The current installment (v13) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature is here with my latest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance.

I’ve included unique and inspiring change-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme. You are a beautifully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Happy Living Change

The word, hygge (pronounced hooga), has been showing up in popular culture lately. While it’s not a new word or concept, it is new to me. Meik Wiking, author and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen educates us in The Little Book of Hygge – Danish Secrets to Living Happy. He describes hygge as “an atmosphere and experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.” Other descriptions include “coziness of the soul” and “taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things.” Denmark consistently ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world. It seems that hygge has a positive influence for the Danes’ happiness. Hygge can be experienced through a combination of ways, which includes giving attention to the quality of light (low light, fire and candles preferred), having close, small social circles, eating comforting food and drink, wearing comfortable clothing, expressing gratitude, and spending relaxed, non-competitive time with loved ones. “Hygge is about the now, how to enjoy the moment and make the best of it.” If you’re looking to change your happiness quotient, perhaps exploring hygge will inspire you.

2. Interesting Resource - Mindfulness Change

One of the changes I’ve made this year has been learning more about mindfulness through reading, meditating, and taking a mindfulness training course. In a special edition of Time magazine, Mindfulness – The New Science of Health and Happiness, there is a terrific collection of articles about the benefits of mindfulness practice along with the science to back up those benefits. If you’re looking to reduce stress, increase focus, and be more present, the mindfulness path could be the answer. Change can begin with curiosity. That curiosity can develop into action.

3. Interesting Tech - Habit Change

Stopping bad habits and forming new ones is all about change. If you’re in the habit-change-mode, but are feeling challenged because you don’t have the help or support you need, try HabitBull. This app allows you to organize and track to either break bad habits or build positive ones. With an easy set-up, reminders, inspiring quotes and a support community, you’re just one step closer to making the changes that you desire.

4. Interesting Product – Mood Change

Have you noticed how color affects your mood? You can easily change your mood by adjusting your environment with the Luci® Color light. It’s solar powered, inflatable, and has a feature that lets you set it to a single color or cycle through all the colors in sequence. What color are you feeling today? Are you ready for a change? Light on!

5. Interesting Thought - Positive Change

One small way to change our day is to change our perspective.  Our attitude influences our experiences in positive or negative ways.

Use positive thoughts or affirmations to encourage successful outcomes. See what changes occur when you begin your day with a positive thought. 

What are your interesting finds? Which ones resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

The latest installment (v9) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has arrived with my newest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring change-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme.  You are such a wonderfully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Positive Change

Happiness researcher and expert on positive communication, Michelle Gielan writes about the science of igniting and sustaining positive change in her book, Broadcasting Happiness. She says, “…by changing the stories we transmit, we can create positive change.” Creating a positive mindset can change your life and those around you. Current research from the neuroscience and positive psychology fields identify that “small shifts in the way we communicate internally and with others can create big ripple effects on business outcomes, including 31 percent higher productivity, 25 percent greater performance ratings, …and 23 percent lower levels of stress.”

2. Interesting Experiment – Mood Change

Have you ever wondered if certain simple daily activities can help to improve your well-being? Dr. Margaret L. Kern from the University of Pennsylvania wondered too. Her ongoing Positive Intervention Study asks, “Can you increase your own well-being through a simple activity?” I recently participated in her study and you can too. I chose two affective or emotional states to focus on- inspiration and self-confidence. After selecting my focus areas, I was asked to create a digital or paper Positivity Portfolio and spend some time every day for two weeks reviewing and savoring the photos, letters, writing, and quotes that I selected. In addition, I answered questions before creating the portfolio and at the end of the two weeks. The daily engagement with my Positivity Portfolio changed my outlook. I felt even more positive and grateful.

3. Interesting Product – Wardrobe Change

Flexibility is an essential ingredient in navigating change. I discovered a new product, which is the essence of that. The metamorphic wardrobe was created by Studiomama to “create more storage, and at the same time having a flexible room divider.” If you need to easily and quickly change a space, this metamorphic wardrobe could be the perfect solution.

4. Interesting Fact – Color Change

According to Poppin, manufacturer of happy, functional organizing products, “Color coding isn’t just efficient; it also lights up the creative side of your brain, making it easier to spark new ideas.” If you’re ready for a change, introduce color into your environment to activate your creativity. Poppin’s gorgeous color-coordinated products are an excellent source of inspiration.

5. Interesting Resource – Clutter Change

Does the clutter in your life effect your daily experience? If clutter and change are on your mind, try out the Clutter Quality of Life Scale (CQLS). This tool was created by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) to help people assess for themselves the personally felt impact that clutter has on their well-being. The scale includes 18 statements to read and respond to. After you complete the form, if you supply your email address, you’ll receive a copy of your responses along with the scale description and scoring information. Before change comes understanding. The CQLS is a great place to begin.

6. Interesting Thought – Expect Change

Wanting change and creating change are two different things. Change is possible when belief is accompanied by action.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your interesting finds? Do any of these resonate with you?  Come join the conversation!

We’ve all heard phrases like...

“The only thing you can count on is change,”

or

“Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.”

While we understand this intellectually, change, even though anticipated, can be challenging. Sometimes we have to work at noticing something positive in the changes that happen.

This past weekend, my husband and I spent Valentine’s Day in Brooklyn with our daughters. Talk about change. Not that long ago, on a daily basis we saw, talked with, interacted with, and watched them grow. For our family, the stage of being together daily is over. The girls are now self-sufficient adults and living on their own.

As they create their lives and establish their patterns and roots, we have less family time. This is no surprise. It’s how it often is. This is an essential part of them becoming independent. However, even though it’s what we know would happen, there are times when I miss what was and the changes that have occurred. That’s normal.

“I savor this simple, joy-infused moment.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

Instead of feeling sad for the era that's passed, I focus on embracing the changes or moments that are happening now. Our daughter Allison, who was photographing me with our daughter Cassie, captured one of these celebratory moments. In those few fleeting seconds, Allison filmed the sheer joy I felt being with my kids. There was nothing unusual about the moment. We were preparing breakfast together. It was a familiar, yet much missed moment that used to be part of my daily experience – hugging, laughing, and cooking. I savor this simple, joy-infused moment.

Change is part of the human experience. Maybe you’re in the process of making changes right now. What is your experience with change? Do you find ways to seek joy along the way? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

As a professional organizer I view myself as a facilitator of change. My clients start at point A with a desire to get to point B. As you can imagine, that’s only possible through change. The journey is never a straight trajectory. There are bumps, glitches and adjustments that happen along the way. There’s also potential to experience more happiness and joy.

There are a few essentials for a successful change journey. The first is being as clear as possible about your goals. The better you can articulate, imagine, or visualize which changes your want, the greater motivation you’ll have along the way and the more likely your decisions along the way will be aligned with your goals.

The second essential to make your journey a happier and more fulfilling one, is to enjoy the ride. The type of change my clients seek doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not instant. In fact, it’s often a slow process that happens over an extended period of time while they simultaneously navigate the other parts of their lives. Acknowledging the successes as you go, noticing your progress, and doing some impromptu “happy dances” or high fives, will increase your happiness.

What’s fascinating is there’s an actual happiness factor that comes with working towards goals. In a 2013 study conducted by Time, they asked the question,

“What makes you happier…working toward a goal or achieving a goal?”

35% responded that working toward a goal made them happier. 59% responded that achieving a goal made them happier. Here’s the interesting twist. Science indicates, “Savoring the journey brings joy, even if we don't realize it.”

So while respondents perceived that achieving a goal made them happier, science offers that if in fact we savor the ride, we can boost happiness during our change journey.

What have you noticed about making changes and working towards goals? How do you experience your journey or arrival? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!