Posts tagged challenging
12 Compassionate Organizing Concepts Inspired By This Unusual Year
12 Compassionate Organizing Concepts Inspired By This Unusual Year

There have been many words used to describe 2020. In a recent article in The Washington Post, readers offered their one word or phrase for the year, including “exhausting, lost, chaotic, relentless, heartbreaking, transformative, and the year of missing.” Perhaps the word that I heard (and possibly used) the most was unprecedented. It was that kind of year. We tried our best to navigate the unknown, find strength when life got worse than ever imagined, extend compassion and grace to ourselves and others, and find some balance in a continually changing situation. 

It’s been a harsh year, a year of struggle. We needed love, compassion, support, and connection more than ever. With pandemic restrictions reducing in-person contact, technology played a starring role to help us virtually spend time together. I blogged and had meaningful conversations with you throughout these past months, as we experienced and worked through this year together. We shared our silver linings and losses.

Being a reflective time of year, I am revisiting the past before moving ahead to the future. As part of the review, I selected highlights, one from each month, of the most compassionate organizing concepts of 2020. My hope is you discover a seed idea that will inspire your New Year. 

Where do you want to focus on creating the level of organization and balance that you desire? Which people and projects will receive your time, energy, and attention? 

12 Compassionate Organizing Concepts

Winter 2020

Fresh Start - How to Choose Words That Will Positively Affect Your Fresh Start

Your life and success will not be defined by the nouns you choose. It will be defined by the verbs.
— Todd Henry
If you’re not sure about the change you want to make, give yourself some ‘wander time’ and see what transpires.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
Next might need to be a big dose of self-compassion. Or, perhaps it will be you reaching out to someone else that is hurting.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
What expectations of normal am I letting go of today?
— Rick Breden
Mind clutter worry is unproductive. And as it turns out, it’s a good teacher too.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
In your mix of doing, are you making time to notice and embrace the good stuff?
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
Motivation is in the growing.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
A goal doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We need help with accomplishing our goals and celebrating them along the way.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
It is in the practice of shifting attention, awareness, and return that we become more mindful.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
We live in challenging times. Yet even in the darkest days, there is hope. There is love. There are possibilities.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
The initial sadness for not being able to gather has morphed into positive anticipation for the ways we’ve reimagined the holiday.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO
Feeling balanced is a fluid and a continually shifting dynamic.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

My deepest gratitude goes to you for being an integral part of this vibrant community. We’ve had an incredible year of conversations and sharing. You bring learning, growth, support, and inspiration to every exchange. Thank you for coming back again and again to participate and share the best of who you are. 

What inspired you this year? Which compassionate organizing concept resonates most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

 
 
How to Use Two Simple Concepts That Will Improve Your Perspective About Next
Improve+Next.jpg

There are two phases of next. There is the anticipation of next and the actual participation in next. Next involves thinking about something first and then engaging. How do these concepts work in unison to move us forward? How do they combine to create a fuller and more satisfying experience? Our attitude and perspective greatly influence both aspects of next.

Anticipation of Next

Thinking about what will happen next or what you want to happen next can bring about a variety of emotions. When there is something we’re excited about like taking a vacation or visiting with a loved one we experience positive anticipation. Savoring the expectation is one way of enhancing and expanding your good feelings. They easily carry forward to the participation stage and can extend beyond that too.

However, when we are nervous about something like organizing and addressing our clutter issues, anticipation can make us anxious. Under these circumstances, getting to the participation stage can be more challenging. There is an opportunity to change our experience. Positive emotions can arrive in the doing phase when you allow yourself to activate and accomplish the problematic “next.”

Imagine an Anticipation of Next scale from 1 to 10.

10 = “I’m so excited that I can’t wait for next!”

1 = “I’m petrified for next.”

Anticipation is always part of next. How we view it depends upon the situation and the perspective we bring. This is subjective, but in the list below, can you guess what number each is on the Anticipation of Next scale?

Here are some “next” things I am anticipating:

  • Learn to play the ukulele

  • Prepare for leading an organizing workshop

  • Write spring organizing newsletter

  • Redo our front walk and driveway

  • Schedule annual doctor appointments

Participation in Next

Once we’ve thought about next, we enter the doing phase. We are no longer just contemplating what will happen, we are engaging in what we had been expecting. Practicing mindfulness during this stage is useful. Notice what is happening. Is it different or similar to what you anticipated? How do your thoughts inform your experience of this phase? How does it feel to be immersed in doing after a prolonged suspense? What surprised you?

Imagine a Participation in Next scale from 1 to 10.

10 = “It was incredible and exceeded my expectation!”

1 = “It was a waste of my energy and time.”

It’s possible to get stuck in the anticipation phase to the degree that we never move on to the participation part. Our perspective and feelings during anticipation time is a crucial factor. Some next steps are easier to get to than others. This is subjective, but in the list below, can you guess what number each item is on the Participation in Next scale?

These are some “next” things I recently participated in:

  • Interviewed on WNYC

  • Took a ukulele workshop

  • Celebrated my mom’s 90th birthday

  • Sent our 2018 tax information to the accountant

  • Attended a mind/body workshop

The anticipation of and participation in next create opportunities for growth, positivity, and mindfulness. What have you experienced about next? Have you ever gotten stuck in the anticipation phase? Is it useful to consider the two “next” scales? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation! 

How to Climb Mountains to Boost Your Motivation

As I’m just back from our summer vacation in Maine, I have to admit that my motivation to jump into regular activities (like writing and working on the next projects) hasn’t quite kicked in yet. Vacation mode of waking up without an alarm, wearing no watch, spending uninterrupted time with my family, and exploring new places continues to permeate my heart and mind.

I don’t know about you, but I like to give myself one full day post-vacation to unpack, do laundry, return calls, go through snail mail and email before resuming my normal pace. As I settle in to write this post, I have a vacation motivation experience I’d like to share with you.

I wouldn’t describe myself as athletic.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy a long walk, swimming or an occasional bike ride, but you won’t find me actively engaged in sports. I prefer gentle exercise and stretching.

How Three Mountains Boosted Motivation

Mohegan Island

During this vacation, there was a lot of exploring. We walked all over. Maine is such a gorgeous place with beautiful seascapes, rocky shores, and wonderfully lush terrain. For those that love to hike, it’s a paradise. Before our children joined us mid-week, my husband and I took an easy hike to the top of Monhegan Island. What a gorgeous, magical place. No cars are allowed on the island. It’s quiet and peaceful with an abundance of wildflowers gracing the hills. If you ever have a chance to travel there, which involves a ferry ride, definitely go.

While I was huffing and puffing a little bit, I made it to the top of the cliff. We sat and enjoyed our lunch. There were amazing views several hundred feet above sea level of blue sky above and water crashing against the shore below. The sun was bright. Sounds of rushing waves and seagulls squawking could be heard. One seagull decided to accompany us for lunch as we sat on the cliff’s edge. I think he was hoping for some scraps.

Cadillac Mountain

A few days later, the family took a trip to Acadia National Park. Our first stop was Cadillac Mountain with breathtaking 360-degree views of Mount Desert Island.  We did some walking off of the path and onto the sides of the cliffs. It was fairly easy, although you had to watch your footing. 

Champlain Mountain

Following that we took a longer hike to the top of Champlain Mountain. It was a 2.2-mile round trip hike, which seemed doable. We thought it was going to be on level ground and relatively easy. None of us realized beforehand that the hike was an uphill climb on uneven paths and involved vertically climbing the rocks at some points. Remember before when I said I wasn’t athletic? So as you might imagine, this was especially challenging for me. Our kids and their partners (30 years younger,) climbed easily and were way ahead of my husband and I. While I kept going, taking short breaks as needed, I was getting physically tired and wasn't sure I could make it to the top. Doubt set in.

Every so often, one of the kids would double back to check on us. Or, they’d call out to encourage us that we were getting close and almost there. At one point, my husband asked me if I wanted to stop and head back down. He knew I was having a hard time. However, I knew I was closer to the top than the bottom. I was determined and motivated to meet the family at the top. The last stretch was especially challenging, as it was almost a straight climb up without shade on sometimes-slippery rocks.

My husband climbed behind me to make sure I was OK. But I was slowing up even more. I asked him to climb in front of me to help give me the visual motivation and pacing that I needed to reach the top. We finally arrived. The kids were waiting and cheered us on.  The views were incredible and well worth the effort. 

So what kept me motivated to keep going?

There were a few things . . .

First there was the accountability piece: people were waiting for me. Secondly, the goal was within reach. It required that I push myself beyond my normal limits to get there. Isn’t that often the case? We’re so close to our goal and then we just give up. Yet when we do push through, it feels exhilarating. Lastly, there was the celebration. The woohooing, cheering and picture taking helped to commemorate the goal. When we’re struggling with motivation, our goal isn’t always so clear. The next time I’m feeling challenged, I’m going to conjure up images of climbing Champlain Mountain along with that wonderful feeling of making it to the top. We often need to reach beyond our comfort zone to arrive at our destination.

Do you have an image or story that you use to help motivate you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!