There is an undercurrent now of intense change and anxiety in our lives, which influences how we feel. However, even with the pandemic, political, social, economic, and personal angst, other changes are happening, which inspire positive possibilities. As a visually-oriented person, I am in awe of the fall landscape shifts, which amaze and delight my being. 

Each day I discover something new. Maybe some leaves change to yellow, orange, or red. A tree bursting with bright colors one day is letting go of its’ leaves the next.

Fall is an active, robust, and inspiring season of change. It sets the stage for possibilities, as nature cues us to follow her lead. Are you sensing the nudge?

This season I have several things going on personally and professionally. It’s an exciting time. Our youngest daughter, Cassie, is getting married this week. Talk about possibilities! She’s about to embark on married life, and we will officially welcome our new son to the family. Since the celebration will be at our home, my husband and I have been getting the house wedding-ready. We’ve been organizing, decluttering, cleaning, and painting. Yes. Organizers need to declutter too. There is nothing quite as motivating as having a party to get things done. 

“Fall sets the stage for possibilities, as nature cues us to follow her lead.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

In the organizing world, I’m looking forward to attending several conferences, virtually, of course. I’m also continuing to do virtual organizing sessions with existing and new clients. It’s exciting to support them as they navigate change and possibilities.

Are you anticipating possibilities? What will this season bring? What inspires you? What are you looking forward to doing, accomplishing, or experiencing this season? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation!

There is something so intoxicating about being present and mindful. Yet, it can also be quite elusive. Inner dialogue, activities, and people pulling us in other directions can create a frenzied, chaotic state. When we’re feeling this way, mindfulness is distant. I’ve discovered something in my daily mindfulness meditation practice that is helpful for me, which might benefit you too.

One of the principles of mindfulness practice is to focus your attention on something like breath, sensations, or sounds. This might seem simple to do, but what inevitably happens is that your mind will wander. One moment you are breathing in, breathing out, and noticing the breath. The next minute you’re creating and organizing to-do lists in your head. Oops.

What do you do? Without judgment, you mindfully notice that your focus shifted. Then you gently return back to the breath. No berating, no panic. You just calmly return to the object of your attention. It is in this practice of shifting attention, awareness, and return that we become more mindful. We strengthen these muscles, which can be used in other areas of our lives.

“It is in the practice of shifting attention, awareness, and return that we become more mindful.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

Recently, I spent time outside doing yard work and trimming shrubs. On this crisp fall day, it felt energizing working outdoors. As I cut and cleaned up debris, I focused only on what was before me. It was so enjoyable to move, hear the rustle of the leaves, the chirping of the birds, and the snip, snip sound of my cutters. I clipped, observed, assessed, and cut some more. I didn’t rush. 

It was satisfying to see the results. While there were many other things I could have been doing, I allowed myself this focused time of mindfulness, presence, and gratitude to work outside doing one cut, one shrub, one mindful action at a time.

Where does mindful attention show up for you? How do you handle distractions? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation!

It’s fairly common not to notice. We get used to the environment we live in and ignore problematic areas and situations. Our piles of clutter blend in with the walls and furniture. Searching for misplaced belongings is our norm. Mindfulness becomes a missing ingredient in our days.

Something surprising happened to me recently, and it made me think about this idea of what we notice or don’t. It was a gorgeous weekend day. I was outside happily trimming one of our shrubs. After about ten minutes, slightly below my eye level, I was surprised by an enormous bright green praying mantis perched quietly on a leafy branch. Being almost the same color as the shrub, she blended right in. I took her photo and continued trimming as she sat. I moved around several times to cut other sprigs and then returned to see if the praying mantis was still there. It always took me a few seconds to find her because she was so well camouflaged. Yet in the next moment, nestled in the greenery, she came into my view.

Let’s revisit the mindfulness idea. What do you notice? What things are invisible, even though they are right before you? One of the questions I ask clients during our first conversation is, “What prompted your call?”  While the exact reasons vary tremendously, there is one common thread. They reached a tipping point where they could no longer ignore their overwhelm, clutter, or disorganization. The blinders were off, and their challenges were fully visible.

“For change to happen, we first need awareness.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

For change to happen, we first need awareness. Without being mindful about our challenges, we are like that camouflaged praying mantis. We can’t change what we don't see. Noticing isn’t enough, though. We also need a desire and motivation to change. Even with seeing our challenges, desiring change, and feeling motivated, we might also need help. So if you are at that point of overwhelm, awareness, and readiness, but are feeling stuck, reach out for help from a trusted friend, family member, or professional organizer like me. 

What has become visible to you that had been hiding from your view? In what ways does mindfulness influence your daily experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

In these times of uncertainty, it might feel like a superhuman feat to think about setting big goals. However, in many ways, it’s the perfect time to stretch. The change going on around us encourages more experimentation and flexibility. You might notice your internal obstacles dissipating, which makes way for new ideas. Maybe you’re on the other side and have recently completed a long-term goal. If so, I hope you stopped to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishment. 

A goal doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We need help with accomplishing our goals and celebrating them along the way. Think about a big goal you set. While you were undoubtedly the driver, who helped and supported you?

“A goal doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We need help with accomplishing our goals and celebrating them along the way.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

Talking about milestones, my good friends at Smead just hit a huge one. Over the past seven years, I’ve loved being a regular guest on Smead’s Keeping You Organized podcast series. The host, John Hunt, has done hundreds of interviews with professional organizers and productivity consultants on chronic disorganization, getting organized, time management, change, coping during a crisis, and more.

Smead just celebrated their 300th podcast and start of their eighth year. What an incredible achievement! As John told me, he didn’t set out to do 300 podcasts, but here we are. I was thrilled to be John’s guest on this special episode where we talked about setting big goals and ways to include celebrating in the process. Listen to the podcast below to learn more.

Setting and Celebrating Big Goals

Have you recently set a big goal? Are you in the process of working towards one? What help have you received? What ways do you celebrate? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.