While You Can..With Love
Posted by Sue on Feb 20, 2010
This was a pre- Valentine’s Tip from Sue- but having just re-learned how to get our tips into the blog-here it is:
I am more and more convinced that our happiness or our unhappiness depends far more on the way we meet the events of life than on the nature of those events themselves.
~ Karl Wilhelm von Humboldt
I have always loved Valentine’s Day, but not for its Hallmark glitz or heart-shaped candy boxes. Valentine’s Day gives us the opportunity to stop and express our love and gratitude.
In anticipation of the 14th and in gratitude for my mother, who taught me to love, I offer you these words. Read the rest of this entry »
My Ebb and Flow Theory
Posted by Sue on Feb 20, 2010
One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, “What if I had
never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?
Rachel Carson
The other day I was commenting to Sue that I pretty much like to
keep my space calm and orderly all the time -that I need to be able
to look around and like what I see.
Well that’s true -but then how was it that this morning I raced
around for more than an hour – put clean laundry away- the phone
book back in it’s place in the kitchen, vacuumed, and so on and so
forth? Ah-hah! – Oh right! My space is not the way I like it all
the time but, I try to get it back there pretty fast.
So perhaps here’s a more accurate theory: It’s all about ebb
and flow. And the problem is when things gets stuck. Hmm – I like
that. Imagine if an ocean wave came in with all the bits and pieces
of sea weed, crabs and small fish and so forth but then it STOPPED
and nothing moved. Stinky?!
I suppose there ARE some people who are always organized but
they’re probably not reading Breathing Space tips! When Sue and I
are contacted it’s because for one reason or another – the wave is
stuck. How is this a tip? Well, I want to suggest that you help the
wave go back out! Help yourself MOVE STUFF OUT more easily. Here
are three immediate ways to do that:
-Always have a smallish “GIVE AWAY” box near the door and deliver
the contents to your chosen location(s) as soon as the box
is full.
-Keep magazines upright in a container (a tall basket perhaps)
that is NOT huge – and when it gets full – it’s time to recycle or
move the magazines to your archives. I’ve mentioned this before-
but if magazines are upright you can find the one you are looking
for more easily- and the container (rather than a flat
surface)provides a clear limit.
-When sorting mail or paper – STAND UP!! It’s almost magic how
much better this works. AND have a container for recycling right
next to you.You can empty THAT into something larger – later.
Voila– enjoy the tides!
Hurrah -Expansion!
Posted by Sue on Nov 3, 2009
Dear Breathing Space Reader ~
A breath of fresh air is flowing into Breathing Space. As you may have read elsewhere, Susan Venman of www.FocalPointCoachingVT.com and I are becoming a Breathing Space team. Sue is continuing her coaching and is also doing organizing. I am so looking forward to your gaining from her knowledge and care. Combining her expertise with mine we have the proverbial 1+1 equals MORE than 2!
Work is in progress and if you look through our web pages now you will find a mix —some of my earlier writing will be left as is but the site is getting updated daily. Soon all the pages will be up to speed. What’s so great is that while evolving our “infrastructures” we’re gaining new ideas from each other; they are making their way into Breathing Space services and will be available to YOU!
This comes with my immense thanks for the path you have walked with me - be it short or long and for the path ahead! With all best wishes, Joanna
p.s. When you next call Breathing Space 802-258-4800 it will be Sue’s voice that you hear! Stay tuned!
The 10 Minute Challenge!
Posted by Sue on Jul 10, 2009
If you are anything like me, you may already have felt that the summer is going to disappear before you know it. Today however I tried something that really surprised me and thus I am sending it onward to you ~
Take the TEN minute challenge. YES- 10 minutes! It’s pretty huge.
After your next task is done – take T E N WHOLE MINUTES to do NOTHING. Only after that, start on your next action. This may seem completely impossible as you look at it now. That was my reaction. If so—try it for the next 4 hours only. I believe you will discover time that you didn’t imagine could exist.
One task done. STOP for TEN WHOLE MINUTES. Then on to the next task. It’s pretty radical! I discovered a very different world and still got a bunch done – maybe more and definitely more sanely. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
_
Changes…Expansion
Posted by Sue on Jul 10, 2009
To think that some people blog a dozen times a day! Is that you? Meanwhile, my last posting here was in February! Oops!
Now it’s SUMMER ’09 and you are doing whatever fills your time during these months. Some people change focus – slow down/ recharge batteries and try to do as little as possible. For others it’s weddings, trips, yard sales, and all kinds of projects that can’t be done other times of the year.
Good news is that Breathing Space is expanding and there are about to be two of us to answer your questions, post tips ,and provide training as well as doing on-site organizing. Thank goodness! Since February I have been getting very involved in local community work. Luckily at the same time I’ve been talking with my good friend and colleague Susan Venman about collaborating- not only getting things in shape but also adding to Breathing Space services.
Sue is a certified personal coach with a specialty in ADHD coaching. She has introduced me to some great ideas that will soon be coming your way. We are thrilled with the possibility of offering new options as well as covering a larger geographic area. If you think that ADHD might be a part of your challenges,if you want to set up a workshop for the Fall or, are simply ready for a tune up –now is a good time to call. 802-258-4800
Wishing you a fantastic July and August, Joanna (and Sue!)
YOUR STUFF and THEIRS!
Posted by Sue on Feb 15, 2009
This seems like the right time to respond to a question about OTHER
people’s stuff. Very often those other people are those closest to
you- the ones you love the most! But what about when their stuff
drives you nuts!
This will feel familiar to many readers- I’m sure!
“OK, Joanna, here’s my big challenge – how to keep the house
organized and tidy when I live with three very untidy people. I
know the philosophy ‘as I declutter and tidy, they will follow
suit.’ Well it hasn’t worked! Any other suggestions??Disorganized space works for them, but it doesn’t for me. Hmm, so you’re probably going to suggest we all talk about it….my needs,theirs…tricky when I’m in the minority! You’ll sense I’m feeling rather defeated with this one! Over to you…”
First- thank you for your honesty! By now you may well have
resolved the issue. If you have- DO let me know how!
Also- sorry it’s taken me a long time to respond. It’s partly
because I’ve been questioning my own thinking on this one.
The Magic of Dating
Posted by Sue on Jan 30, 2009
Dear Breathing Space Readers
The magic of dating… what do I mean? Here’s an example:
On the 19th I was part of “Project Sleep Warm & Well” a local MLK
Jr Celebration service project. One of the churches in our town has
contributed space in the winter as an overflow shelter for the homeless. These terribly cold nights it’s clearly a blessing to have a warm shelter available. The church has had to make room for the individual egg box foam pads,blankets and pillows that are bagged together to make each individual “bed”. In addition there are the yet unassigned blankets and pillows.
Thus the church storage space is doing double duty.. You can
imagine! We set to sorting through everything in thecloset,cleaning the space, and putting things back so they would be easier to use. Here is where the “DATE” comes in.
The Importance of Idleness :-)
Posted by Sue on Jan 6, 2009
I want to share this sweet mini-article with you! Tho’ there’s lot’s else we’ll be talking about in the NEW YEAR, it fits with all I have been saying about decluttering and organizing. Thank you Sean!
Mini Article: The Importance Of Idleness
So you’re going/have gone on a vacation, aren’t you? Well, the weekend will come up, and you’ll have some sort of break–your to-do list non-withstanding.
But you won’t take a break. No you won’t. You’ll do something silly. Like filling it up with stuff.
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How about filling it with idleness instead?
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Who Needs Help?!
Posted by Sue on Dec 26, 2008
Ever since August, after my husband and I had painted and cleaned an apartment we are managing for my daughter, our own basement has(had) been a mess. Paint cans and rollers and paint trays and a box that arrived with that sort of balloon like “bubble wrap” which Bob had left on the floor after opening up the box. Mind you- I only see the basement when I go down to do the laundry.
In Feng Shui however, they say that the basement is like your unconscious… bothers you even when you aren’t aware of it. And I definitely had a sense of being plagued – at least each time I went down with the wash.
But life is real and there’s TONS else that’s more important to do. No question about that! Whenever I thought about dealing with the basement it was a no-go. No matter how many times I put it on my TO DO list -it just sat there. YUCK!
Finally last week, despite the holidays just around the corner – I’d HAD IT with the basement. I phoned my friend Suzette, who used to be my assistant, to ask if she could possibly come over and help ME.
STUFF & Kindness …
Posted by Sue on Dec 12, 2008
You are trying to do holiday shopping – frustrated because you KNOW that the people you’re trying to find gifts for already have gobs of stuff!
Remember the ads “For the man who has everything!…” and then there’s some expensive gadget you’re supposed to buy to show that you love him and have been thinking of him.
WAIT! STOP! HALT! Consider the purpose of a gift! It seems to me that the main purpose is exactly what the ads suggest- to let the receiver know that you love them and have them in your radar. I think that most of all we want that sense of caring both from giving and receiving…a sense of kindness in the air. But can that happen without STUFF? I think so.
Here are some possibilities:
