Change is in the air…
No matter what stage of life you’re in, the end of summer is a time of transition. During the month of August parents will be getting children ready for the new school year. Many folks will be on vacation thinking about the return to home, work and ‘real’ life. Lots of teens will be leaving home and heading off to college. And still other folks may be dreaming about how to use retirement to enrich their lives come fall. What do they all have in common? An organized plan will make all these transitions a bit easier.
Let me ask you a few questions:
- Is your environment chock full of miscellaneous stuff?
- Has it been your modus operandi to be late to every appointment?
- Do you make a mental plan to make each September the start of a new cycle in your life only to habitually fall into the same old/same old routines?
- Is t difficult for you to imagine success in your new endeavors?
If you answered ‘yes,’ to any or all of these questions, take heart. You’re in the majority of readers. Let’s take a quick look at some ways to shake up the routines that have run your life up until now.
A bit of journaling will uncover the reasons for the ‘stockpile of stuff.’ I’ve got journal prompts for every area of the home in One Year to an Organized Life. Why should you spend time examining the past? Because until you lay down new mental tracks, you are inclined to allow the old causes to produce the same effects. It’s basic psychology. It’s powerful. And it’s in your hands to change.
This fall will be given to you only once. This is not a dress rehearsal. Perhaps it was my experience with cancer eight years ago that makes me so acutely aware of the precious nature of each moment. Don’t wait for chemotherapy, an accident, a death in the family or any life emergency to drive this point home. Make a plan. What do you want or need to accomplish? What are the individual steps you will have to take to make this goal a reality? As you look at the steps, do you have what it takes? Are you strong enough to do the work? Have you met the underlying financial demands? Should you postpone or charge ahead? Make a plan and honor it. You’ll always have the memories from this time to remind of you of the fall you finally took control of your life.
Take a look at the practical side of life. Are you spending too much time at various social media forums? Are you going to bed late and over sleeping? Do you rush out the door with a donut in your mouth in the morning? A little planning and a dash of self-control can literally change your day-to-day experience making you more productive and powerful. Why not give it a whirl for 21 days and see if you like the benefits?
The Siren Song of September
Next month we’re on the inevitable march to the long, holiday season. Allow the natural energy that fills your mind and body when you realize that fall is coming to infuse you with a drive to be more productive, healthier and happier than you have ever been. An organized environment will enhance your journey. It will provide a springboard for greater accomplishment, joy and meaning. What have you got to love but your old fears and that same old/same old routine that’s boring you to tears?
