There will always be tasks to do, projects to complete, and calls, texts, or emails to return. These can be motivation drivers. However, they can also derail and de-motivate. You can burn out when you’re constantly doing and striving without breaks or spaciousness.

Do you feel overwhelmed by your to-do lists, incomplete projects, and things you ‘should’ be doing?

I’ve been there, as have many of my clients, family, and friends. Surprisingly, one antidote to doing too much is to slow down. This may seem counter-intuitive and a strange way to boost motivation. However, it’s not just about taking a break from your list.

Make time to savor life and engage in restorative activities that replenish your energy.

Savoring Life

What works will be different for each person. For me, savoring and slowing down include:

• Getting enough sleep

• Meditating

• Refusing to rush

• Going away and changing my environment

• Practicing yoga

• Spending time with family and friends

• Having alone time

• Journaling

• Showering

• Being on or near water

• Getting a massage or pedicure

• Eating juicy summer fruit

• Slowing sipping an iced coffee or tea

• Sitting in the sun

• Exploring new places

• Setting boundaries

• Leaning into and being present in the moment

A Japanese Concept

Do you know about yutori? According to DailyOM™, yutori is “a Japanese concept of spaciousness. It refers to slowing down to simply breathe, and savor life – intentionally creating space to relax and reflect without being under constant pressure.”

How would integrating yutori into your life benefit you?

Motivation Cycles

I’m a doer and a completer. I love setting goals and accomplishing them. The first six months of this year were especially active. And guess what? I needed a break from that intensity, which I knew the summer would bring. My pace is slower even though I’m still actively working with organizing clients and on several projects.

This summer, I intentionally created more space for restorative, nourishing activities in addition to work. My latest motivation-restoring adventures include going to the beach, exploring new museums, listening to live music, and eating a delicious treat.  

“Make time to savor life and engage in restorative activities that replenish your energy.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4 Ways to Restore Motivation

1. Being by the Sea

Waves in. Waves out. The sound of the ocean waves moving forward and backward along the sandy shore is soothing. The sun warms my skin as slight breezes and cool water prevent me from overheating. By the sea, there is no agenda, no lists to take care of. Time stretches as I wiggle my toes in the sand.

2. Exploring New and Old Places

My husband and I visited the Queens Museum and Flushing Meadow Corona Park this weekend.

The Queens Museum is located on the Flushing Meadow Corona Park grounds, where the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs were held. I was there 60 years ago for the World’s Fair and have spotty yet happy memories of going with my family.

Steve and I walked the grounds, marveled at the 700,000-pound stainless steel Unisphere, talked about our childhood World’s Fair memories, and were wowed by the Panorama, a scaled cityscape model of the five New York City boroughs.

The exploration didn’t end there. We ventured on to another area of Queens.

3. Learning and Listening

Our next stop was the Louis Armstrong House Museum. We had a wonderful tour of his house, explored the museum, and, in Armstrong’s garden, heard a fantastic jazz quartet with Jon-Erik Kellso playing the trumpet.

It reminded me how much I love hearing live music. I grew up in a house full of musicians. People were always playing, practicing, learning, teaching, composing, jamming, and performing. Watching and listening to musicians share their gifts is so joyful. I had a positive, visceral response to being outside and hearing live music.

Louis Armstrong lived his life with passion, purpose, and generosity. It was moving and inspiring to be in his space, hear stories about his life, and listen to musicians embodying this rich tradition of jazz music.

4. Eating a Delicious Treat

The exploratory day was completed by dinner at a fantastic local Italian restaurant in Queens. However, before dinner, we ate dessert. It’s fun to shake things up sometimes.

Steve brought me to the famous Lemon Ice King of Corona to get ices. I was so excited! What’s not to love about a cold, refreshing dessert? The hardest part was choosing which flavor to get. They have over 50 options, although lemon ice is their most popular. They don’t mix flavors but will let you try one before you decide.

I ended up choosing cantaloupe ice, which was amazing! Steve got chocolate, which was also delicious. After dinner, we almost returned for seconds but were too full. We’ll return another time.

Motivation needs to be cultivated. Slowing down, savoring life, having new experiences, and giving yourself a break from life’s pressures is a great way to do that. What helps you restore your motivation?

If you need help restoring motivation and getting organized, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Reaching your goals is possible, especially with support.

What is your relationship to change? Do you love change and readily seek it out? Or do you avoid change at all costs? It may depend on the situation. Your feelings about change are influenced by your capacity at any given moment. When you are stressed, overwhelmed, and with no energy or motivation, your capacity for change is low. However, when you’re excited and ready, even if you don’t have all the facts or steps, you have more capacity to seek changes and new opportunities.

It's important to know where you are and what you need. The outcome won’t be great if you try to make a significant change when you’re sleep-deprived and can’t think straight. At those times, instead of pushing beyond your capacity, it’s best to pull back and support what you need. That might mean more sleep, some quiet, or a walk outside.

When you’re ready to stretch and grow, pushing beyond your capacity will be possible. You can do things you’ve never done. This will require physical and emotional energy and mental toughness to stretch past your comfort zone.

“Your feelings about change are influenced by your capacity at any given moment. ”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

Monthly Sharing Retreat

Each month, I participate in a fantastic virtual retreat led by my wonderful friend and Clarity Coach, Yota Schneider. She creates a safe, supportive space for women to gather, meditate, write, and share.

On a recent retreat, the theme was capacity. I wrote this passage in my journal during our free-write after the meditation, which I’m sharing with you. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how intertwined capacity is with your ability for change.

Thoughts About Capacity

One thing is for sure. My mind has the capacity to go on in a bazillion directions thinking about capacity. Knowing that, I will take one of the tangents and go with it.

Milk Bottles

I thought about a bottle. I was filling up a bottle, like those old rectangular glass milk bottles delivered to the back kitchen door when I was a kid. As I filled up this bottle with clear liquid, guess what? There was a point when it was to the top, and then, in a moment, it was spilling over. To full, overflowing, beyond capacity. What a mess!

Conferences

Next thought. I thought about a professional conference I went to. It was jam-packed with three days of learning. Experts spoke about the brain, learning differences, chronic disorganization, and more. The presenters taught us for six to eight hours each day. Between learning and socializing, my brain was too full by the end of the day. I couldn’t think or formulate a coherent sentence. My intake for the night was beyond capacity. I felt like a soaked sponge that couldn’t absorb another drop. I knew it was time to retreat to the quiet of my hotel room.

Flaco

And lastly, there’s Flaco. He is a giant Eurasian owl born in captivity to parents who also were. He lived in New York City’s Central Park Zoo for over a decade. Then, one night, someone broke into his cage, and he escaped. However, because he was born in captivity, Flaco never learned to hunt or fend for himself. He could barely fly. His capacity was contained.

After his escape, incredible things happened. He became a fascination and inspiration to New Yorkers. One man has been documenting Flaco’s adventures this past year. Flaco, who has a six-foot wingspan, can now fly. He’s a fantastic hunter and can be spotted on tops of buildings or park benches. He stretched beyond his capacity and thrived. Who says owls can’t change?

Milk bottles, conferences, and giant owls. Sometimes, we feel limited by our capacity and must stop or retreat. At other times, we feel inspired to soar to new heights.

Knowing and honoring your capacity for both is the kindest gift you can give. Know when it’s necessary to pull back. Know when it’s time to reach beyond.

Flaco the Owl | Late Night with Seth Meyers

Your Capacity for Change

Locate yourself on the change-capacity scale. Is it time to step back or extend?

If you want assistance aligning your capacity with your change goals, I’d love to help. Please email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or click here to schedule a Discovery Call. Change is possible, especially with support.

At this reflective time of year, I love revisiting the past before moving ahead to the future. As part of this year-end review, I selected the best-loved organizing concepts of 2023, one from each month. I hope you discover or rediscover a seed idea that will bring inspiration and balance to your New Year.

Where will you focus to create organization and achieve your desired balance? Which people and projects will receive your time, energy, and attention? If you’re ready for a fresh start, embracing change, taking your next step, letting go, decluttering, enlisting help, and more, this is for you.

12 Hopeful and Best Loved Organizing Ideas of the Year

1. Fresh Start: Is Resistance Something That Has Paralyzed Your Fresh Start?

“What would it take?”

— Zoe Chance

2. Embrace Change: How to Make the Courageous Connection Between Risk and Change Really Helpful

“Making a change involves taking risks.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Next Step: How to Take One Next Step Now When You’re Feeling Unusually Overwhelmed

“Consider the big picture, yet approach it one small step at a time.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

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4. Letting Go: When Your Big Plate is Quickly Overflowing, Can You Let Go of One Thing?

“Is there simply ‘one thing’ you can let go of, reschedule, or delegate?”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

5. Clutter: What Kind of Overwhelming ‘Noise’ Does Your Clutter Actually Make?

“Clutter can create more stress and overwhelm than you realize.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

6. Time Management: One Absolutely Effective Time Crafting Strategy to Bring You Clarity

“Time passes in the blink of an eye.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

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7. Motivation: How to Revitalize Your Motivation Now Using Helpful Progress Principle Insights

“… of all forms of human motivation, the most effective one is progress.”

— Greg McKeown

8. Enlisting Help: 7 Ways to Joyfully Enlist Help Making Decisions When You’re Really Stuck

“When all else fails, flip a coin.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

9. Mindfulness: One Simple, Positive Way to Be More Mindful During Your Day

“We’re doing now, not next.”

— Twink McKenny

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10. Possibilities - One Remarkably Brave Question to Open the Door for Possibilities

“Does this belong in my life right now?”

— Juliet Landau-Pope

11. Wonderfully Human: What is the Value in Your Life of Appreciating More Spaciousness?

“The mosaic you create is the magnificent life you get to live.”

— Cassie Holmes, Ph.D.

12. Life Balance: 5 Positive Benefits of Creating More Balance for Happy Holidays

“When your balance wanders too far in one direction, it’s time to adjust.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

My deepest gratitude for being an integral part of this vibrant community. We’ve had an incredible year of conversations and sharing. You bring learning, growth, support, and inspiration to every exchange. Thank you for participating and sharing your best each week.

What inspired you this year? Which organizing concept resonates most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

When the world within and around you is drenched in chaos, how can you thrive? Humans are complicated beings. We can simultaneously hold profoundly opposite ideas, emotions, and thoughts. We can experience love and safety when wrapped in our loved one’s embrace. We can also experience intense pain when we hear news about wars, hate, displacement, and heartache. The hard stuff can weigh so heavily on you that it can feel impossible to thrive. You might even feel guilty about experiencing joy when there is so much suffering.

Several years ago, I listened to a conversation about opening and cultivating the human heart with Frank Ostaseki, co-founder of The Zen Hospice Project, and Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D., Buddhist teacher and Founder of Upaya Zen Center. One of the ideas that resonated with me then and even more now is that hope is essential, especially in a “time of radical uncertainty.” Hope is not about “sappy positivity,” bypassing the truth of suffering, or thinking that everything will be OK.

Thoughts About Hope

During the conversation, Ostaseki and Halifax shared their perspectives about hope:

• Hope helps us go beyond the rational.

• Hope can be the flip side of fear.

• Hope is not based on optimism.

• Hope is a surprise. It’s light and buoyant and not about a particular outcome.

• Hope reflects an understanding that what we do matters, even though we don’t know how, why, who it will touch, or what will unfold from our actions.

• Hope is resistant to futility.

• Hope resides in resourcefulness.

• Hope speaks to possibilities.

“While you might feel powerless to change the world, you can make your corner more joyous and hope-filled.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

31 Ways to Thrive and Feel Joyful During Chaotic Times

Having hope contributes to being able to thrive. Without it, we give up. Take an active role in cultivating hope. Nourish yourself and others, and create a solid base to grow from. During chaotic times, there are so many things that seem futile. Instead, focus on engaging in simple actions or observations in your control. Hope will grow from there. Consider:

• Watching the fall leaves gently float to the ground

• Taking a walk along the river with a good friend

• Getting a good night’s sleep

• Eating a nutritious and delicious meal

• Feeling the warm sun on your face

• Hugging your loved ones

• Reading or listening to uplifting books, articles, and podcasts

• Planning something you will look forward to doing

• Taking a road trip, even a local one

• Brewing and slowly sipping a hot cup of tea

• Curling up on the sofa, wrapped in your favorite soft, cozy blanket

• Learning something new

• Listening to your favorite music

• Practicing mindfulness meditation

• Organizing that one room that is ready to be tamed

• Helping something to grow

• Focusing on the inhale and exhale of your breath

• Making something with your hands

• Pausing in the middle of your day to regroup and reset

• Listening to the sounds of laughter

• Laughing

• Writing in your journal

• Smiling at a stranger

• Having a ‘do nothing’ day

• Checking in by phone, email, text, or in person on your loved ones

• Doing something outside of your comfort zone

• Helping a client set boundaries, establish priorities, and get unstuck

• Noting what you are grateful for

• Offering compassion and kindness to someone you do or don’t know

• Refusing to give up

• Listening to your intuition

Life is a mixture of joy, pain, and everything in between. As humans, we know this is true. Yet even so, it can be challenging to navigate the sadness when your life and the world feel so chaotic and unhinged. While you might feel powerless to change the world, you can make your corner more joyous and hope-filled. You never know how your actions or words will uplift someone else. Be gentle with yourself and others. Nourish your being to have the energy to extend more kindness and compassion to yourself and others.

What helps you thrive during challenging times? What brings you hope? How do you make your ‘corner’ better? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.