However, I’ve grown increasingly interested in this simpler path due to the dissatisfaction I feel with stuff. All the yearning and excitement I feel gazing over the ads in Sunday’s paper evaporates once the purchase is made. I feel empty and unfulfilled. Having the thing leaves me feeling let down.

In reality, I think many people place unrealistic expectations on the physical object. “If I buy this,” I think, “it will make me feel good about myself. I’ll be able to show it off and people will praise me for having it. Then I’ll feel better about myself.” It isn’t that easy.

The inner vacuum

When it comes down to it, we’re all aware that having stuff doesn’t fill the hole that craves love. We’re seeking something deeper. Ambrose, a wise saint from the 4th century, calls it a “God-shaped vacuum” that only the Divine can fill. And nothing but that will sate our spirits. Not a Mercedes. Not a dozen chocolate eclairs. Not even the newest, thinnest, fastest handheld device in the world will get me closer to the Divine. In fact, these things only make us feel more separate, further away from the Love we crave.

Sometimes I see this separateness in the lives of my clients. The very objects around them are suffocating and very physically preventing them from having the life they want. Sometimes there’s just no room to move – physically or emotionally or spiritually. When you start making powerful choices about what to keep and what to release – it can be a life-changing event to finally feel free and full of possibility.

Less stuff = more life

The less we have, the simpler life is — simply because everything we keep requires maintenance. More books means more dusting. More clothing equals more laundry. More paper requires more filing and organizing. Honestly, most people just don’t have that much time! And when we do have free time, the last thing we want to spend it on is repetitive tedium.

If you’re looking for less in your life, here are 2 strategies that will help you begin.

Strategy 1: Focus on removal

Poking around online recently, I stumbled upon a guy after my own heart (an editorial on Zen Habits) who decided to whittle down his possessions to precisely 100. With simplicity on my mind, I sat down and wrote a list of my own 100 most important belongings. It was a powerful exercise that made me realize just how far I would have to go — and also how attached I am to the things I own.

Fortunately, like the snake shedding its skin, simplifying is a process. It’s something you come back to again an again, with new insight, clarity and intention. Now that we’re entering the fall season (in the Northern hemisphere, anyway), it’s a good time to reflect of what you’re carrying with you and what you’re ready to release.

Strategy 2: Focus on additions

If the idea of owning only 100 things to too extreme for you, try this: make a list of all the things you’d do with your free time (if you didn’t have so much busy-work piling up). Come up with a list of 25 things that help fill that God-shaped vacuum in you.

When you’re clear on what you do want out of life, removing the unwanted becomes much easier.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on simplifying, attachment to stuff, and the need for deeper connection with the Divine. Care to comment?

12 comments

Helping get your heart in the right place and get your business moving forward.

************************************

I don’t know about you, but the beginning of September always feels bittersweet to me.

On one hand, there’s resistance to losing the warm, sunny days of summer and all the freedom that entails. On the other, there’s excitement for the back-to-school energy and focus of autumn. On a deeper level, I can feel in my bones that September 1st is the beginning of a long, slow, but inevitable slide toward the end-of-year holidays.

Instead of launching headlong into fall, this year I’m trying something I’m calling “Indian Summer for the Spirit”. To capture some of the summer insights and growth, I’m reflecting on the following questions:

• What did I learn this summer that I want to keep?
• What do I want to release from this past season?
• What am I open to creating or experiencing this autumn?

Instead of resisting the coming season and hanging on longingly for the passing one, these questions allows me to both prolong what I love about summer, create closure, and welcome the new.

Does this relate to organizing somehow?

You bet. Anything you create in your mind also has physical manifestations (papers, semi-finished projects, etc.). So on a practical level, getting clear about what you want to release means you can let go of some physical stuff along with it. For example, I have had several sticky notes on my computer about topics I want to write about. Well, I’ve written about them. So now I can let them go.

On an energetic level, when you’re clearing out the unwanted, this opens up all kinds of possibilities to you and your business. Closure is a healthy activity. Saying “no” to the things you no longer need helps you become a channel for the divine spark of inspiration and creativity.

Welcoming the new

The second thing that helps remind you of the changing season and welcome the new is to physically change something about your workspace.

Maybe you want to draw or collage images of the good things you’re anticipating for fall and hang it near your monitor. Maybe you position the desk so you have better access to the window and the remaining sunlight. Perhaps you’d like to change the background on your computer with a beautiful image which reflects the season.

What would inspire you? Is there a way that you want to adjust your space in the next few weeks to welcome the new season?

When it comes down to it…

Having an inspired workspace isn’t necessarily about having zero clutter and perfect order. In fact, that can be rather uninspiring. Instead, think about what would make you feel more comfortable, more invited, and more excited to do what you love.

What would bring to your space some of summer’s sweetness and autumn’s focus?

Care to comment?