Overflowing. Overwhelming. Is letting go on your radar? How many things are you working on right now? How many hats are you wearing? Are you juggling family, work, and personal time? Are you managing projects, shuttling kids, caring for elders, or experiencing a life transition? Does your plate feel so full that your head is spinning? Is this a constant or temporary state for you?

Have you considered the power and relief of letting go? OK. I know you can’t let go of all your responsibilities and commitments. However…

• Is there simply one thing you can let go of, reschedule, or delegate?

• Is there one thing you can rethink, change perspective, or shift?

• If you did, how would that help?

• Would it reduce stress?

• Would you feel more relaxed?

• Would you be less overwhelmed?

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

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

I extended myself the ‘one-thing-let-go’ gift. Instead of writing a longer post this week, I went short like me. I let go of the expectation to write more extensively so I could alleviate some pressure and focus on preparing, hosting, and enjoying our family and friends for Passover.

What one thing can you let go of? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

Summer is here. It’s the time for school endings, graduations, celebrations, travel, camp, visits with family and friends, BBQs, hot weather, and so much more. Many of us are taking time for a deep exhale and leaning into a much-needed break. Others are using this season to plan, organize, let go, and prepare for next. Perhaps your summer will include a combination of relaxing, working, and preparing. My virtual organizing clients are focused on editing, letting go, and getting organized, one paper, t-shirt, and tote bag at a time.

Last year, we didn’t take a vacation. The pandemic kept us close to home. But this summer with life opening up, we planned some mini-vacations. It feels fantastic to get away and return to work refreshed. On a recent trip to the Catskills, the place we stayed had wall quotes throughout the property. There was one by Ralph Waldo Emerson that stood out. It made me think about time, the seasons, and the seeds we sow. Emerson said, “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” 

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our lives are limited by the time we have. Where and how we spend that time dramatically influences our lives. Consider the power of the single acorn. It can manifest “a thousand forests.” Its singularity of purpose yields an incredible result.

You can be that acorn. What if this summer, you focus your energy and time on one or even two areas of your life? What would you choose? What could you accomplish if you minimize distractions? Summer is here. What will your season yield? What seeds will you sow? There is no right or wrong response. You are the decider.

We can quickly feel overwhelmed with everything that needs our attention. Give yourself the gift of reducing your focus. What would that look and feel like? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

There is laundry to wash, meals to make, people to check in on, and bills to pay. You have papers to sort, closets to organize, and schedules to coordinate. Your time is filled with the doings of daily life and so much more. You work, walk, run, and show up to support injustices. You reflect, create, converse, sleep, and reset. 

For this brief moment in time, my purpose is clear. Instead of doing or preparing for the next thing, I choose to be still instead of rushing ahead to another moment. In the quiet cocoon of my dark green hammock, stretched out between two 100-foot trees, I gently rock. 

The white clouds navigate decisively across the light blue sky. The gentle breeze shakes the leaves on the trees, which makes a swishing, rustling sound. The spring air is delightfully warm, and not too hot. The sunlight dances as it shows off the varied green hues in the woods. My breathing slows as I take in the deep earthy aroma of the forest.

At this moment in time, as the leaves rustle and birds sing, I sway side to side. The hammock’s movement encourages stillness within – just sense and notice. There will be time for doing and activating. But right here, right now, I am still. I slowly breathe in and exhale out.

“There will be time for doing and activating. But right here, right now, I am still.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®

The landscape is wrapped in that sleepy, afternoon light. A rustle. A chirp. Clouds float across the sky. Feeling inadequate, knowing that I alone cannot heal this world filled with so much unrest, pain, anger, and sadness, I choose this one moment to just be. My pause is not forever. From this place of calm, I can reenergize. Learning, questioning, helping, and doing will come, but for this moment in time, I am still. 

What does quiet look like for you? Is it something that you need? Can you remember a time when your nervous system was calm? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

The other morning I was walking along one of my favorite meandering paths next to the Hudson River. It was a warm summer day. Since it wasn’t yet a scorcher, people were jogging, conversing, sitting, bicycling, and fishing. Several folks were walking their dogs. I noticed a man at the river’s edge playing fetch with his four-legged friend. I stopped to watch as the pup hyper-focused on the stick, waiting for his person to throw it into the water.

In anticipation of the branch being released, the pooch’s high motivation was clearly visible as he dove enthusiastically into the water to retrieve it. Over and over the dog waited, focused, swam, and fetched. I’m not sure who was having more fun- the dog, his person, or me. 

With a big smile, I finally pulled myself away and continued my walk. Here’s the thing, though. At that moment, my mind made a connection about what I just saw. It occurred to me that motivation becomes almost effortless when the goal is clear. And the more straightforward and better defined the goal is, the easier it is for motivation to flow. 

Let’s look at the stick-fetching example. The pup had one clear goal- retrieve the stick. Nothing else mattered. Birds, fish, or other passersby didn’t distract him. His mission was to return the stick to his friend- over and over again. The pups’ motivation flowed freely with his singular focus to get the stick!

Has your motivation ever been compromised? Has this made it challenging for you to activate? This can happen for many reasons, which include:

• Having too many goals

• Having a lack of clarity around your purpose

• Being overwhelmed by too many steps

• Being unsure of where to begin

• Being unclear about what to do next

• Lacking information needed to continue

• Feeling conflicted with competing priorities

• Being exhausted

• Lacking confidence

The next time you’re struggling with getting motivated, think about the dog-fetching story. How can you simplify your goal, and reduce it to that one thing? After you distill the goal, your motivation will quickly rise from within and propel you forward. So whether you are trying to get organized, planning your next vacation, or preparing to host a big event, think small. Think simply. Think about breaking the big thing into a tiny, more manageable goal. Watch what happens.

What helps you unleash your motivation? What resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.