You and Your Environment as Partners

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Kemal Bas

Twenty years ago, clutter in my home and office was still a sizable impediment and irritation for me. Our son, Dave, stilled lived here with us at the time. Whenever Dave would see me trying to clean up, he would quip, "Who's coming to visit?" I'm sad to say that it was often a valid question! Ugh. It pulls my energy down just to think about it.

Fortunately, since then I've learned to work with my environment instead of against it. In this holistic world of ours, our personal environments have an inter-developmental relationship. The task of decluttering our home and office spaces feels very daunting at first. I like to begin with the exposed surfaces that I use the most. This gives me a lift both emotionally and practically.

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Luis Pedrosa

So, once you've established momentum with this cycle, you climb "mountains"! Be ruthless about things in your environment that you have psychologically outgrown. Donate, recycle, up-cycle, or otherwise dispose of the things in your environment that are not serving your current best interest!

If you have trouble parting with things that you know you need to get out of your environment, here's a tip to try. You'll need a friend or family member to help you, because the trick is to not to touch the items!

Ask the other person to hold up each item so you can decide, hands free, whether you really want to keep the item. Make sure they take all the "no" items with them for proper distribution when they leave. You don't want to take the chance of regressing, which can be very tempting, so ask someone to get it out of your sphere right away!

My Dream House

A mansion with six bedrooms and filled with antiques? No thanks. Actually, I don't have to find my dream house...I just need to finish uncovering it! Michelangelo said that, to make the statue "David," he chipped away all the stone that was not part of "David," and there he was inside! I don't think I could sculpt a statue that way, but I can find my Dream House that way! I'm steadily removing all that does not reflect my husband and I as we are now.

We both run home-based businesses, so right now it's still a bit crowded in our modest home. We also have a little dog, toys and books for our grandson, and several hobbies! All of these are important to us and will definitely stay. But when I finish chipping away everything that is out of place in my Dream House, we'll have plenty of space and great Feng Shui, right here where we've been living for over 30 years!

Best of luck with your masterpiece,

Susan

Click on the comment button below to let us know how it's going. Questions are also welcome!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

P. S. to those on my snail mail list: I'm discontinuing my paper newsletter, and I'll be communicating mainly on this blog from now on. Many thanks to those of you who, over the years, have told me that it has made a difference for you! May creative4life be useful and inspiring to you as we continue with 2011: The Year of Audacious Self-Care!

***Active Member of the TriCounty Community Network at http://www.tcnetwork.org/.***

And a P.S. for all readers: contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com or 610-385-3766 if you'd like a tour guide for the adventure of Creative Living!

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Befriending a Better Habit

Energy-Draining Bad Habits
The results of a bad or outgrown habit are like a swarm of gnats...distracting and annoying! The energy it takes to shoo them repeatedly away adds up over time and raises our stress levels. Yet like gnats, bad habits can be very persistent, as we all know!

I'll use one of mine as an example. I was a life-long producer of clutter who was also great at maintaining it! Ugh! In the past several months, I've finally gotten a handle on it. It's a lifestyle change that I have adopted, and I'm keeping a structure in place to assure that the new habit sticks.

Speaking of Structure...
...create some for yourself. Set up some way to be accountable to others for the changes you want to make. Choose your accountability partners carefully, because you will need gentle support and encouragement from them as well.

I continue to receive support and accountability from my family, friends, and coaching colleagues. Last fall I even went public here on my blog with a decluttering challenge that I had set for myself!

Make It Fun!
I know...this is where you're thinking, "This woman is nuts!" But give it a try. You might pair the new activities required with something you enjoy, such as listening to music.

Make yourself a chart so you can visually track your progress. Use colors and symbols that make you smile.

For my clutter-zapping and prevention, I set a goal of 15 minutes a day in four areas for a total of 1 hour a day. This keeps me on track, and the rewards of not having to deal with clutter or cleaning much during the rest of the time are well worth it.

And I do track my time on paper. If I'm out of town for the day, I make up the time later.

The Key to Motivation
O.K., even if you don't think you can find any way to make a new habit fun, ask yourself this: "How will this new habit support my larger vision?" This question could make a crucial difference to someone who, for example, is setting out to change from a procrastinator to someone who is proactive about getting things done.

When I saw decluttering as something I "should" do, I couldn't muster up the resolve to see it through. As my friend Sally says, "Don't should on yourself!"

Now, I see life much more holistically, and I know that staying organized affects the Feng Shui of my office and home, as well as my personal energy. I also see organization as an important element of my self-care. And it's important to me to be a great role model for clients, participants, and readers.

Some coaches don't discuss topics they are still struggling with because it makes them feel out of integrity. My feeling is, however, that if someone else can learn from something I know but have not yet been able to fully implement, why not share it with them? To stay in integrity, I just admit right up front that I'm still working on the issue myself.

These days, with the clutter issue, I can honestly say that I have a handle on it. There are a few drawers and closets that still need some work, but now that my new habit is in place, they too will soon be more orderly!

Best of Luck as You Develop New Habits that Will Serve You Better for a Lifetime! Please share your successes, setbacks, and questions with my other readers and me.

Thanks,
Susan

P.S. Shameless Plug: Contact me to set up a complimentary trial coaching session by phone or in person at scleaver@dejazzd.com or 610-385-3766!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

***Member of TriCounty Community Network, a local human services resource at www.TCNetwork.info.

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A Holistic View of Feng Shui and Your Work

Your Physical Environment

Take stock of the physical environment of your home, office and/or studio. Is clutter or disorganization blocking the free flow of energy in these areas?

Also check for items that don't serve you in your current stage of life. Even worse are items that remind you of a difficult time and bring down your energy when you see them.


Psycho-Spiritual Feng Shui

Your physical work environment may be great, but if your psycho-spiritual environment is out of whack, you will feel out of whack. Shore up this part of your environment by getting a handle on your emotions. You'll also need to clear up any unfinished business with other people.

Take your spiritual temperature and see if your are aligning with your own current beliefs. Also take a look at your integrity. Are your thoughts, words, and actions aligned with each other?


Your Physical Body

As the saying goes, "The body doesn't lie." What is going on in the two areas I discussed above, will affect the energy that your body is taking in and giving out. You will feel it in your level of wellness and in how others respond to you.

And of course your work (creative or otherwise) will be affected. Ask yourself: "Am I an energetically sound vessel for the creativity and productivity I am seeking?" If not, check out the areas above and make the needed changes.


It's a Cycle....

In turn, the state of your body's energy will affect the other two areas above. Be sure to apply mindful stewardship to all aspects affecting your energy. There will be a snowball effect, so be sure the snowball is rolling in a positive direction for you!


Shameless Plug of the Week....

Being coached leverages the benefits of living with a holistic perspective! Contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for a complimentary trial session by phone or in person.


Best of luck with your personal energy management!

~Susan

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***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

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***Member of TriCounty Community Network, a local human services resource at http://www.TCNetwork.info.***

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Clutter-Zapping and a Calendar of Events

Out, D*%n Clutter!

My tally is at 70 clutter-busting hours for the time period of July 10, 2008 to this afternoon, January 5, 2009! If you've been following the monthly installments of this saga, you know that I'm aiming for 100 hours. In the past month, I accumulated 8-1/2 additional hours. I'm more than 2/3 of the way there!

With the flurry of the holidays behind us, I'd like to commit to at least 20 hours for my February report. If you think I'm being too easy or too hard on myself, let me know in a comment. It's New Year's Resolution time, so if decluttering is on your list, check in with us for support, accountability, and bragging rights! (Please let us in on your secret to success, too.)

Calendar of Events for Early 2009

Here are some other things I'm up to besides clearing clutter.... For more information, please contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com or 610-385-3766.

*Anti-Hibernation Coaching Special ~~ To benefit, have your complimentary session by February 20, and (if you decide to come aboard) have your first month prepaid by February 27.

*"Cupid's Bow" Valentine Coaching Special for Couples ~~ Your prepaid session is available for the month of February for just $14 US, in honor of the special day, February 14. This is a unique, fun, and calorie-free Valentine treat!

*The "More Than a Tutor" Coaching Program for Kids" combines my experience in education and coaching to assist your child in strengthening the social, emotional, and intellectual skills that form the foundation of his or her happiness and success in school.

*"Susan, Unplugged... Your 'Slow-Tech' Source for Creative and Healthy Living Tips" is this blog's alter ego. It's complimentary in the US and arrives by snail-mail. (Remember snail-mail??) The January/February issue is now available.

~~~Additional Goodies for Local Folks...~~~

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*Reiki is 50% off for your intro session.

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*"Trade Up to a Healthier Habit" is a complimentary workshop presented by me and hosted by McCormick Chiropractic in Pottstown, PA, on February 17 from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm.

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*Boyertown A.C. Wellness Council 4th Annual Health Fair will be held on March 21 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. I'll be exhibiting and offering a workshop at this family event.

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Be well,

Susan

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***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

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Tune Into Your Muse

Have you ever felt that you and your muse are on different wavelengths, resulting in a frustrating creative block? From a metaphysical perspective, that's exactly what happens.

The conditions in and around us during a creative breakthrough are those that foster a higher vibration that closely matches what we call the muse...that special blend of creativity and intuition that we've been wanting to tap into. So here are some ways to raise your vibration and that of your environment to reduce the mind static between you and your muse.

• Apply basic Feng Shui principles to your work area and to the area between your ears. Clear out physical, mental, and emotional clutter. If you can do this on your own, great! Go for it. If not, get a friend, coach, or personal organizer to help you with the physical clutter. For the mental clutter (long to-do lists, too much debt, etc.), set aside time to attend to each item, ditch it, or delegate it, as appropriate. If the issue or item looms large, you may need to put a system in place for step-by-step progress. For emotional clutter, try journaling or writing an imagined dialog between you and the issue. If you need help, do yourself a huge favor and find a good therapist to help you sort things out.
• Hug a tree! Communing with nature raises our vibration gently and pleasantly.
• Listen to energizing music. If your energy is really down, start with music that is slightly livelier, then move to progressively more energizing pieces.
• Clear out internal energy bottlenecks with Reiki and/or massage.
• Eat light meals consisting of fresh foods that haven't had the life force energy processed out of them. Bless the meal and express gratitude for it.

If you'd like to explore this idea of rising to meet the muse's frequency further, email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com to set up a complimentary trial coaching tele-session.

As you experiment with these ideas, please post your experiences in the comments section!

Thanks,

Susan