 "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:
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:
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...
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
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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:
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  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:
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 |
Jane Antonovich
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