©IBKimage2017

Happy New Year 2019

My purpose with this blog and in general is to offer insight and encouragement in life’s transitions. To do that this time I’m remembering a time that I was a professional organizer When I started I helped people organize their offices, houses, garages … by helping them to set up systems to be more productive and to make room by managing their “stuff” in an effective way. I’d shop for products that would help clients contain their items and have less clutter, or more organized clutter. When people heard that I was a P.O. they’d often get a bit nervous or make comments that indicated they had often felt judged for being disorganized. My standard answer was that effective organization was not about being a “neat freak” but having a simple system that allowed a way to find and track things so that it would be easier to find what was needed when we needed it and so on.

It didn’t take long to realize that there was really a much more fundamental reason to address some issues around organizing. Yes having good tools and systems worked to often “busy our way through things” as a friend recently stated … but effective organization affects our relationships and gives us opportunities to make room to discern what is perhaps hiding in our heart that we’d love to explore and act on.

So with that background I’d like to share some thoughts to help us discern what it is that we might want to start making room for in our lives this year? (For those who are dealing with deep grief because of loss of loved ones or other losses your transition in this season will offer challenges that go far beyond what I’m sharing today.)

If we can’t say no, we can’t say yes to something that we might be wanting to address in this season. New beginnings or endings when thought about or acted on allow new perspective and opportunity. Adapt to the season you’re in … don’t try to be more than you need to be,(or less) just be who you are. Making room implies more space … what are you going to choose to allow to enter into that space … take your time. How would you like to spend this year,day,moment,to honor your commitment to what brings you joy and contentment? What would you like to discover, plan,create and solve personally or professionally? Who would you like to spend more time with this year? What is the next action I can take to improve my relationship with others … and perhaps we can all reflect on the grace of new beginnings and ask how we can contribute to reduce the turmoil in our land and agree to disagree with respect

Our duck in today’s image has the ability to be who it is by design and function and doesn’t need a lot of ‘stuff’ … my oh my what a peaceful reflection. (and moments later duck was back with the others) May you experience joy and peace in your reflections.
IBK