December 30, 2008

Friends and Clients,

Did you know that “getting organized” is the second most common New Year’s resolution after “getting in shape?” I’m hoping to catch you before the New Year with an article that I’m recycling from last year.  If you’re resolving to not resolve in ’09, learn here how to create change that will actually stick. 

Also, remember:

1. to please vote for me at the Daily Candy link below!
2. 10% reader discount on all face to face organizing packages (see below).
   

Wishing you an organized New Year!

Click here to read the cover article on Kacy in the Washington Post Jobs section.

Anyone who signs a letter of agreement between now and January 15, will save 10% off the package total.  Get in early before the 2009 rates go into effect.  Just fill out the assessment to schedule a free 20 minute phone consultation.  If possible, I will meet with you for a free 30 minute face to face where we can decide on the best package for your office.

You’re probably challenged with juggling work, school, family and home- all of which take patience and concentration. And for some people a TO DO list is more overwhelming and a greater cause of stress than all of their other tasks.
Here’s a strategy you can try if TO DO lists don’t work well for you.
A few minutes before bed, think for a moment about what things would give you pleasure to accomplish tomorrow. Which have unavoidable deadlines? Mentally file away those things you feel obligated to do for the night. As you fall asleep, recall things from the day that you are grateful for such as completing a large project, spending time with your family or having a quiet dinner- time meal. Focus on things that brought you joy or pleasure.

Before your feet hit the floor in the morning, review the day as you planned it the night before. At the first sign that your day is not going as planned, take a moment to focus on what is going well. Keep the focus on what you want and how you will feel when those results come about. Repeat the process of reviewing your day at bedtime, remembering to be grateful for every small thing that comes to mind.
By focusing on how you want things to go and when derailed, on what you are grateful for, you will begin to do more things that bring you pleasure and less of what causes you stress.  Amazingly, this opens a space for more things you want in your life and assists you in keeping your focus on more positive outcomes.

At Cultivating Change, LLC Renee Canali works with adults young and old to challengebeliefs and recognize the resistance that cause you stress and prevents you from enjoying life more fully. Are you curious how Renee can help? Contact her for a complimentary coaching session and experience her coaching style. Decide if coaching offers you the opportunities you desire. Renee is speaking at NIH February 9, 2009- opening day of Core Week!

www.landofpossibility.com
Renee@landofpossibility.com or 240-206-3299

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Are you a creative business owner who can’t see past the piles on your desk
. . . or your floor? 

Do you know your business would run better if only your paper flow system worked better? 

Are you much more successful and visionary than the state of your office indicates? 

Choose from “The Art of Filing”, “The Inspired Office Makeover”, or “IOU- The Inspired Office University” to breathe some life into your office. 

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The Magic of Thinking Small

Can you remember the last resolution you made, let alone kept?  Personally, I can only recall one.  I resolved to stop drinking soda when I was eleven years old.  Now, I ate an average of one hot dog daily with Cheez-Its as a side dish, and wasn’t an exceptionally health conscious kid. So, I’m not sure what exactly inspired me that winter.  That small change though is something I am forever grateful I made.  The cumulative effects of 18 years without soda are anything but small.

This might be the first article you’ve read that encourages you to downgrade your goals and aspirations for the New Year. By now we’ve all heard that the secret to success lies in thinking big and clarifying goals. If there’s any chatter in your brain though about letting this year’s resolution slip, you may be thinking too big. Are the 10 percent of us that keep resolutions a hardier breed, or do they just know how to focus on something that feels within reach?  My no soda resolution felt small at the time because I wasn’t depriving myself of something I loved, nor was I taking on the world and committing to work I wasn’t willing to do.

Think about a single area of your life that you want to improve. If it’s health, does a daily workout feel exhilarating or exhausting, or just plain impossible?  Can you instead, eat one more homemade meal per week, or take the stairs at work?

If it’s your office, how does “getting organized” feel, especially if you’ve been cluttered for years?  Can you simply commit to ten minutes of filing a week or opening your mail as soon as it comes through the door?

If it’s your finances, how does “make x amount of dollars” feel when you wince at the balance in your checkbook?  Can you start to track your spending, or set a very small amount of money aside every month?

Reducing your vision to a single activity that you can realistically conquer every day isn’t lazy, it’s the only place to start.  The trickle down effects will astound you. Until your loftiest goals are translated into empowering actions that you can master, there will always be a healthier, wealthier, more organized version of you always waiting to debut the next New Year.

Now’s the time- you have one more day to decide how small to make your resolution!
Be easy on yourself!