Working with your guides

How Do You Define Yourself?

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Decision making, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises, Staying focused , , , ,

An “Are You A Preppie?” poster came out my first year of college. I had never heard the term “preppie” – then looked around me at the University of Virginia and realized I was surrounded by them. Was I a preppie? No. But would my choice of college tell others I was? Probably.

Like it or not, you’re defined to a great measure by the groups you choose to be part of or choose to not be part of. At UVa, I knew that preppie wasn’t my crowd, but they appeared to be the leaders and I like running things, so could I try to fit in? Continue reading →

Stepping from one stone to the next

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Have you ever found yourself racing through life. And then something happens that brings you to a halt and you realize you never intended to be where you are. Or to be doing what you’re doing. Or to be acting like you’re acting. Somehow you got to this point. How did that happen?

In Julia Cameron’s book The Vein of Gold, she talks about plotting the major stepping stones in your life. Plotting out your stepping stones is particularly helpful if you feel in need of making a change and aren’t sure what direction you want to go.

What were key turning points where you made a decision that pushed you to change direction? Or maybe you didn’t decide – sometimes fate decides for you with illness. Or an accident. Or perhaps you had a move, job, or relationship change that was beyond your control. Continue reading →

Who is the Crazy Maker in your life?

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I just returned from a weekend at the Kripalu Center in Western Massachusetts. The class I took was on Creative Myths and Monsters and was taught by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way. I have all sorts of ideas to pass on to you but will start with the last discussion we had – talking about the Crazy Makers in your life.

What’s a crazy-maker? Think about someone in your life who may be charismatic, charming, and persuasive, but who also: Continue reading →

The Science of Meditation

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , , , ,

New scientific studies on meditation liken it to a workout for your brain. When you pair meditation with a healthy lifestyle, what can’t you accomplish? And, if you look at exercise, eating right, and meditation as three legs of a healthy lifestyle stool, meditation takes the least amount of time and effort. You just need to carve out a quiet moment to get started.

Still not sure? Ponder this. Science says meditation can help you:

  • Improve your memory
  • Hone your focus
  • Increase your brain size and density
  • Increase blood flow to your brain
  • Decrease your blood pressure
  • Regulate your emotions
  • Release antibodies
  • Decrease stress
  • Improve your mood
  • Be less bothered by physical pain

Continue reading →

The Room Around You

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Last week, I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to see Matisse in the Studio. The exhibit shows the objects Matisse had on display in his studio and how they influenced his art. The exhibit was beautiful – which I expected. What I didn’t expect was an “ah ha” reminder of how important it is to surround yourself with things you think are cool, that make your happy, and that inspire you.

On the left is a part of a gorgeous “curtain” Matisse had in his studio to cover a large window. Imagine how the light in Nice, France would have beamed in through these cut-outs and how that might have inspired his cut-out art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading →

How can you help?

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When I talk to people about organizational issues, many ask me what they can do to help friends, family, or co-workers who are disorganized. My suggestion is that they get their own lives organized, lead by example, and not worry about others. When you’re organized and you’re getting things done, your energy is infectious which is a great way to raise the energy of others around you.

That being said, it’s also vitally important that you be helpful. That you mentor and coach when you’re asked. And that you reach out and lend a hand even when you’re not asked. Continue reading →

Choosing energy

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s so easy to waste time. Look at all the temptations! TV, Netflix, Facebook, email, computer games, movies, parties, magazines… What’s your poison?

Distractions can be fun and have social elements to them, but are they the best use of your time?

It’s hard to hold the line, once and for all because your time demands and needs change. For me, the #1 reason to not do an activity is if I lose energy even thinking about it. Continue reading →

The Book of Coincidences

organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused, Travel tips, Working with your guides , , , ,

A few years ago, I was driving home from a business trip and asked my travel guides for a place to pull off the road to get water, a cup of tea, and a clean bathroom. I expected to see Mecca at each bend in the road but nothing appeared. As I started to doubt my guides – and my sanity at asking travel guides for help – I happened on Chester, Vermont. With just a slight turn off the road, I was in an awesome little town with a general store that had fresh baked goods, water, tea, and a nice bathroom. It was all I’d asked for and more.

There were a couple of shops along Main Street so after I finished my tea, I took a stroll. I pushed open the heavy door of a small independent bookstore and a jingle above the door greeted me. Inside, I breathed the air of a real bookstore with wide-plank flooring and rows and rows of interesting books. Continue reading →

Starting a “love to do” list

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Organizational Exercises, Setting organizational priorities, Working with your guides , , , , , ,

Want to have some fun and get a bump of energy?

Grab a piece of a paper and a pen and brainstorm a “love to do” list. This is a list of 20 things you’d love to do but aren’t doing now. If 20 is easy, go for 30. Or 40. My experience is that the last few things I struggle to add to the list are often the most interesting. Continue reading →