So here we all are; creative, spirited beings, each endowed with our own unique set of skills and talents that are just waiting to be shared with the world yet we don’t do it! Instead, we hold back or hide what it is that only we can create and share. We choose each and every distraction that comes our way, create excuses for waiting and procrastinating and spin ourselves around in circles just so we won’t have to step out of the rabbit hole.

Why do we do this? Is it because we lack courage? The courage to step away from the herd, the courage to be different, to be bold, to open up and share who we really are, the courage to be seen, to be noticed, the courage to stand out?! Standing out means we may not only be noticed but also be talked about, even judged or critizised. Is it the fear of judgement that holds us back or is it something other than that? Is this fear even real? Is it the perceived enormity of the task or overall goal that holds us back? Does it feel too big, will it take too long or be too difficult? Do we feel we lack needed resources or that we do not have necessary skills?

Whatever the ‘story’ is, it is just that… a story! We can choose to step out of it and into a different story. All creative artists and entrepreneurs have had to get their boldness on and dare to step out and stand out! The very gifted singer, Adele admits she has stage fright right before going on stage, event to the point of having tried to escape from a venue and throwing up before a show. Still, she says; “the bigger the freak-out, the more I enjoy the show!”

So what’s the worst that can happen if you follow your dreams and decide to DO and BE everything you are meant to BE? How horrible would that really be? How wonderful would that be? What can you do to step above and beyond whatever it is that you’ve been allowing to hold you back? How about looking that fear or story of fear in the eye and see how ‘small’ it really is compared to be ‘bigness’ of you. Is it time for you to stand on your own stage? When will you go for it?! Working with a great life coach can help you get to where you want to BE and BE-ing who you want to BE. Are you ready to step up your game!?

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” -Ambrose Redmoon

There are sayings that start with; “blessed are the simple…” and whether they end with ’simple in heart’ or ’simple in mind’ there is great truth in those words. It seems that the people who suffer the most are not necessarily the ones who are living in the poorest of situations but the ones who THINK the most.

It so happens that we have this neat, little organ in our heads that we call our brain and it really, truly likes to think! Which in principle is perfect for that is exactly what it is designed to do. Our brain does its job so well that it can even do it without noticing what it is doing and without seeing its job as ‘a job’. Our brain is continually scanning, reading and interpreting whatever reaches its way through the stimuli’s of sight, sound, touch and smell.

The glitch in this otherwise perfectly designed system is that it is so perfect in fact that we often may not know how to use it. Instead of us using our brain as the clever and productive organ that it is, we end up finding ourselves being ‘used by our brains’. If we buy into, believe and react to every whimsical notion that will inevitably be produced by this amazing organ, we will be nothing more than slaves to our creative minds. But, why worry about that! “Worry is a misuse of the imagination”.

Instead, it may be time to fundamentally examine where your thoughts are coming from. Even the simplest of thoughts come from somewhere. Our sensors are influenced by our own unique perspectives or the filter from which we in essence view our lives from. Our perspectives are based on our past experiences and it seems accurate to state that none of us have had the same exact life experiences. We are born into different countries, cultures, families, values, and beliefs and in effect have quite a few filters through which we are taught to view the world. So who is to say that your specific perspective is the absolute true perspective? Is it possible that your brain plays many tricks on you?

Over-thinking, over-analyzing, and over-identifying with your thoughts will only lead to unhappiness. If you did not have the thoughts you have now, how would you be feeling differently? Could it be that everything in your life is really perfect and wonderful but your filter is flawed and blurry?

Byron Katie says; “Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it… it’s just easier if you do.”

Byron Katie’s famous teachings called “The Work” asks people to examine limiting thoughts by asking the following four questions:

1. Is it true? (That is the ‘thought’ or the ‘belief’? If the answer is “No,” move to #3)
2. Can you absolutely know (for certain) that it’s true?
3. How do you react, and what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you BE without the thought? (How would NOT having this thought feel?)
Turn the thought around. (Restate the thought by turning it around such as “My mother doesn’t love me” to “My mother loves me” or even to “I don’t love me”)
Find three genuine examples of how the turnaround is as true or truer in your life.
Can you find other turnarounds?
How are these turnarounds true in your life?
Give examples.

Byron Katie’s “The Work” is actually a very simple, yet effective way of examining your thoughts and limiting beliefs. If you want more information about The Work you can visit www.TheWork.com. For a free excerpt from her book The Work you can click here.

So what are YOU really, truly thinking??!!

We all have dreams, plans and aspirations yet sometimes have a tendency to forget, in the hustle and bustle of every day living, that each and ever day is a gift threaded with the opportunity to create our future.  Who we are and what we do creates the life we live.  So who do you have to BE today and what do you want to DO to HAVE the life you wish to live?  As all good things tend to take some time and effort to manifest an important question to ask ourselves each and every day is; “What do I want to create today?”  Instead of becoming wrapped up in the ‘small’ things or overwhelmed by the ‘big’ things when we have a clear focus of what The Dream is we can break our dreams down into manageable components and incrementally create what we desire.  The life most of us want to HAVE is simply BE-ing who we truly are and DO-ing what we truly enjoy doing.  So how can this day, today, be used to create the future you desire?  What changes can you make today? What relationships can you build today and what actions can you DO today?  The present moment is the only moment you have full control over.  With a present state of mind, clear focus and genuine intent of creating “The Dream” you can manifest anything you desire.  It all starts today!

It is said that people fall into one of two categories when it comes to their approach to LIFE. You can either be a Victim or an Owner.

Many great authors have written several books on this topic, one being Steve Chandler.

So how do you spot an Owner and/or a Victim? And which category do you fall into?

Here are some clear distinctions between victims and owners:

• Victims take no responsibility while Owners take full responsibility for their happiness and success in life.
• Victims like to tell you their sad stories but Owners focus on success stories.
• Victims talk about what happened to them in life and how that “made” them feel … Owners may tell you about their life experiences to emphasize what they’ve learned.
• Victims complain and complain, and usually complain some more … Owners learn, and learn and learn some more.
• Victims believe other people have control or are in control of their lives but Owners know they are in FULL control of theirs.
• Victims are generally unhappy with where they are and how their lives are progressing but Owners are happy with where they are and where they’re headed.
• Victims can make up and have many excuses for where, why and how they are while Owners do not use or buy into excuses.
• Victims focus on all the things that can, and probably will go wrong… so why bother trying … while Owners focus on creative steps and solutions.
• Victims REACT to whatever comes along, Owners use what happens to CREATE some more.
• Victims come from a place of FEAR! … Owners come from a place of LOVE.

What is your choice? Fear or Love?

“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”

- Michelangelo

“Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.”

–James Allen

As a business owner, creative entrepreneur, wife and mother, I am intrigued by all methods and tools that help me, as well as my clients in living our authentic lives in balance and harmony.

I am all for mindfulness, living in the now, and enjoying life to the fullest, but let’s face it; everyday life in a busy world requires much more than the act of being present. Whether we like it or not we all have to think about our future, and plan it to some extent. Waking up, getting dressed, preparing meals, raising our children, cleaning the house, doing laundry, paying the bills, shopping for necessities, exercising, going to work, having a productive day, responding to our clients, and creating the groundwork for our next step in life and in business…. well, all this and more involves future-minded planning efforts.

As much as I love being in a simplified, clean, calm and organized home, getting it to that point, meaning the cleaning and tidying part, is not exactly on my top ten list of favorite things to do. I would not exactly label myself as a ‘domestic goddess’ and I would much rather be fully calm and present with a great book or even sit in front of the computer doing research, communicating with others, or writing about whatever, or simply goofing off and having fun with my kids, hiking, dancing and singing. But, since all those pleasantly creative and leisurely activities do not provide me with the surroundings I love living and creating in, I consciously choose to get off my butt every now and again and get to work on creating the environment of my dreams!

Although, my ego sometimes dreads the thought of cleaning and organizing, once I am “on it” I can’t help but feel energized by the creative power that starts flowing through me and from me. Not to mention the bliss I get from getting to live in the results of my labor. A simple surrounding helps my overly active mind calm down and be present and I feel more energetic and creative which positively affects all areas of my life. So, every now and again, the ‘domestic goddess’ has to be called upon to whip things into shape!

A crucial component to finding balance and calm in your home or workspace is committing to simplicity. When our spaces are cluttered, our minds are cluttered and we are bombarded with stimulating reminders of the things we ‘should’ be doing or ‘should’ get to, making it hard to focus on whatever it is we are doing in the moment. Getting your surroundings simplified and organized can do more for your emotional well-being than a long relaxing trip to an exotic island because you are creating an environment that affects you in your everyday life, meaning every single day!

As an interior designer I have witnessed people completely transform as their surroundings get transformed. By simplifying your surroundings, you are destined to simplify your life!

Once you have a system in place the actual work of keeping it that way is not so hard, although definitely just as important. Getting your surroundings organized in the first place is the part that requires most of the planning and effort.

In case you are interested in embarking upon a simplification journey here is my personal 7 step model to tackling such a project:

1. Create an action plan. List out the rooms or areas that you want to have organized and write out some goals for the spaces. State what you want to achieve and how you will feel when you have achieved just that. Start with the most important room or area, predetermine the order that follows and work ONLY on one space at a time.

2. Commit to the process. Rome was not built in a day! Acknowledge that it is consistency with the small things that makes the biggest impact. Many small changes will create a BIG change. Just keep at it, commit to the process, one thing at a time and do not give up!

3. Get real with your time and decide how much time you can truly commit to doing the work. Whether it is a half hour a day or a couple of hours every few days, just make that time your “on it” time. Chances are you will get an even bigger ‘time reality check’ and get more skillful with your time management if you time yourself with a timer. We can learn a lot about how long things take to complete and how much we can get done in a certain amount of time if we apply a timing exercise. If you only have 15 minutes a day to work on organizing your spaces, then set the timer and use up those 15 minutes each and every day, one room at a time. Within a week or a month you will see an enormous difference and all it took was 15 minutes a day!

4. Make it fun. Setting the timer and treating this like a fun race can be lots of fun, and putting on some great music and singing and dancing while you are at it can make tidying and cleaning an extremely enjoyable experience!

5. Organize with these three steps in mind:
a. Sort and Purge. Get rid of everything that is unnecessary. Sort like things with like things. Only keep what you need and use on a regular basis. If you have not used something for more than 2 years, chances of you ever needing it again are very slim. Remember that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure so make sure to donate all useable items, and do not add to yet another landfill for no good reason.
b. Create zones and homes. When a “thing” has a home to go to at the end of the day it is much easier to keep things simplified and organized. Use logical systems such as placing ‘like with like’, storing things in areas you are most likely to use them, placing frequently used things within easy reach while seldom used items can move to harder to reach storage spaces, placing heavy stuff at the bottom, and lighter on top, storing things in appropriate containers, and just label, label, label.
c. Customize to make it fit YOU. Make your organization system work for the way YOU work and just be realistic with it. Research some organizational systems and invest in the right storage system and containers for YOU but only after you know exactly what you intend to do with it and how you intend to use it. Otherwise, you may just be adding containers and stuff to the clutter instead of actually organizing it.

6. Celebrate the Outcome. Make sure to value your accomplishment and celebrate the simplified surrounding. You just created a fresh start!

7. Maintain, maintain, maintain. It is easy to forget to ‘keep at it’ once the system is in place but maintaining is the most crucial aspect of living a simplified life in a simplified surrounding.
a. Create an action plan of how you are going to maintain the order and calmness. Do a daily/weekly/monthly action plan of things to tackle, such as sorting through the junk drawer & pantry once a month, sorting letters and filing important papers once a week, doing a 15 minute sweep-through each day etc.
b. Commit to the process. Just keep at it, clean and organize as you go, every little action makes a difference; it is consistency with the small things that makes the BIG impact.
c. Get real with your time and make it fun. The 15 minutes a day “laundry basket exercise” is immensely effective. It entails briskly walking through your spaces with a basket to grab all things that are out of place and then taking them back to their ‘homes’, perhaps while also blasting your favorite music or using the exercise to have a fun race with your kids, seeing who can pick up the most toys and stuff or clear a room the quickest.
d. Use the trip. This is a simple, little, mindful technique that I personally use to simplify my efforts and maximizing my ‘trips’. It entails doing a short, little peak-over the room that I am in when I am off getting something or doing something to see if there is anything in the room that does not belong there and lives in an area I might be going back to or passing by on my way to where it is I am going next. The simple act of being ‘mindful and noticing’ can save you a lot of time and help you prevent the buildup of clutter in the first place.

As contradictory as it may sound after such an outline of ‘how-to’s’ it is also important to not get over-consumed with organization and feel as if you have to keep everything ‘perfect’ all the time. ‘Stuff happens’ and it can actually happen quite quickly. We all have different preferences for aesthetics and different tolerances for clutter in our surroundings, and we all operate differently. Personally, I may be on the somewhat extreme end of the spectrum in that I simply love complete simplicity and would like nothing more than to have a totally clear and calm house and office with every little thing out of sight and in its place. But, the truth is that this is contradictory to how I actually operate which is often moving quickly from one thing to the next, not wrapping up the last thing I was working on before I am off floating along with my creative power, capturing my latest idea while it is with me. In addition to my creative philosopher-artist personality I also share a home with two active and creative kids who can move very quickly and go from one project and experiment to the next one so clutter can actually accumulate quite quickly in our home. And, since it is my conscious choice to be a pretty laid back mom, I do not allow myself get bent out of shape about every little thing that is out of place. Hence, our commitment is to stick to our system of consistently cleaning up after ourselves ‘after the fact’. As a result, the 15 minute ‘laundry basket exercise’ is a regular exercise at our house and those 15 minutes can literally create a major transformation! Mere 15 minutes a day is usually all the time needed to put everything back in its place. The thing is that when we have no more stuff than we actually use and need, and every little ‘thing’ has a ‘home’, it is really no big deal to have it all go out of its place for a while because the system you’ve created ensures that putting it back in its place again will be fast and easy!

With mindfulness, creativity and commitment you can easily create simplicity, balance and calmness in your surroundings and in your life. Then, all that is left is sitting down in your beautiful, serene place with a warm cup of tea and an awesome book… and just enjoy!

“These days even instant gratification takes too long”