There are times when life goes sideways. The unthinkable happens, and you feel you have no control over anything. Your mood is dark, and hope is barely accessible. Cognitively, you understand there are no guarantees in life and that chaos is present. Yet, how do you cope? What can you do when nothing makes sense, and things feel out of control?

I don’t pretend to have the answers or know what you’re experiencing. I’m navigating this challenging time, too. Yet, I have a few strategies that are helping me, which might be helpful to you.

Instead of focusing on the areas you have no control over, shift your attention. Identify and engage in what is nourishing and within your control.

5 Courageous Coping Strategies When Life Feels Out of Control

1. Supercharge Your Self-Care

Take care of yourself. During stressful times, you might ignore the basics. However, doing that makes you feel worse and less able to cope with challenges.

Recommit to self-care basics. Get enough sleep, hydrate, eat nutritiously, and move your body. Walking in nature has additional mood-boosting benefits.

Beyond essential self-care, consider getting a massage, manicure, or pedicure. Or how about taking a yoga, exercise, or meditation class?

Be kind to yourself and engage in intentional, mood-enhancing activities within your control.

“Recommit to self-care basics.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

 2. Engage With Your Community

You might want to retreat when feeling out of sorts. However, I encourage you to do the opposite. Reach out to those who are also feeling ‘it.’ You’re not alone.

Your friends and family may be struggling, too. Connect with your loved ones. Pool your strengths while offering and receiving support.

3. Curate the Input

Scrolling social media, listening to the news, and fueling the fire may not be the healthiest choice. Cut yourself off (even if temporarily) when the external input you’re allowing adds to those out-of-control feelings.

Just as I encouraged you to eat nutritious foods to nourish your body, do something similar for your mind. Curate the input to minimize anxiety-producing thoughts and maximize ones with a more positive effect.

This could be a great time to read that new book or your favorite magazine from cover to cover. Or maybe you prefer to watch a comedy show or movie.

I’m not suggesting you ignore the outside world forever, but for this day, while building your resilience, choose to disengage with stress-inducing news. Control the input.

“Identify and engage in what is nourishing and within your control.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4. Make Something

There is a gift in making something from nothing. What kind of something? Maybe you like to bake, write blog posts or in journals, take photographs, write poetry, or knit scarves. Perhaps you want to paint, write music, do a craft project, or create fancy cocktails.

Take control of a joy-inducing physical activity and make something. Enjoy the process and the result.

I’ve already journaled and worked on this post. Guess what else I did? I baked (and ate) some Almond Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. Fortunately, these cookies are not only delicious but also nutritious. I just have to remember to eat them in moderation. Wish me luck.

5. Declutter Your Space

Physical disorganization and chaos in your environment can affect how you feel and function. The disarray adds to a feeling of lack of control. You don’t know where things are or have the mind space to focus.

There is mood-boosting power in decluttering and organizing. The act of doing, making a change, and then experiencing the benefits of that shift is palpable.

You can’t control everything, but you can improve your corner of the world (or desk).

Human Coping Skills

Remember, you are resilient, and you have people to lean on. To help navigate challenging times, exert control in tiny yet significant ways. This won’t change everything, but it will help to calm and ground you. What coping strategies do you use when life feels chaotic?

If you need help decluttering, organizing, planning, or grounding, I’m here for you. Please schedule a Discovery Call, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, or call 914-271-5673. Organization and ease are possible, especially with support.

As this year ends, it’s time to reflect on the past twelve months and the year about to begin. 2023 has been full of intense emotions, enriching experiences, and deep conversations on the blog. We’ve walked side-by-side, navigated turbulent waters, made new discoveries, and grappled with life balance. In these free-flowing exchanges, insights, new perspectives, and hope emerged.

Conversations

Our conversations about life balance, change, mindfulness, clutter, letting go, motivation, organizing, self-care, hope, and more have provided abundant comfort, connection, and joy. Thank you for being part of this generous community. You inspire me to show up, write, think, explore, and engage.

Gratitude

I am profoundly grateful for this community’s thoughtful words and beautiful sharing. I curated twelve of my favorite quotes of the year from active engagers, selecting one from each month’s theme. Thank you, Deb Lee, Diane Quintana, Ellen Delap, Jana Arevalo, Janet Barclay, Janet Schiesl, Jonda Beattie, Julie Bestry, Melissa Gratias, Sabrina Quairoli, Seana Turner, and Yota Schneider. You are consistent voices and participators who bring our conversations to life. I am grateful to you and everyone who reads the blog, contributes to our discussions, or shares the posts. You bring hope, light, curiosity, perspective, and learning to every day.

There have been many other conversation participators and sharers this year, including Andi Willis, Cathy Borg, Geralin Thomas, Hazel Thornton, Jill Katz, Julie Stobbe, Juliet Landau-Pope, Kim Tremblay, Laura Cullen Carter, MJ Rosenthal, Pam Holland, Phaedra Studt, Sara Skillen, and Stacey Agin Murray. Thank you for bringing richness to our conversations and for sharing your ideas.

Enjoy the year in review- one quote, insight, and revelation at a time!

12 Inspired Quotes from Our Conversations This Year That Will Make You Feel Hopeful

1. Fresh Start | How to Make Fortune Cookie Wisdom Inspire Your Fresh Start

“It really is just a question of getting started for a lot of the time. We make excuses or put up our own obstacles for why we can’t start a project or a goal. Sometimes, it’s not perfect, but you just have to jump in.”

— Jana Arevalo

2. Embrace Change | Are You Willing to Trust the Wait as You Make Your Fierce Change Journey?

“Change is inevitable. Some changes we look forward to and other changes we dread. But we all have the gift of the now and today.”

— Jonda Beattie

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

“One tiny thing is often the antidote to overwhelm and ‘Where should I start?’ Sometimes, that little thing becomes the catalyst for bigger things. Or it stays tiny but mighty and gets your thoughts and ideas (and sense of calm) flowing again.”

— Deb Lee

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

“Taking that one step, letting go of that one thing, can make all the difference …
It is liberating, empowering, and often underestimated.”

— Yota Schneider

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

“I think of clutter as a near-constant buzz in the background. You try to ignore it, but that takes mental resources. Silence the buzz and redeploy the resources.”

— Melissa Gratias

6. Time Management | Life Moves Really Fast, Yet Do You Appreciate the Value of a Timely Pause?

“Taking short and long breaks is vital to enjoying life.”

— Sabrina Quairoli

7. Motivation | 3 Delightful Ways to Increase Your Motivation Now

“… for me, accountability is best for professional motivation, and deadlines are better for personal (non-stress-inducing) motivation, but each of us will be different.
”

— Julie Bestry

8. Enlisting Help | 9 Marvelous Way Virtual Professional Organizers Can Help with Transitions

“It’s the ‘out of the blue’ transitions, or ones through which I am yet to tread, that are difficult. In these seasons, having others with experience makes all the difference …”

— Seana Turner

9. Mindfulness | How to Be Astoundingly Mindful, Calm, and Prepared for Your New Season

“Whatever we’re embarking on will go much more smoothly if we take the time to mindfully identify what we need in terms of human and other resources before we get started.”

— Janet Barclay

10. Possibilities | 3 Inspiring Messages of Hope That Encourage Possibilities

“Glimmers are what keep hope, possibility, and joy afloat …”

— Ellen Delap

11. Wonderfully Human | How to Joyfully Grow and Thrive When Life Feels Like Complete Chaos

“Sometimes it’s hard when you’re going through a lot to feel joyful. But hope is the light at the end of the tunnel. Without it, there is no end.”

— Janet Schiesl

12. Life Balance | 12 Hopeful and Best Loved Organizing Ideas of the Year

“All of us have so many facets to our life. Thinking about paying attention to all of them with the same focus is impossible. But when we think about intentionally bringing in a little of this and a little of that, we can create a life that works with the way we want to live.”

— Diane Quintana

These quotes were taken from our lively exchanges on the blog this year. What resonates with you? Which idea do you want to bring forward into the New Year?

How can I help make 2024 a great year? When you’re ready for support with creating a better balance, letting go of what no longer serves you, or getting more organized, I’ll be here. Contact me, Linda, by phone at 914-271-5673, by email at linda@ohsoorganized.com, or this form.

I wish you a happy, healthy, and joy-filled New Year!

Last week, I wrote about the transitions we’re experiencing as the seasons change. While fall doesn’t officially begin for several weeks, its unofficial start has happened. You’re back from summer vacation, the kiddos have returned to school, and your plate is piled high with numerous projects, goals, and activities. Your schedule is packed, and your daily patterns are changing. Do you feel calm and prepared, or anxious and not ready?

Transitions can be tricky and uncomfortable. However, intregrating mindfulness into the mix can bring calm and confidence to this next phase.

There are six ways to feel ready as you prepare for your busy season. You can use these strategies for any shift you’re experiencing, such as starting a new day, month, season, year, project, or life change.

6 Ways to Mindfully Prepare for Your New Season

1. Prepare Emotionally

Your emotional state benefits greatly when you prioritize your self-care. To fortify your energy reserves and to create a positive emotional state:

• Get enough sleep

• Eat healthfully

• Hydrate

• Move your body

• Make time for just you

• Engage in nourishing activities

2. Prepare Environment

Clutter can cause blockages in your thinking, well-being, creativity, daily flow, and routines. Make time to let go of the physical things you no longer need, want, are in your way, or are no longer relevant for this new phase. Clear the path for your new season. What can you declutter now?

3. Clarify Goals & Why

Did you create an ambitious list of goals at the start of this year? This change of seasons presents an excellent time to revisit and reset. Ask:

• What one or two things do you want to accomplish this season?

• What will success look or feel like when you accomplish those?

• What is driving you to get there?

• What is your why?

Taking the time to clarify will be valuable. The clarity will help with more effortless and less stressful decision-making when your choices align with your goals and overarching why.

“Integrate mindfulness to bring calm and confidence to this next phase.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4. Gather Your Team

The busy season makes it a terrific time to gather more support. Collect your go-to peeps- family, friends, colleagues, and professionals. There is no reason to go it alone. Who will be on your team? They can help you:

• Succeed

• Provide accountability

• Brainstorm and discuss ideas

• Navigate frustrations and challenges

• Cheer you on

5. Gather Your Resources

Aside from your ‘team,’ what else will help you prepare for this season? What physical supplies or products will be beneficial? What about finding resources for ideas or referrals?

As we’re in the back-to-school mode, images of sharpened pencils, blank notebooks, and boxes of new, colorful crayons fill my thoughts. While our kiddos are adults now and not in that stage, I remember when they were. Returning to school meant gathering the essential supplies, which helped them feel prepared and ready to learn. What do you need to feel prepared?

6. Schedule Downtime
During the fullness of this new season, plan time to stop. We aren’t designed to be constantly doing. We also need time to just be. Whether you make time daily, every week, or once a month, build breaks from the busyness. Each of us has different refueling needs. My daily mindfulness meditation practice and walks in nature keep me grounded and calm. They give me a quiet space to practice mindfulness, restore my energy, and prepare me to engage more fully after I pause.

New Podcast: Helping You Reset for the New Season

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed talking with the engaging, delightful podcast host, writer, and my new friend Kara Cutruzzula on her “Do It Today” podcast. Our conversation covered many topics, including ways to get ready for the new season. Listen to our conversation below:

If you are gathering your team and would like support from me as your Virtual Professional Organizer, let’s talk. I’d love to help as you travel on this next part of your journey. Call 914-271-5673, email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, or click here to contact me through this site.

What helps you mindfully prepare for change? How do transition times affect you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

We constantly receive internal and external messages. Do they help or hurt you? Have you heard of the 5:1 magic ratio? Research suggests to counteract the sticky Velcro-like negativity bias, it takes approximately five positive encounters, thoughts, or experiences for every negative one.

Consider fortifying your Personal Positivity Bank by making regular deposits. Here are a few ways to build your reserves:

• Create a “Feel Good” file with positive emails, notes, or letters you received from family, friends, clients, or colleagues:

• Keep an ongoing gratitude list

• Connect with nature

• Prioritize self-care

• Spend time with people who energize and uplift rather than drain you

• Display positive reminders in your environment

Today, I am focusing on that last one, the visible messages you see every day. I’m sharing several of my favorites below. I’ve written before about the fidget bowl on my desk. This fun collection of miniature objects combines word reminders, trinkets from places visited, old toys, and visual and tactile delights. Playing with the tiny pieces while I’m in meetings helps me focus. Having uplifting messages front and center enhances my well-being. What encouraging messages will you surround yourself with?

7 Ways the Reminders You Display Will Help You Each Day

1. Bloom Where You’re Planted

Bloom where you’re planted encourages me to embrace the growth mindset anywhere, anytime. Every encounter, action, observation, experience, success, and failure are opportunities to learn, expand, and blossom.

2. Head & Heart

Navigating life’s hiccups and choices can be stressful. “Head & Heart” reminds me to use my cognitive and sensing gifts to support positive decisions and outcomes. While not included in this purple pin, my gut is another guiding element. When I listen, it leads me with a distinct “yes” or “no.”

3. Nourish

My Word of the Year is nourish. This essential encourages me to feed my heart, mind, and body so they feel nurtured, positive, and supported to thrive. My heart wants connection. My mind needs stimulation, and my body wants loving care.

4. You Are Here

While these words are often found to locate yourself on a map, to me, they embody presence. Especially when my mind is racing, and even when it’s not, this message prompts me to pause, notice, and ground myself with where I am, what I’m doing, what I’m feeling, and what I’m experiencing. When distracted, I use these words to gently bring me back, reset, and move on.

“Fortify your Personal Positivity Bank by making regular deposits.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

5. Oy Vey!

Years ago, I gave my dad this blue “Oy Vey!” computer key. It became a favorite inside joke between us, and one of the many things that connected us was our shared sense of humor. This message reminds me that things in life have the potential to go sideways. However, my sense of humor can bring a brighter perspective and allow me to laugh at myself during difficult situations.

6. Radiate Positivity

According to the CliftonStrengths assessment, one of my top strengths is Positivity. Seeing the “Radiate Positivity” button helps me with several things:

• It reminds me to continuously develop and live from my strengths.

• My natural inclination towards positivity helps me be resilient and growth-oriented.

• Positivity is ‘catching,’ so my mood can have an encouraging effect on others.

7. Exhale the Bullshit

This new pin has quickly become a favorite. We all experience life ‘stuff’ (aka difficult situations, conflicts, threats, bullshit). During those challenging encounters, you can experience emotional hijacking. Stress triggers are sent to the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for emotional processing. Your automatic warning system goes on high alert, and your body wants to protect you. Your heart races, your palms sweat, your face flushes, and your breathing turns rapid or shallow.

“Exhale the Bullshit” reminds me to take a deep breath through my nose and a longer exhale through my mouth. Repeating that several times, I soothe my system, access the rational part of my brain, and am better equipped to respond calmly to the circumstance.

How does having positive visual reminders help and influence your day? What helpful messages are in your view? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.