Wellness & Mindset-it's an inside job

Halt for JOY

December 16, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Productivity, Wellness & Mindset 2 Comments

Oh boy am I in need of a screeching halt in the midst of all this holiday merriment and festivities! I confess that I’ve been burning the candle at both ends, not able to do much planning, goal setting, blogging, not taking my own advice so far this season. Mostly this is because my business is in a growth stage and that is so WONDERFUL!

But, when I’ve said I’m going to blog, I don’t want to let anyone down by not blogging, I want the gifts I give to be thoughtful, I want to say YES to every invitation, you get it right?

Honestly though in the midst of frenzy, last week I spent an entire day working with a coach, business mentor, public speaker, former professional organizer, lawyer and writer on planning and understanding where my business is now and where I want to be headed. Lisa Montanaro really helped put things in perspective for me and though I am feeling like the ever busy bee with no end in sight I also know I have a PLAN, I know where I am and I know where I want to go and I’ve begun to implement changes to reach that goal. Stopping right in the middle of my busy business activities was exactly what I needed to bring the JOY back into my business, so I don’t burn out, so I remember why I’m working so hard!

Have you ever experienced that feeling of shift, that leveling up (my coach calls it Upleveling) that happens when you spend time getting clear about what you want?

When you make a commitment to something, things just fall into place!

One of the most important principles that she helped me see in a different way, that I use regularly with my clients and was able to apply to my business in a new way is the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule…When we can let go of the “bottom” 20% of anything we create space for something new and better to move into that void. It’s just amazing to witness how this can happen so quickly.

This principle can be applied in so many ways, to our time management techniques…

Who and how are you spending your time? Are the people and tasks you are spending time with the most valuable?
What are you filling your space with (home/business/art studio or whatever!? Surround yourself with only the BEST!
What are you spending your $$$ on?

There are so many ways you can apply the Pareto Principle in daily life, in goal setting, time management and more.

Today, I decided to bring life to a screeching halt for JOY.

By letting go of a few things, like perfection, disappointing others, a rigorous self imposed blog schedule…to create space for enJOYment in the season.

What do you need to let go of at this time of year so that you can have more JOY in the season?

Taking Time Out for Productivity

September 7, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Productivity, Systems & Techniques, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

I’m returning today for a quick check in because Taking Time Out for Productivity-for the SAKE of Productivity-has been on my mind lately. I’m working on incorporating small breaks into my daily practice and scheduling these into my days. This is one small way we can give ourselves a little self-love and take care of ourselves in a more nurturing and intentional way.

Time Out for Productivity can be an effective strategy in our daily lives to combat boredom, distraction, stress and a lack of inspiration!

Many experts agree on different methods of time out or scheduled boredom as some call it. The idea is to give yourself the space and time to breath, think or allow your mind to wander, to dream so that when you are deeply entrenched in a project you don’t get so easily distracted by all those “shiny objects”, whether they be emails, social media, politics/news, the kids, co-workers chatting in the next cubbie etc…

Time out can become a daily practice, stop once an hour if you work at your computer and get a drink, go to the bathroom, step outside or whatever. Come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Once a day schedule a 10-15 min break to DO NOTHING! It’s a practice of mindfulness, daydreaming or even meditation.

Taking Time Out for Productivity and allow your mind to wander freely so that when you need it to stay focused it’s a little more cooperative.

This scheduled boredom can be sitting in a chair, lying down or however you are comfortable but you should be in a place where others will not disturb you (including phone’s, kids, pets or co-workers).

I’ve been working on incorporating both of these practices into my daily habits. Working from home required a great deal of discipline but I’m finding that these scheduled breaks really help me stay on task and focused when I really need to crank something out.

Do you schedule breaks or time out for yourself in your daily practices?

Save

The muddy river metaphor

July 9, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Productivity, Tips & Resources, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

I was recently reading one of my favorite authors, Mark Nepo, as he described lack of clarity as a muddy river. The muddy river is a helpful metaphor to illustrate how clutter can run through our minds, our homes and our business. Standing in a muddy river, everything seem so unclear, which can cloud our actions and decisions.

When you’re stuck in a muddy river and unclear how to move forward, find stillness.

Our vision, inspiration and flow of life become clouded when we are unclear about the stuff that surrounds us in our homes and lives. Like a fast running current, we can’t see the bottom. The silt and rushing waters make it virtually impossible to find our ground. When we are uncertain we can become stuck!

I might risk dipping my toe into the running waters, right on the edge, while feeling safe from the vantage of the shore. Stop and take it in. Inch by inch trust your feelings, and sensations. Act based feelings rather than making decisions based on external forces.

[bctt tweet=”Our feelings are our most trustworthy guide as we move through the process of letting go” username=”hkpowerstudio”] (of clutter, of grief, of old patterns).

How do we get unstuck? By learning to trust our feelings. It doesn’t always come naturally. Our culture teaches us to lead with thought, not feeling! This is when it’s most important to stop, cut through the thoughts. Pay attention to what is underlying and recognize how we feel.

When we pick up a sentimental item, can we identify the feeling that object evokes? Is it joy, bitterness, saddness, or nostalgia? Does it evoke memories; good-bad or mixed? It’s important to invite and honor how we feel about our stuff. By doing so, we can take honest action in the decisions we make about keeping or getting rid of stuff.

The muddy river metaphor as tool…

Setting our intention is a helpful tool when we begin to make decisions about releasing clutter. Once we are more in tune with our feelings we can decide how we want space to feel. We create that space and those feelings by making decisions and only allowing what evokes those feeling into our space.

Setting an intention is as simple as deciding and acting from a place of alignment!

The process of getting clear about your clutter might proceed something like this:

Go into a clutter filled space with a journal or piece of paper to take notes.
Sit in the space for about 5-10 minutes and notes how the space feels. What emotions come up?
Pick up objects and invite a response based on how you feel. This is like testing the waters. Some people are physically impacted by touching items, others are more visual. It’s good to try both and take notes on how yoyu respond.
Decide how you WANT to feel in the space. Write down these feelings and set an intention to create that feeling!
Begin the process of clearing objects and clutter that are not in alignment with your intentions and how you want to feel.

Use the muddy river metaphor to help you gain clarity in your decision making process. When we understand how clutter makes us feel, we can act on decision making from a place of intention. We then create a space that reflects the feelings we want rather than being stuck with what we have unintentionally created by indecision.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or not sure where to begin and need some guidance with this process, please email me to schedule a call so we can talk more about how I can help.

In the meantime you might want to check out my Clutter Action Plan!

Trying to cram in as much as you can…

April 13, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Art, Art & Design, Inspiration & Education, Productivity, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

We all have more ideas, hobbies, dreams and wishes than we may realistically ever be able to achieve. Though if your like me your trying to cram in as much as you can! In the past week I’ve taken some time off of work to do something I always love to do at this time of year, garden and garden related volunteering (I’m a Master Gardener!).

I value the freedom and flexibility of owning my own business so that I can shift gears when I need to and escape to pursue a passion or hobby that may not be related to Organizing or even my Art! But we creative’s can be very tempted by bright shiny objects, new ideas, new materials, the latest gadgets and tools…and they don’t necessarily help us execute our creative ideas in a more fulfilling way.

Sometimes, more is just a big distraction and excuse to not get to work on our own making and art.

I am totally guilty of this as my brand new sewing machine sits in my studio barely used and a warp is on my loom, only barely begun with a new weaving project. There are also times when stepping away from what we work on daily to “Take a Beauty Break” (as my friend Lisa would say), is a great way to reset the soul and give us clarity and focus again!

I’m not suggesting that we should not ‘invest’ in new tools and materials when we need them but as any gardener, quilter or knitter knows, sometimes you have to use up the stash before buying more!

Casting our ideas and creative focus in too many directions can leave us scattered.

Having too many creative pursuits, ideas and materials around us can be a distraction. A tip I often suggest is to pack up one or more different materials (supplies) and put them away for awhile (a few months or longer). Allow yourself to focus on one or two burning creative ideas! If your a writer, you can collect thoughts for future writings into a “NEXT” folder (the suggestion of a great PR person I recently met). If you find that you are not called back to these supplies, then donate them, sell them or give them to a friend. They may be just the inspiration someone else needs to set their ideas on fire!

By setting some of our ideas and creative pursuits aside, we make space to focus on what we really want to be creating. We distill our creative energy to be more potent and concentrated. Have you ever had to say no to some of your creative ideas for awhile in order to focus on your current creative direction?

An Easy Guide to detox your cleaning routine

April 4, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Home, Inspiration & Education, Uncategorized, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

It’s springtime! Before you load up on green smoothies, start with this easy guide to detox your cleaning routine.

Nothing beats a crisp spring day to make you feel more rejuvenated after a long busy winter with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Spring is also the time to open the windows and let fresh air in to motivate our spring cleaning. While that cross-breeze may feel fresh, the chemicals in many cleaning supplies are not. To protect your family and the environment here is a helpful guide to going green with your cleaning supplies.

detox your cleaning routine

Chemicals To Avoid:

Chlorine & Ammonia – These active ingredients can irritate the skin as well as the respiratory system, and when mixed, can create hazardous fumes.

Phosphates – Some examples include nonylphenol and octylphenol which can lead to algal blooms. Protect our marine life!

Phthalates – Often found in fragranced products, phthalates can be absorbed through inhalation or through the skin and are known endocrine (hormonal) disruptors.

Triclosan – Also suspected to be endocrine disruptors, triclosan is more commonly associated with antibacterial products, which are generally to be avoided, and is known to promote the growth of drug-resistant bacteria.

2-Butoxyethanol – These compounds contribute to respiratory problem in addition to such serious conditions as narcosis, pulmonary edema, and liver and kidney disfuntion. Unfortunately the EPA does not require this ingredient to be listed, but it can most often be found in window and multipurpose cleaners.

Chlorine – The body’s response to chlorine can be as minimal as a respiratory irritant to as severe as a thyroid disruptor. To minimize your chlorine consumption check out the ingredients in store-bought toilet bowl cleaners, laundry whitening, mildew treatments, and scouring powders.

Sodium Hydroxide – This extremely corrosive chemical can lead to serious burns on the skin and eyes. NaOH is often found in drain and oven cleaners.

Perchloroethylene “Perc” – Now classified as a “possible carcinogen” by the EPA, perc can also cause dizziness and inhibit coordination. This neurotoxin is often found in upholstery and carpet cleaners and dry-cleaning solutions.

Reputable Products: Green Gear

E-Cloth – These nylon and polyester cleaning cloths pick up 99% of bacteria without absorbing any of the grime, so a quick soak in hot water and the E-cloth is back in action.

The Duop – This “bucketless mopping” gadget has a ball-and-socket joint with a detachable microfiber cloth that can washed and replaced making it one of the cleanest and greenest mops on the market.

Reputable Products: Green Brands

Dr. Bonner’s – Try their Castile Soaps and Sal Suds

Seventh Generation – All Purpose Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, Shower Cleaner, and Glass & Surface Cleaner

Our House – Sanitizing Surface Cleaner & Shiny Surface Cleaner

Naturally Yours – Enz-Away; Basin, Tub and Tile Cleaner; and Gentle Soap

Eco-Friendly DIY All-Purpose Cleaner:

1 cup distilled water
1 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 lemon juiced (optional)**
15 drops essential oil (opt for calming scents like eucalyptus and lavender or something zingy and citrus based)

Mix all ingredients in a 16 oz. spray bottle, shake up and get cleaning!
**If using lemon juice, store cleaner in fridge between cleanings.

There are some products on the market that hit the mark on eliminating some but not all of the ingredients listed above. Each person’s sensitivity to chemicals and ingredients is individual and it’s best to research the ingredients on any product you are using before determining if you find the ingredients tolerable. When we are educated about our choices we make better choices! I also don’t want anyone to feel they have to dump everything down the drain and start from scratch. Maybe you make this transition gradually or all at once, the choice is yours.

Sources:

« Previous Page
1
…
4
5
6
7
8
…
18
Next Page »