Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Getting unstuck...

Clutter is stuck energy. The word "clutter" derives from the Middle English word "clotter," which means to coagulate - and that's about as stuck as you can get. ~~~Karen Kingston

This quote came to mind during my evening meditation. (I posted it recently on my Facebook business page for Edited Space.)
Right after that, I thought of my friend, S, who reminds me to "open your heart chakra!"
There's a connection.

My meditation teacher uses an analogy (he has a few really great ones, actually), where he asks us to visualize an old garden hose lying in a muddy puddle. Dirt and debris and other unwanted items have caused the hose to become clogged. The only way to clear the clogged hose is to run clean water through it. At first, the water just comes out in a muddy stream...doesn't appear to be working, huh? The thing is, it takes time to loosen all that clutter; but if you keep running a steady stream of water through the hose, eventually the water will run clean. You have to trust the process.

He compares our negative thoughts to the mud & debris in that old hose. Sometimes, these unwanted thoughts, behaviors, habits have become so embedded in our lives that they have 'coagulated' and become stuck. We can only flush them out by introducing healthy, positive replacements.But first, some housecleaning is necessary...we have to clear out the old stuff to make room for the new. It could get messy...but it's worth the effort!
So, take that first step: identify something that you can do TODAY to start the process of clearing out that clogged part of your life. Make room for something new...something better than what was there before.

Your life cannot flow easily if you have obstacles blocking the way...clear the way...keep it open...take a deep breath and...go!

Give yourself a little room to...breathe!



Saturday, July 24, 2010

Storms...

So, unless you are a REALLY deep sleeper, you might have noticed that we had a little rain last night...
in fact, what we had was more along the lines of a crazy downpour, complete with big BOOMS of thunder and brilliant flashes of lightning!
It was INTENSE!

As I sit in front of my trusty Mac this morning, I started thinking about how clean everything looks after a big storm. It occurred to me that there was an analogy in there...sometimes, we have to endure the process of working through a mess in order to emerge renewed. You could apply this line of thinking to any number of situations, from a cluttered physical space, such as a closet or home office, to a messy relationship that is hard to break free from.

I spent yesterday afternoon with a new friend, and over coffee and dessert, we started sharing incidents from our pasts. So many of us have shared similar life experiences...the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thankfully, my friend and I have both learned that we can choose to stay stuck in the past, pointing fingers and blaming others, or we can move on. For me, making the choice to move on often means that I have learned a lesson from the experience and will, hopefully, not make the same mistake in the future. It also means that I have come out on the other side of an often painful, usually messy situation as a different person. I have learned something about myself, and in that process, there has been a shift and I have changed.
I know in my life, things usually make sense in hindsight...I review my past and I can see how, seemingly unrelated events are actually connected and have led me to where I am today. I came to Chicago many years ago on a whim (one day I will share the story...it's a hoot!), but today I know that I needed to be here to meet the people I have met and have the experiences I have had (and some were NOT good) to have the life I have today. And for that, I am grateful.

So next time you find yourself in the middle of a storm, remember this...it will get messy but, if you keep moving forward, you will eventually come out the other side...and you may even see a rainbow!




Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Make room for....

...opportunity...change...growth...your life!

I am a professional organizer. I help people clear away clutter, purge excess "stuff", and devise a personalized system to make their home (or office) space work in an efficient manner. My intention is to carve out a peaceful and serene space in an otherwise hectic environment.
Clutter is more than an overabundance of possessions: clothes, books, papers. For some people, there are other implications: compulsive behavior, self-preservation, addiction. I make no claim to be a medical professional, but I have had experience with compulsive behaviors. I have found that over-spending and, in extreme cases, "hoarding", often mask a deeper issue. For some, surrounding themselves with "stuff" acts like a child's security blanket...it makes them feel safe. What I know is that without addressing the root cause, the compulsive behavior will continue, often manifesting in other ways.

I am a teeny bit controlling...ok, I admit it. I like pretty things and I like order. From time to time, I get a bee in my bonnet and need to reorganize my closets...sometimes in the middle of the night. Call me crazy, but I enjoy it. Why am I holding on to those pretty, 4" heels? I haven't worn shoes like that in years! What I have learned is that by releasing my grip on things that are no longer useful or relevant to my current situation, I make room for new things...literally and figuratively. The world opens up, bit by bit...

Try this...can you let go of one thing today? One book? One pair of shoes? One negative thought?
There...that wasn't so hard. Do you feel like you can breathe just a little easier?







Sunday, July 18, 2010

Oh, happy day!

OK...today was just so fabulous I had to share...
sometimes, all the stars line up just right and, with no help from me (translated: I get out of the way and just let things happen), things work out better than I could have ever expected.

Now, some people may not get all giddy over a day that ends with sharing my absolute favorite gelato with friends....but I am NOT one of those people!
Dinner was planned weeks ago...and it was pretty darn good. Even had a little history lesson thrown in. Plus, my very best friend stopped by so I could get a big smooch from my favorite 5 1/2 year old before they boarded the plane to go back home. But then...a very wise friend suggested that we go to my very favorite gelateria for dessert. How much can one girl take in a single day? And guess what? My absolute favorite flavor was featured in today's selection!!
Holy cow!
I have learned to appreciate grace in its many forms...even when it shows up in a little ice cream cup. I didn't always know how to do that...recognize grace in my life. I used to think that grace had to show up BIG...now I know better. Sometimes grace is as simple as the way my cat snuggles with me when he knows I'm home for the night and he has me all to himself.
I have come to believe that miracles are all around us, just waiting to be noticed. Some may not agree with me...that's OK. What I know is that taking the time to acknowledge and appreciate these little miracles makes me happy.
Interesting phenomenon: the more I appreciate them, the more I seem to notice. Funny how that works, huh?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Do-over

SO....my first week in blog-land has been pretty weak. I am not making a very good first impression....my apologies. I am still getting the hang of this stuff!

First, what is the purpose of this blog? Initially, I planned to use this as a forum to share organization tips and promote my home and office organization business, Edited Space. Upon reflection, I decided that I wanted this to be more than just...that.
Edited Space began as a way for me to help others restore order to their lives by eliminating the excess "stuff" that one accumulates over the course of a lifetime. As it has developed, the business has evolved into a way to create some room to "breathe"...both literally and figuratively. As such, I have decided that I would like this blog to address this concept of creating "breathing room" in our lives.
Obviously, each of us has a different idea of what room to breathe looks like: a bubble bath, a walk on the beach, dancing in the grass at an outdoor concert...the options are endless and as individual and perfect as each one of us.

So, my intention for this blog is to be a mix of things that bring a smile to my face and make me say..."ah!"
That's "breathing room"...and I look forward to sharing this with you!


Friday, July 9, 2010

Welcome.....

Thanks for joining me on my first blog...I'm looking forward to taking this journey with you...

and away we GO!