Last week, someone asked me why I started Organizational Habits. I was pondering this while out walking along the rocky Maine shore and thought the landscape perfectly illustrated my “why”.

Whether you are trying to get organized, are forming a new habit, or are seeking a new path, here are 12 steps you don’t want to miss.

1. Study the mess. It’s your mess in all it’s beauty. If it seems impassable or unfixable, shout out a big “thank you”. The mess is here for a reason. Give it a good look.
2. Then take a step. Eckhart Tolle teaches that “small steps lead to greatness.” You don’t need to think about greatness now – you just need to think about the first small step. When you’re starting something new, it helps to have the long vision but please pay attention, right now, to the next rock you’re stepping onto.
3. If you can’t see a path, still take a step. Sometimes the path is elusive until you’re on it – then it appears in front of you, but only one step at a time.
4. If you reach a dead-end, pause for a breath until you see the path again. And as they say on the airplanes, please remember that the nearest exit may be behind you. Sometimes you have to backtrack to move forward.
5. Look for “slides” – smooth areas where you can pick up the pace and relax. Just know that some slides help get you through the jumble quicker – and some get you off your path!
6. Don’t forget to admire the beauty along the way.
7. Please note that when you’re climbing over a pile of rocks, you will slip from time to time and get scraped up. It’s scary when that happens and it’s all part of the journey. Trust that you will mend. You’re on an adventure! Forge ahead.
8. Pause to meditate along the way. Stretch. Take a breath. Ask for help. Listen to your guides.
9. Avoid slimy areas. Stick to the high road even when it’s rougher.
10. The first time you take a new path it looks strange. The next time you walk the path it will look a little more familiar. And the next time, strange rocks become friends, you know which dead ends and slimy pits to avoid, and you know the peaks that are worth climbing. Organization begets more organization. Journeys and quests are a series of steps. New habits are formed by repetition.
11. Have fun as you take in the good and the bad. You learn equally from both.
12. Remember that life is the journey, not the destination. What will you learn, and what beauty will you find along the way? Until you seek out a new path, you’ll never know.

I walk this specific path a lot and am still surprised at what I find. Here were two gifts this morning – a smiling rock someone decorated with a rosehip – and a hidden shadow heart. Sending you organizational love and gratitude from the rocks of Maine.