Posts tagged mood
What Are Today's Interesting Finds? - v13

The current installment (v13) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature is here with my latest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance.

I’ve included unique and inspiring change-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme. You are a beautifully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Happy Living Change

The word, hygge (pronounced hooga), has been showing up in popular culture lately. While it’s not a new word or concept, it is new to me. Meik Wiking, author and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen educates us in The Little Book of Hygge – Danish Secrets to Living Happy. He describes hygge as “an atmosphere and experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.” Other descriptions include “coziness of the soul” and “taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things.” Denmark consistently ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world. It seems that hygge has a positive influence for the Danes’ happiness. Hygge can be experienced through a combination of ways, which includes giving attention to the quality of light (low light, fire and candles preferred), having close, small social circles, eating comforting food and drink, wearing comfortable clothing, expressing gratitude, and spending relaxed, non-competitive time with loved ones. “Hygge is about the now, how to enjoy the moment and make the best of it.” If you’re looking to change your happiness quotient, perhaps exploring hygge will inspire you.


2. Interesting Resource - Mindfulness Change

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One of the changes I’ve made this year has been learning more about mindfulness through reading, meditating, and taking a mindfulness training course. In a special edition of Time magazine, Mindfulness – The New Science of Health and Happiness, there is a terrific collection of articles about the benefits of mindfulness practice along with the science to back up those benefits. If you’re looking to reduce stress, increase focus, and be more present, the mindfulness path could be the answer. Change can begin with curiosity. That curiosity can develop into action.


3. Interesting Tech - Habit Change

Stopping bad habits and forming new ones is all about change. If you’re in the habit-change-mode, but are feeling challenged because you don’t have the help or support you need, try HabitBull. This app allows you to organize and track to either break bad habits or build positive ones. With an easy set-up, reminders, inspiring quotes and a support community, you’re just one step closer to making the changes that you desire.

4. Interesting Product – Mood Change

Have you noticed how color affects your mood? You can easily change your mood by adjusting your environment with the Luci® Color light. It’s solar powered, inflatable, and has a feature that lets you set it to a single color or cycle through all the colors in sequence. What color are you feeling today? Are you ready for a change? Light on!


5. Interesting Thought - Positive Change

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One small way to change our day is to change our perspective.  Our attitude influences our experiences in positive or negative ways.

Use positive thoughts or affirmations to encourage successful outcomes. See what changes occur when you begin your day with a positive thought

What are your interesting finds? Which ones resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

 
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9 Guaranteed Solutions for Restoring Your Life Balance

Do you ever feel stressed, overwhelmed or out of balance? If so, you’re not alone. Feeling out of balance is a human experience, no matter where you’re from. Would you like to learn strategies for restoring your balance? I was curious about the ways my colleagues’ from around the world handled their balance challenges, so I reached out to this amazing group – Stephanie Deakin, Nacho Eguiarte, Mayumi Takahara, Ingrid Jansen, Janet Barclay, Sue West, Hilde Verjidk, Juliet Landau-Pope and Ellen Faye. I asked them, “How do you bring balance back into your life?”  Their responses are personal and inspiring. My deepest gratitude goes to each of them for sharing their wisdom with us.

How do you bring balance back into your life? . . .

Scheduling for Balance

“It sounds counter-intuitive, but when I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed I schedule ‘balance’ time for myself. I write it in my day planner: two hours for sitting on the couch reading; a half-hour phone call to a friend; a walk by the lake. These are the things that help keep me balanced, but they’re also the first to be dropped when I’m feeling too busy! Honoring those times means letting go of any fretting about what’s not getting done or what the next deadline is, and giving my attention to what I’m doing in the moment.”

Stephanie Deakin, President POCOrganizer, Speaker & Trainer - Canada

Breathing for Balance

“Every time I feel overwhelmed because of the lack of balance in my life, I make a stop, and breathe deeply. After that I use positive self-talk about how capable I am to manage whatever life brings upon me. At that point, with self-confidence being boosted, I start thinking possibilities to overcome troubles and restore balance. Having balance to me is counterweighting troubles with solutions, stress with relaxation, and chaos with order.”

Nacho Eguiarte– Professional Organizer, Architect & Blogger – Mexico

Pampering for Balance

"I have a list of the ‘Pamper Myself List of Activities’ which I created to recover from being stressed or overwhelmed. There are a wide range of activities on the list: for instance, being completely absorbed in novels or favorite TV series or shifting my mood by listening to live music of my favorite artists."

Mayumi Takahara, President JALOOrganizer & Designer – Japan

Singing for Balance

“I sing! Just over 4 years ago I found Rockchoir. It is a UK based contemporary choir with 20,000 members in over 300 choirs. I'm a member of Bexleyheath Rockchoir and I rehearse every Wednesday evening. We sing rock, pop and gospel songs and my favourite song is "Someone Like You" from Adele. My choir has travelled to Switserland, we sang at the O2 Arena in London and we recorded three songs at the world famous Abbey Road Studios. Singing makes me forget about everything and it's a great way to make new friends. I would recommend it to everyone!”

Ingrid Jansen, President APDOProfessional Declutterer and Organiser - England

Walking Away for Balance

“When my workload is unusually heavy and everything feels urgent, although it seems counterintuitive, the best thing for me to do is walk away from it – get out, go shopping or have lunch with a friend. This allows me to clear my mind so that when I return to work, I’m better able to focus and actually get things done. I’d never thought of it as restoring balance, but that’s truly what it is – adding some activities to the fun side of the scale to bring the work side back up where it needs to be.”

Janet Barclay– Web Designer & Content Marketing Specialist - Canada

Questioning for Balance

“’Ebb and flow,’ a client's words to describe balance, stayed with me. Like ocean water as it cycles through its tides. Learning my sense of balance is a continuous process as each chapter brings different changes, transitions and challenges. To restore, I do this one thing: I consciously ask myself: What am I not doing that I know works? Self-compassion? Standing up for myself? Morning solitude, three meals, enough sleep and outdoor time? At home enough or too much travel or socializing? Enough creativity happening? Using my plan? Enough reading/learning time?”

Susan Fay West, CPO-CD®, COC®, President-Elect ICDOrganizer & Coach – United States

Planning for Balance

“As an entrepreneur I must admit it is tempting to cram my time with appointments. Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia however, I learned the hard way that there is a price to pay for that attitude. So I plan a free day in my calendar each week (apart from the weekends!) and I have a maximum of four days for work and study. I also plan free weeks during the year. It helps me set my priorities straight, I make healthier choices for my business and myself and I get to spend more time with my family. A win-win situation!”

Hilde Verdijk, CPO-CD®, MRPOProfessional Organizer, Author & Blogger – The Netherlands

Meditating for Balance

“Whether there’s too much stuff in your home or in your head, physical and emotional clutter can be overwhelming. So whether you’re stressed by the amount of stuff in your space or in your schedule, the best thing to do can be…. nothing. Stop. Close your eyes. Inhale slowly. Then exhale. Take a break from trying to figure it all out, if only for a few moments. This kind of meditative exercise not only helps to alleviate anxiety; it can also help you to regain clarity and to focus on what matters most.”

Juliet Landau-Pope, CPCCDeclutter Coach & Study Skills Expert – England

Retreating for Balance

“My ultimate cure is to get away. At least twice a year I visit Kripalu, a yoga and wellness center in Western Massachusetts. I go by myself, lock up my phone and computer, and take time to renew. When I’m home my self-care includes yoga, getting enough sleep, scheduling time with friends and family, and ruthlessly prioritizing my work and volunteer responsibilities. But that just keeps my head above water. Going away, focusing on me, talking only when I want to, walking in the woods, and staring into space is truly what brings balance back into my life.”

Ellen Faye, CPO®, COC®, President NAPOProductivity and Organizing Coach – United States

Finding your right balance is possible. With the creative ideas that my colleagues shared, you now have some new strategies to experiment with. Whether you choose to get away, pamper yourself, breathe, plan or sing, shifting from overwhelm to a more balanced state is within reach. For me, when my balance is off, I concentrate on bringing back the parts I’ve been missing. That can include walking by the river, going to the movies with my husband, having coffee with a friend, trying something new, or having a “no agenda” day.

Which ideas resonate with you? How do you bring balance back into your life? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

 
 
Powerful Influence of Mindfulness on Possibility Thinking

There is definitely a mindfulness theme that runs throughout my writing. My creative process includes having a heightened awareness of daily experiences, which is one strategy for fostering mindfulness. I recently learned that one of the many benefits of being mindful is that your thoughts become less cluttered so that you are more open to new ideas, challenges, and possibility thinking.

Last week, I attended a wonderful ICD teleclass about mindfulness and productivity, developed and presented by productivity coach, Casey Moore. There are many mindfulness definitions. Casey shared one definition that included three basic mindfulness elements.

Mindfulness is “paying attention purposefully and non-judgmentally in the present moment.”

During the teleclass, Casey talked about the benefits of practicing mindfulness. The list was long and included improving relationships, decreasing anxiety, improving mood, deepening self-awareness, increasing concentration, boosting attentiveness, lowering high blood pressure, reducing chronic pain, making better decisions, and regulating the fear response.

There were several mindfulness techniques that she shared that focused on intentional breathing and counting. I’ve been experimenting with adding one the breathing exercises into my daily habits. As an added benefit, I’ve used the technique outside by our local rivers. Being surrounded by nature while breathing mindfully was especially beneficial for me. I felt calmer, more connected and grounded.

With a more open, less cluttered mind, what becomes possible? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

 
 
What Are Today's Interesting Finds? - v6

I’m happy to bring you the newest installment (v6) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature where I share my latest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance

I’ve included unique and inspiring enlisting help-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme. You’re a wonderfully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you.

What do you find interesting?


What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Letting Go Help

Everything That Remains by The Minimalists

After meeting the Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, at the NAPO conference this past April, I was inspired to read their book, Everything That Remains. It’s a memoir about two friends and how they went from being unhappy, stressed, and burdened by their possessions to changing how they lived and focused their energy.

Their journey included repeatedly asking this powerful question, “Does this thing add value to my life?"  That enabled them to let go of clutter and embrace minimalism.

Ryan writes, “When we get rid of the superabundance of stuff, however, we can make room for life’s more important aspects.”


2. Interesting Fact – Mood Help

Some easy fixes and help for improving your mood include scent and nature. If you’re feeling tired, eat a peppermint. For a non-caloric alternative, place a few drops of peppermint oil on a tissue, hold it to your nose, and breathe deeply. The aroma will stimulate the part of your brain that is responsible for arousal.

According to researchers at the University of Essex in England, to improve your mood and self-esteem, engage in five minutes of outdoor activity every day.

Experience an added benefit by being outside next to a body of water like a river or lake.

3. Interesting Conference – Disorganization Help

The Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) will have its' annual conference in Cleveland, Ohio, September 17-19, 2015.

Organizing and related professionals will gather from all over the globe to learn about compassion fatigue, hoarding, ADHD, memory loss, nervous system resilience, and the latest research on chronic disorganization.

I'm looking forward to attending and learning from the experts so that I can better help my clients. Are you going? I'd love to see you there!

4. Interesting Product – Colorful Help

Do you need help organizing your papers and desk supplies? Check out Poppin, a line of functional, colorful, and joyful organizing products. Their packaging and messaging even make deliveries fun.

It’s hard to choose my favorite product because they have so many, but one is the Softie This + That Tray, which comes in twelve beautiful colors, like most of their line.

I keep one on my computer tray to organize sticky notes and small toys. Can you guess which color I have?


5. Interesting Resource – Consignment Help

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Do you have clothing and accessories in excellent condition that you no longer want? Would you like to sell them in a hassle-free way?

Try ThredUp, a unique online service that makes consigning simple. Items consigned that don’t sell, you can opt to donate or return to you.






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6. Interesting Thought – Community Help

Every one of us experiences challenges. Find the people in your life who will lift you up, help you with your struggles, celebrate your successes, and be your cheerleader. They are your community.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your interesting finds? Do any of these resonate with you?  Join the conversation!