November 8th, 2011
Whether you've moved 16 times in the last 13 years or not, it's quite a feat to pack every possession and move to a new location. Whew! For years now, I've made it a game to see how peacefully and effectively I can move. And, our move on 9/24/11 was no exception. Aside from John pulling his shoulder, the day after the move, it was a relatively "painless" move.
We're both busy, so we wanted to get settled as quickly as possible, so we could get back to business as usual. Happy to report, we had pictures up one week after our move! (That's typically the last BIG thing, right?!) We've even squeezed in three dinner parties with friends! Whoooo hooooooo!
If you've moved lately, you know how energizing it is to use the momentum of a move to really get your "
house in tip-top order." That means knocking-out energy-draining tolerations by decluttering drawers, files, binders, cupboards and closets. Some of these didn't get addressed during our last move, since it was smack in the middle of my 5 city Awakening Beyond Achievement Tour last year. I wasn't going to let it go this time. No way!
We also pulled nearly a gazillion boxes from storage (thanks to brother-in-law's warehouse). In ONE weekend, we sorted, purged, donated or otherwise found a home for everything...inside, or neatly placed on the cool new storage shelves John assembled in the garage.
Since we're in a larger space, additional purchases were needed, or simply wanted! We found a new coffee table, bed for guest room (visitors, we're ready for you!), new lamps, plus all kinds of goodies at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Always amazed at how new "needs" pop up after a move. We seemed pretty functional with what we had prior, ya know?
So, here we sit poolside on Sunday, watching the sun go down, reflecting on those principles which have allowed us to be exponetially effective these last few weeks.
We constantly leaned on these questions and principles:
1)
What is the priority? With this move, there were dozens of "to-do's," maybe a lot like your own "to-do" list? Instead of succumbing to paralysis by analysis, we simply got clear about "first things first," and focused 100% on that until complete. THEN, moved on to the next task.
After the movers left, it was about setting up our bed, so we could sleep in our new home. Then, I tackled the kitchen, which took a full day. Then, it was my office, which took TWO full days! Lordy! And, so it continues down the list. Three keys here. One,
know exactly what the next priority is. Second, be willing to move to the next task, without procrastinating and
stay focused on it until completion. Trust me, I didn't always want to go "until," but I really wanted the end result: a clean, organized, functional, decluttered, "everything in its place" home. It helped me to make lists, again and again.
What's on your priority list? What will it take for you to just "get 'er done?"
2)
Get Support. Last year, my hubby and I moved everything ourselves, except for a few of the heaviest items. This year, we decided to make it easier on ourselves since there were two flights of stairs involved in moving out of our old place. Ugh! Plus, I wanted to ward off Mr. Grumpy (John's alter-ego who appears when he's physically drained). We hired Starving Students Movers (I highly recommend them!) When they saw how many heavy boxes we had,
they called for more support! Three movers made it easier for everyone. And, I didn't have to carry much up those two flights of stairs.
I'm a fan of support in ALL areas of my life. I lean on 3-4 virtual assistants. And, I just hired two new coaches, in addition to the two I already have. That's in addition to my weekly mastermind group.
What kind of support could help you accelerate the changes you want most in your life? Is it time to hire a virtual assistant, a coach, mastermind group or housekeeper? Open yourself up to receiving. It's always worth the investment!
3)
Make Decisions Quickly. I have to admit, I'm not always the greatest decision maker. I love to keep my options open, and unless it's 100% clear, I've been known to put off big and little decisions. I dare say, this is the
#1 reason we procrastinate. And, it's not such a great recipe for effective living. But, over the last 30 days,
I've become a stellar decision-maker, and you can too, if you're willing to flex the "decision-making" muscle a bunch. Using intuition as your guide, makes it easier.
Rest assured, not every decision has to be perfect the first time. I've made returns. I've shuffled things around. But, as long as I'm making decisions, things get done...and momentum continues.
DECIDE to give your "decision-making" muscle stronger and more effective. What are 5 decisions you've been putting off? Write them down, and make those decisions by the end of this week.
4)
Think in Terms of Systems. If you're stuck, procrastinating or confused, there's a good chance there isn't a clear system in place. Anytime you create a change in your life is a fabulous time to revamp, upgrade or implement a new system, because inevitably you're going to create new habits in a new environment anyway. Might as uplevel it now. I LOVE setting up systems because it ultimately leads to greater inner peace, success and ease.
Almost everything can be thought of in terms of a system in some way. Doing laundry, sorting mail, organizing food or dishes on shelves for easy access, filing receipts, balancing your checkbook, morning routines, running errands, writing a book, etc. Anything with one or more steps, can be a system. It doesn't need to be complicated.
The more you think in terms of the most efficient system, the less energy gets bottle-necked along the way.
What is one area you need to implement a new effective system? How about setting it up this week? Go for it!
5)
Embrace Peace in the Process. In today's world, so many things get over-labeled as stressful. Moving and tackling large to-do lists are two of them. But, it doesn't have to be that way. When you focus on being present and grateful, listen to your intuition, align with "what is," and keep making effective choices (aka = decisions),
it's actually easier than you think. Since I'm known as America's Inner Peace Coach, I'm always up for finding inner peace in the most challenging of circumstances. It's one of my favorite keys to effective living because we have more energy when we're not busy resisting life.
You can do this too!
A few weeks ago, one of my Twitter friends was expecting a "stressful week" ahead and I invited her to take the "Inner Peace Challenge." That means, trying to experience as much inner peace during whatever life brings, as humanly possible. Even without any specific coaching, she reported an unusually peaceful week!
How about taking the "Inner Peace Challenge" this week? Try it.
6)
Take Every Opportunity to Purge. This is another one I'm challenged with because I'm always thinking "
I might need that later." But, periodically,
purging is a necessity. Especially if you don't want to become famous on the hit show "Hoarders." Besides, it's energizing to lighten your load. If you haven't accessed a file for years, review it... so you can either
use what's there or free up the space for something more important. Same goes for clothes, small appliances, CD's, books, etc. I'm not letting myself off the hook until every drawer, file, box and closet has been sufficiently purged. Only a couple more small piles left in my office now! Hurray! Why not give your office a thorough purging?
We already have a huge donation pile ready to go. Knowing old CD programs and books, I'll never look at, could be enjoyed by someone else helps!
To make sure we actually use what we have, I'm taking on another challenge. My goal over the next year is to
USE everything we keep. For example:
* Wear everything in my closet over the next year, or it goes. And, if I don't feel fabulous wearing it, it's out.
* Use every one of our small appliances. Because of limited kitchen space in our last few homes, it was impossible to easily access items like the food processor we got 5 years ago at our wedding. With our larger kitchen, if it's not used, it'll be donated in a year. Just think of all the cool recipes that'll get made in the process?
* Listen to all of our CD's. Makes sense, right? If we haven't listened to a CD since 1988, maybe it's time to create shelf space for something we
will enjoy. You know the saying,
"use it or lose it!"
You get the picture. We're applying the same "game" to board games, sports equipment, vases, platters and more!
What needs purging in your home? Set a goal to tackle it right away. You don't have to move to a new home to inspire a serious dose of purging.
7)
Just do it! You can always get more done than you think. On Saturday evening, my husband John was hanging up these cool Chinese paper lanterns on our patio, and he ran out of AAA batteries. 5 seconds later, he was out the door to Home Depot so he could finish his project. Yesterday, I made a list of 10 places to go to tackle this week's returns, exchanges, shop, bank, handle dry cleaning, etc. And, five hours later, I was done! That even included lunch with John. Both are examples of something needing to be done...and
finding the quickest way to do them! As I reflect back over the last 30 days, I'm amazed at how much got done because we simply adopted Nike's famous three words - "Just do it!"
What are the top 1 to 5 things that need your attention this week? All you need to do is, get into action! You can accomplish WAY more than you think!
While these principles emerged vibrantly during our move and "settling in" phase, they can transform your life instantly -- if you let them. Prioritize. Clear those energy drains. Find a place for everything and put everything in its place. Become a systems-creating machine. And, challenge yourself to find inner peace in any moment.
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