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The Simple Art of Closing the Circle

5/28/2015

3 Comments

 
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"Picture's worth a thousand words"! This week's post is a favorite from last year...it's the one people ask me about when I run into them at the grocery store, and a fabulous lesson I learned from my mentor. So, to all of the fabulous recent subscribers: Enjoy! 

I had a teensy internal struggle this week with my neighbor’s garbage being left in the apartment hallway for a couple of days, (near our door, too). Ahem, it was interfering with the energy!!! :) And then, another neighbor thought it was a good idea...really???? What if everyone left their garbage in the hallway? I was fuming and it was only getting worse.

And then in a PLOT TWIST, I was Grateful! And Inspired! because I needed the reminder, for myself, my clients, and to get the word out to anyone who will listen!

Every day, many, many times, we are given an opportunity to complete a task. And when I say complete a task, I mean ALL THE WAY, Close the Circle. 

It’s a habit and a practice. And it is powerful.

This type of “circle” applies to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in our lives! 

Here are a few examples: 

  • Laundry: Collect the Laundry--Wash--Dry--Fold--Put away

  • Dishes: Take out bowl/spoon--Eat soup--Wash bowl/spoon--Return them to the cupboard

  • Work: Take out pertinent files--Take action--Replace files

  • Yoga: Pack a bag--Enjoy practice--Come home--Unpack bag--Put everything away

  • Mail: Bring it in--Stand at the recycle bin and toss--Attend to or file important mail

  • Tools: Get them out--Fix something, or Do the project--Clean up--Put them away

  • Creative Projects: Take out the yarn and needles :)--Work on project--Put them away

(There are many, many more to add to the list, these are just a few to get you thinking…)

Usually it is the last step (Put Away) that is left undone.

And then ALL of the undone circles in your space start to multiply; they take on a life of their own!

And that’s when we begin to feel any or all of these consequences:

  • Anxiety

  • Stress

  • Loss of Control

  • Extra Weight

  • Tired

  • Sad

  • Stuck

  • Lethargic

  • Embarrassed 

  • Stomach ache

  • Headache

(I probably don’t need to continue...get the picture?)

NOT closing the circles in your life causes the stagnant energy in your home to grow. 

If the things you own do not have a home, then there will be overflow.  

Overflow ALWAYS interferes with the final “put away” step. How can you put things away if there is no room for them? 

Things are left out, projects are not completed, AND there is a cost to your health, wealth, and happiness.

Here’s where ruthless editing and organizing comes in...

  • Edit your space, make a place for everything, and practice. Just like anything, it takes time to build the muscle! 

  • Release the things that do not bring you joy!!!!! 

  • Once you create a home full of your prized possessions, you will find that closing circles will be much easier. 

  • Feel the magic that comes from doing this work.

The benefits are many! I see it ALL of the time. 

I would love to help you create a home that matches your beautiful, sparkling self! Please let me know how I can help. And as always, I LOVE hearing from you! Feel free to drop me a message either in the comments below, on my website, or heck, just pick up the phone and give me a call! (608)-235-9023

Lots of hugs, 

(And Closed Circles)

OOOOOOO

Jane
3 Comments

Japanese Organizer, Marie Kondo -  One of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People!

5/12/2015

1 Comment

 
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I’m thrilled to see that Marie Kondo, author of #1 NY Times Best-seller: the life-changing magic of tidying up is considered one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people! Her unique method considers items by category instead of by space, offers detailed folding techniques for clothes and ceremonious good-byes to items leaving your home. As Jamie Lee Curtis, Time Magazine author, says of the book,  "...it’s a literal how-to-heave-ho, and I recommend it for anyone who struggles with the material excess of living in a privileged society. (Thanks to Ms. Kondo, I kiss my old socks goodbye.)"

Here’s why I REALLY love Marie (because to me, her method is a tad rigid :))

Her work has brought attention to our modern-day, 1st world problem: TOO MUCH STUFF!

All of the recognition (the #1 selling book, the Time Magazine honor + a gigantic social media buzz) has given the masses permission to hire some help!

On a regular basis people hire:

  • housekeepers

  • accountants

  • mechanics

  • babysitters

  • dog walkers

  • painters

  • carpenters

  • plumbers

  • electricians

  • lawn care specialists

  • landscapers

  • therapists

  • health coaches

  • acupuncturists

  • massage therapists

  • skin care experts

  • chiropractors

  • personal trainers

  • designers

  • life coaches

Hiring someone for support as you wade and weed through your crap has not yet become part of this fairly standard list.

My thoughts as to why:

Not YET considered socially acceptable--The hell with that! Get help where you need it and you will be amazed at how far you can fly. Plus you will positively shimmer and dance with delight when your stuff is out of your hair and your life cracks WIDE open!

Guilt and/or Shame-- “I should be able to do this by myself” Every single person I work with feels this way, it’s usually an ingrained, very old pattern that has been passed along from other generations, the days when life was slower, and self-sufficiency was paramount. I don’t change my own oil and I don’t do my own taxes and I don’t feel one bit guilty about it--other people need jobs, too!

Life just got FAST-- While we weren’t looking: raising kids, working a stressful job(s), going to school, getting divorced, marrying, moving to a new home, death in the family, birth, an empty nest...the brilliant marketers (Barry, Kerstin, you know who you are!) were very busy doing their jobs. This is a modern day problem...we’re accumulating faster than we’re letting go and just haven’t had time to consider what to do about it!

Marie Kondo is making incredible inroads into our American society, busting shame and making it OK to ask for support to work through the snowdrifts of paper and tangles of clothing that keep us playing small, keep us from shining our light and joy to the world.

If conquering your clutter and saying good-bye to chaos in your space has been on your list for awhile, give me a call, let’s talk. I can help you!

Lots of love,

XXOO

Jane

PHOTO CREDIT:time.com
1 Comment

Life is Messy!

5/5/2015

2 Comments

 
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Any perfectionists out there? It seems backwards, I know, but decluttering, editing, organizing and going through your s*** is NOT about being perfect! One of my mentors has said on many occasions, “Make your drawers look like GOD is coming to visit.” I love her dearly and have learned mountains of good stuff from her, but on this one, I respectfully have to disagree!

I have many clients, smart capable people, who are in “stuff up to their eyeballs” because they ARE perfectionists. They’re frozen, paralyzed, and have that wide-eyed, scared look. They believe that if their homes can’t be perfect and ready for “GOD to inspect” at any moment, then they can’t & won’t do it at all. It’s an all or nothing pattern that keeps us feeling stuck because (I know you know this) Nobody’s Perfect!

On all levels, life is messy and we humans just LOVE to muck around creating chaos all over the place! If you consider all of the items you own and all of the items that cross your threshold every day, every month and every year, there are thousands of decisions to make and many layers to consider, especially when it comes to your possessions. So, you may be wondering, if we’re not going for perfect, what are we going for then?

Let’s handle the chaos in your space and create a beautifully simple space that feels expansive and inviting without being perfect. Here’s how we’re going to do it:

  1. Go for 80-90%  80-90% is very good, even excellent work! Especially in terms of your space. Choose to let go of the easy stuff first. It will still have a big effect on how you feel and it will give you the secret fuel to make your space (and you) feel amazing. PS: It will never be 100% finished. Just like the dishes and the laundry, there is always more to do.

  2. Choose Ease. If you feel the pressure piling on, or feel you’re in “flight or fight” mode, then you’re edging beyond desire for “very good-excellent” and into perfectionism territory. You’ll know you’re really in the flow when you’re taking on your clutter, making progress, completing one area at a time without it feeling like a HUGE struggle. You’ll get winks from the Universe that will help you know you’re on the right track and in the flow:

I worked with a new client last month. We went through her files, and talked A LOT about productivity and incoming streams for her work. As we went through her files, though, there was a thick file of old emails from a past relationship, she had been saving them for 7 years as “evidence” of how awful things were. I asked her about them, and after some discussion she was ready to let them go...we shredded them (and cackled just a wee bit while we did it!) Hard to believe, I know, but she had a marriage proposal by the end of the week! When we’re really ready to let go, and create space, incredible, amazing things can happen.



     3.   Send your Gremlin to Time Out. There’s that voice in our heads that can be nasty. Sometimes I call it “The Gremlin”. It’s the voice of our fearful, insecure inner critic. If you’re not creating a space that’s flawless and polished then your Gremlin may be tempted to wage war. Instead of letting your Gremlins get the best of you, listen to your heart and know that you don’t need to be perfect!


     4.   Set Goals but Release Attachment to the Outcomes. This one is the hardest for me. I am an overachiever, with the occasional foray into perfectionism. So, I understand how hard this one can be. It’s one thing to set the goal of clearing out the basement, giving it the fresh coat of paint and turning it into a game room. It’s another to place your sense of value and worth on how much you achieve in a certain amount of time.

Instead, do the best you can (well, 80-90% of your best) and then let it go. Trust. Have faith. And lean into how good you will feel when you have let go of the stuff that does not serve you without sending yourself into a tailspin. Declutter and beautify as a gift for yourself and watch what happens!

Tons of Love,

XOXO,

Jane

PHOTO CREDIT: www.london-survival.com
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    Jane Antonovich
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  • Home
  • About
  • Gallery
    • Bedrooms
    • Bathrooms
    • Living and Family Rooms
    • Kitchen and Dining
    • Home Offices
    • Front Doors, Entryways and Exteriors
    • Man Caves
    • Meditation Rooms
    • Organizing and Functional Spaces
    • Commercial
    • Feng Shui Video Tours
  • SERVICES
  • Blog
  • FREE Classes
  • Speaking Services
  • Contact Me