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Wednesday’s Word::Discipline

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

1dis·ci·pline  noun ˈdi-sə-plən

 Definition 
1: punishment
2 obsolete : instruction
3: a field of study
4: training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
5 a : control gained by enforcing obedience or order
   b : orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior
   c : self-control
6: a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity
Origin:From Latin disciplina teaching, learning, from discipulus pupil.
I grew up with a military father who, for the good and bad of it drilled discipline into our daily household life with my mom in full support (mostly:).  In our household discipline came by way of a lot of prescribed conduct, rules, enforcement, governing, teaching, training, sometimes punishment and eventually self-control but always applied with a healthy dose of love!  It’s something that part of me dreads and another part identifies with but it’s something I never want to lose.
Discipline has served me well and I am truly grateful to my family for teaching me how to be disciplined…but as an adult I have learned to let go a little and to choose what and when I want to be disciplined about.  I often work with clients who have either a very rigid sense of discipline or none at all.  It helps to reflect on what you were taught and evaluate if those lessons serve you well now, in your current lifestyle.  If you are no longer a child then you have the divine right to choose how you want to live now!

Life is not a rigid set of rules and sometimes we need to loose self control!

In our move to Charleston from DC we have begun to live a less disciplined lifestyle.  We both work for ourselves, can create our own schedules and be spontaneous…but in order to do these things we still have to have a level of discipline that enables us these freedoms.  I am learning to re-define discipline on my own terms these days and THIS…

94fbaf4f94712714cfb807c2521045f9

…sums it up very nicely!  (image via Pinterest-original attribute not posted)

Wednesday Wellness::Stop, Collaborate & Listen…Baby!

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

Vanilla Ice had some meaningful wisdom in that famous song Ice Ice Baby…no I never thought I’d be sharing wisdom with you based upon his lyrics!

Source: thephotogshelper.com via Kathy Campbell : The Photog’s Helper on Pinterest

But, it’s true and I can relate these days to all 3 of these insightful words.  I’ve had to stop doing some things —>in order to find the right people to collaborate with and listen to.

Stop…

I’ve slowed way down on my blogging…have you noticed?  I’ve been blogging for 6 years now (this blog and my previous one) and I’m finding that it’s no longer something I feel super passionate about.  I also don’t currently have the time to dedicate to doing it well, partially because I haven’t said NO to certain other responsibilities!  I came up with this very organized calendar of post topics and relevant subject matter for the entire year but I just don’t have it in me!  I could purchase “packages” of posts created by other organizers, coaches etc but I think you can find the information you need out there and I never intended my blog to be the answer to all organizing questions.  I will continue to share insightful, meaningful and fun posts with you like Makeover Monday’s (when I get good photo’s I’ve got permission to post), Wednesday Wellness (my philosophical side) Thursday’s Inside the Studio (Where artists and organizing intersect), Friday Field Trip (just for fun wild cards).  You can count on 1-2 posts per week for the time being (more if I’m totally inspired but not promising!).

Collaborate…

Everything I do is about collaborating, with my clients, with friends and with new people I meet…all the time.  Other organizers do a fab job writing posts for blogs, magazines and books.  With their help I’ll share the best of what I find with you via other forms of social media like my Facebook & Google Pages, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.  I will continue to find ways to collaborate with other talented people out there, whether they are my clients or other professional colleagues I can help in some way.

Listen…

I listen to my clients needs.  It’s the first part and the most important part of what I do at every step with every project.  Whether I’m designing, organizing, teaching or doing a garden consultation I have to listen to get the job done right.  It’s also critical that I listen to my own needs and that’s why I’m putting this post out there to explain why I haven’t been blogging as much and how I’ve been re-evaluating my own needs and focus.

Hope you take take the time to Stop, Collaborate and Listen too from time to time!

Wednesday Wellness::How do you spell NO?

by Filed Under: Productivity, Systems & Techniques, Wellness & Mindset

Confession time~I’m very guilty of not being good at saying no, just ask ANYONE who knows me (and some that don’t even know me well)…Guilty as charged! How do you spell NO? Especially when Yes can seems so much more fun!

Some people have a hard time saying no because they feel obligated or guilty. It’s helpful to pause when someone asks you to help with something and pay attention to what your gut/intuition is telling you. When I feel my shoulders start to slump or my gut start to rumble I know it’s time to back off.  Are others being pushy, do people come to you because they have had past success suckering you into saying yes? If so then you may need to be on guard from the beginning!How do you spell NO?

Honestly though, my problem is that I just want to be involved in sooo many things…especially being new to my city.

Saying NO is a critical part of setting boundaries and creating priorities. Even when you feel like you are pretty good at doing this, you can always get better or take the time to check in with yourself before you say yes. Some people wait a few hours, sleep on it etc. Saying yes may be a set up for an all out attack against your most valued asset, your time!

Ultimately it comes down to making choices that are in alignment with your goals and dreams!

Learn to say NO so you can spend more time on the things you want to say YES to!

  • Resist temptations-Unsubscribe from emails or just delete them and if you are going through a particularly busy period let your friends and family know you can’t take anything else on right now.
  • Delegate, assign and let go of control in a kind but firm manner.  Be appreciative that someone thinks enough of you to ask for your help but you might not be the right person.
  • Understand your boundaries-Don’t get caught on the spot and feel you have have an answer right away.  It’s okay to say ‘Maybe I need to think about it’-defer decision making until you it feel right about it.
  • STOP and Focus on the big picture-is what you are about to agree to really in alignment with your big goals and will it make you happy?
  • Empathize and try to help find the right person or solution for the job when it’s not you (this goes back to delegating and deferring).
  • Practice, practice, practice saying no.

I believe in the power of SAYING YES, to the opportunities that are out there, to the universe, to new friends, to learning, trying new things, even things that make us uncomfortable and to helping others. This is why I say yes-because I’m a passionate, caring and helpful person-not out of obligation, guilt or shame. We will talk about the power and wellness behind saying yes another time.

Wednesday Wellness::Lean, Settle…Center

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

As I ended my Wednesday today on my Yoga mat practicing warm flow our instructor began and ended the class by asking us to notice our posture.  She suggested that we bring awareness to our tendency to lean forward or settle back in our daily lives.

In this awareness  then she asked us to think about our own tendency in our posture and to bring awareness to how that parallels our thoughts and actions in our daily lives.

Just this small shift in my personal awareness had me thinking about how I’ve struggled with my posture; slumping forward especially when sitting and YES this does parallel my thoughts.  I’m always thinking about the next thing I want to be doing, my mind is constantly racing ahead of my actions.  I feel I have a new perspective on my posture and am grateful that it can be a reminder in each moment to stay centered by not leaning to far forward into the future or settling too far back into my own personal history.

Do you lean, settle or are you centered?  Does your posture reflect your thoughts and actions in your life?  If so will bringing awareness to this help you find a more centered perspective?

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