We could all use a bit more happiness in our lives, couldn’t we? While traveling recently, I noticed someone reading a Time magazine special edition, The Science of Happiness. The cover was splashed with happy-looking emojis. I finally got my hands on a copy and read it, with yellow highlighter in hand, from cover to cover. I’m generally a happy, positive person most of the time. Even so, I loved the idea of learning about the science behind happiness and the possibility of finding ways to experience even more joy.

Some researchers think that genetics are behind 50% of the variations in happiness and 10% are due to life circumstances. This is great news because it means the remaining 40% presents opportunity for you to increase your happiness. We can break that down to small, manageable parts. As author Margaret Wander Bonanno said,

“It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis.”

3 Ways to Help Increase Your Happiness . . .

Mindfulness

Being present, refusing to multitask, and bringing your full attention to what’s happening right now is one way to increase happiness. This can be challenging to do with so many sounds, people and thoughts vying for your attention. It requires practice, like exercising a muscle, to be mindful. One suggestion made by Emma Seppala, Ph.D. author of The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success is to take technology breaks. She suggests,

“One of the greatest ways to find joy is to spend a half-day or whole day on a technology fast. That means no screen time. None.”

Generosity

Doing good in the world can translate into donating money to causes and organizations we believe in. According to Michael Norton, co-author of Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending, bringing this idea closer to home can boost your happiness even more. He says,

“While giving to charity brings more happiness than spending money on yourself, our research finds that doing things for people you know makes you happiest.”

Gratitude

Have you noticed that you’ve become more grateful as you’ve aged? One study discovered that for each 10 years of life, gratitude increases by 5%. In addition, according to writer Ellen Seidman, research suggests that people who are regularly grateful, those that are actively aware of the “goodness in life and the sources of it – are generally healthier and happier.” To experience the full benefits of gratitude, you need to both feel the love, like recording your appreciation in a gratitude journal and show the love as in writing a letter (the more specific the better) to express gratitude to your friends and loved ones. Robert Emmons, Ph.D., psychology professor and author of Gratitude Works! says,

“When people are grateful, they feel more alert and alive.”

Do any of these increasing happiness concepts resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

The latest installment (v10) 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 time-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme.  You are 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 – Time Simplifier

Author and editor in chief of Unclutterer.com, Erin Rooney Doland, promises to help you “simplify your life one minute at a time,” in her newly released book, Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter. It’s written for busy people like you and me. The underlying premise is that by organizing your space, you can make room for what matters most. Erin says, “When you’re able to clear the distractions that are cluttering up your time and space, you can eliminate stress and burdens and focus on your priorities.”  I was honored to contribute to the book a passage about mind clutter, which can effect how we manage our time. I said, “We don’t often consider our mind as being in ‘disarray.’ If I’m not clear about priorities for that week, day, or moment, everything becomes more challenging. My physical space can be completely organized, but without clear thinking, I’m more easily distracted, overwhelmed, and less productive. For me, organizing my thoughts and releasing extraneous mind clutter is essential.”

2. Interesting Article – Timeless Question

SpareFoot conducted a survey to people in the U.S. asking this timeless question, “Why do we save stuff we don’t use or need?” We expend a lot of time and energy managing our things, even thouse we no longer use.Do any of these reasons sound familiar to you?

Here are the top five excuses:

63% - Might need someday

51% - Sentimental reasons

26% - Plan to sell

22% - Guilt

19% - Give as a gift

3. Interesting Resource – Time Saver

On the one hand the Internet makes it extremely easy to source what we need. It can also be a major time waster with the endless searching possibilities. The concierge service, Operator, provides an alternate to shopping at a store or online. Operator provides the best of both options by offering human interaction with online convenience. They promise to “do the research and leg work helping you save time and money.” Download the IOS app, type in what you need, and answer a few questions. You’re routed to an expert that will provide you with two to three suggestions. When you’re satisfied, you can click the “I’ll take it” button to purchase the item.

4. Interesting Product – Time Capsule

Our children grow up way too fast. With the passage of time come many keepsakes that remind us details about who they were and how they’ve grown. There’s a lovely keepsake box set to organize your child’s documents and objects. There are a few options, but I love Savor's The Library: Baby Edition Keepsake Box, which has a unit with small drawers to hold baby shoes, locks of hair, and other memorabilia. There is also a School Years Edition.

5. Interesting Tech – Time Centered

The Stop, Breathe & Think app developed by the non-profit organization Tools for Peace, is a “friendly, simple tool to guide…meditations for mindfulness and compassion, ” in short, 5-minute sessions. Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present by observing our internal and external life with a non-judgmental, open mind. Mindfulness training improves focus and our experience of time.

6. Interesting Thought – Time Factor

The past is gone. The present is now. The future in influenced by what we choose to focus on today. How do you use your time?

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

We need self-trust in order to make decisions. When we make choices using our best, authentic self we have the opportunity to grow and seek exciting possibilities. Having just returned from the Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) conference in Toronto, I noticed a theme of decisions, growth and possibilities during my journey.

Colleagues

Colette Robicheau, Linda Samuels and Karen SencichOver 22 years ago, I decided to become a professional organizer. Because of that decision, I’ve had the opportunity to develop wonderful relationships with my organizing colleagues. When I was in Toronto, I conversed, laughed, and learned with some of my long-standing and new colleagues from Canada and the United States. While classroom settings are fine, there’s something special about the impromptu learning that happens when engaged in direct conversations. In addition to the colleagues I featured in the following paragraphs, I also treasured the lively conversations I had this week with Colette Robicheau, Karen Sencich, Marie Potter, Leslie Josel, Regina Lark, Georgina Forrest, Jennie Vlietstra, and Christine Janes.

Leaders

Linda Samuels, Stephanie Deakin and Ellen FayeOne of my greatest joys in Toronto was spending time with POC, NAPO, and ICD leadership. Making the decision to accept a leadership role as ICD President has given me a seat at the table with some of the most brilliant, compassionate leaders in our industry. There’s nothing more growth and possibility provoking than talking with inspiring leaders like Stephanie Deakin, POC President and Ellen Faye, NAPO President. It's been so rewarding to connect with them at our industry conferences. Congratulations, Stephanie on your successful conference! What a fun, engaged group.

Social

Jill Robson and Linda SamuelsNo matter how we connect with people, there’s always a social aspect. In the case of one particular group, our connections began through social media and blogging. My decision to join this community about five years ago brought me in contact with wonderful people from all over the world. At the POC conference, I had the opportunity to mesh the virtual with actual by having a chance to see some of my Canadian friends in person like Jill Robson (first time ever!), Heather Burke, and Janet Barclay. There’s nothing quite so special as being face to face. What amazing conversations we had (this time in person) about family, organizing, blogging, mindfulness and more.

Possibilities

Laurene Livesey-Park and Ruth Betz-EssingerAside from my choices that resulted in growth opportunities and enhanced my possibility thinking, I wasn’t the only one making positive decisions this week. When it was announced at the annual meeting that there weren’t enough POC Board members as per the Bylaws, three POC members stood up to self-nominate. This ignited the energy in the room. The volunteers that stepped up made choices that will bring positive results and possibilities for POC and for them individually.

Linda Samuels and Alison LushIn addition, there were many POC attendees that wanted to learn more about ICD’s education about chronic disorganization. At the Expo, the ICD booth had lots of enthusiastic visitors. For ICD’s Basic CD class, the room was packed. As a result, many POC members decided to join ICD, take teleclasses, research info on the ICD website, and purchase publications. They’ve made education a priority so they can better help and understand their chronically disorganized clients. Special thanks to Ruthann Betz-Essinger, Laurene Livesey-Park, and Alison Lush for talking with potential ICDers, organizing the ICD booth, and helping with the class. It was a bonus to have time to hang out with you!

Making authentic decisions based on what we value leads to growth, opportunity, and possibilities. What have you noticed about decision-making and possibilities? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join our conversation.

There is definitely a mindfulness theme that runs throughout my writing. My creative process includes having a heightened awareness of daily experiences, which is one strategy for fostering mindfulness. I recently learned that one of the many benefits of being mindful is that your thoughts become less cluttered so that you are more open to new ideas, challenges, and possibility thinking.

Last week, I attended a wonderful ICD teleclass about mindfulness and productivity, developed and presented by productivity coach, Casey Moore. There are many mindfulness definitions. Casey shared one definition that included three basic mindfulness elements.

Mindfulness is “paying attention purposefully and non-judgmentally in the present moment.”

During the teleclass, Casey talked about the benefits of practicing mindfulness. The list was long and included improving relationships, decreasing anxiety, improving mood, deepening self-awareness, increasing concentration, boosting attentiveness, lowering high blood pressure, reducing chronic pain, making better decisions, and regulating the fear response.

There were several mindfulness techniques that she shared that focused on intentional breathing and counting. I’ve been experimenting with adding one the breathing exercises into my daily habits. As an added benefit, I’ve used the technique outside by our local rivers. Being surrounded by nature while breathing mindfully was especially beneficial for me. I felt calmer, more connected and grounded.

With a more open, less cluttered mind, what becomes possible? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.