Do you remember the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears? One of the main themes is Goldilocks’ search for what felt “just right.” One chair was too big, and another too small. She rejected both. However, when she found the one that fit, she knew it was the one for her and used it. The chair was right-sized and “just right” for her.

At the core of the Goldilocks philosophy is finding the sweet spot, the optimal place where things feel balanced, comfortable, and supportive. Who knew Goldilocks could help with letting go?

Are you struggling to let go of things, ideas, habits, or commitments? If so, a Goldilocks approach could help. Her decision tree went like this:

“This bed is too hard.”

“This bed is too soft.”

“This bed is just right.”

What will “just right” look and feel like for you?

Why is Letting Go Overwhelming?

There can be a lot to sort through, which can make letting go feel overwhelming. Clutter can accumulate from:

• years of acquiring

• gifts and inherited items from others

• postponed decisions

• emotional attachments

• unclear or nonexistent organizational systems

• being overscheduled

• unclear boundaries

• not following through on closure loops

Time is part of the equation, too. You need time to make decisions and to align what you own with who you are and what you need now. This can be tricky if you feel stuck in the past or are holding onto things for an aspirational future or self.

However, when you start making decisions based on who you are now and your current needs, it brings greater clarity as you let go.

Are You Sacrificing the Present?

Many years ago, I attended an ICD class on consumerism, minimalism, and experimentalism, presented by my friend and colleague, Lynne Johnson. She shared a quote about letting go.

“How much of your present are you willing to sacrifice in order to save remembrances of your past to ponder in your future?”

— Anonymous

The question aligns with the Goldilocks philosophy of the three-point decision tree, but from a time-based perspective. Consider what you are holding onto in relation to the:

• Past - Are you willing to hold on to things from your past that keep you stuck and no longer serve you? Can you release them and move on?

• Present - Are you willing to let those things take up physical space and mental energy, distracting you from the present? Can you let go and be more aligned with the present?

• Future - Are you holding onto things with a glimmer of hope that you will revisit, use, or need them someday? Can you say goodbye to them in service of an unencumbered future?

What DOES Letting GO Look Like?

When you release what you no longer need, you invite more ease, better life alignment, joy, and growth. Even releasing one thing makes room for what’s most important, essential, and valued by you.

Letting go can look like this:

• Donate the never-used pots and pans to make the ones used regularly more accessible.

• Release rarely-used purses to make room for the ones you do use.

• Recycle the papers that ‘time took care of’ so you can focus on what’s current.

• Skip the to-do list to enjoy a beautiful spring weekend day.

What does letting go look like for you?

The Goldilocks of Letting Go

What happens when you begin to align your life so it feels “just right?” Will you release what no longer belongs, brings you joy, or is useful? Will letting go bring you closer to living your best life now? When you release what's blocking your energy, space, and thoughts, you create room for calm, growth, and happiness.

Which ideas resonate with you most? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed or disorganized? Do you want to let go of the unnecessary but feel stuck or unsure where to start? I’m here to help! You don’t have to do this alone. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s connect! I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact Form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Letting go and getting organized are possible, especially with support.

Attending organizing conferences is one of the highlights of my year. I learn interesting things, dedicate time to professional growth, connect with dear colleagues, and meet new people.

I just got back from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization’s (ICD) conference in Atlanta. Colleagues came from all over the United States and around the world, including Canada, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. We learned together from experts on decision-making, time management, ADHD, autism, hoarding disorder, aging, dementia, and more.

Earlier this month, I participated in a meditation and writing retreat led by my dear friend and life coach, Yota Schneider. She shared a quote from John O’Donohue that feels relevant to the ideas I’m about to share. He said, “Nothing opens up the mind like the glimpse of new possibility.”

It’s the “glimpse” of what is possible that fosters hope and encourages change for my virtual organizing clients. I hope what I’m about to share will also be relevant and helpful for you.

3 Helpful Things I Learned at the Organizing Conference That Can Benefit You

1. Decision-Making Takes Energy

Melissa Gratias and Linda Samuels

Getting and staying organized requires making lots of decisions. One of the conference sessions about the brain and decision-making was presented by productivity expert, colleague, and fellow blogger, Melissa Gratias, PhD. She said, “The more choices, the more cognitively taxing.”  

In another session on chronic disorganization and aging, Beth Nolan, PhD, a gerontology expert, also discussed decision-making. She mentioned that one way we can help our clients with decision-making is by “being aware of the energy it takes.” Decision fatigue can become even more pronounced when compensating for physical changes or conditions.

Making decisions is an integral part of most virtual organizing sessions. I provide support to my clients and consider their energy level as they:

• Weigh various options

• Choose what to keep or release

• Decide what step is next

• Select what to include or exclude from their schedules

2. Change Barriers Can Be Overcome

Linda Samuels and Cameron Gott

Change was another topic that surfaced throughout the conference. In the session on tools to help your ADHD clients with their organizing goals, presented by Executive ADHD Coach, trainer, podcast host, author, and friend, Cameron Gott, PCC, he spoke about change.

Cam said there are many barriers to change, especially when ADHD is in the mix. The “ADHD hard place” exists in the space between being aware of the issues and actualizing the change you seek. Some of these ‘change’ barriers include:

• Engaging in negative self-talk

• Having lots of rules

• Having difficulty prioritizing

• Being challenged with activating

• Experiencing a lack of focus

• Getting easily distracted

One of the tools Cam suggested is using curiosity to bring about change. However, curiosity can also act as a barrier to change. As a barrier, it can appear as:

• Doing endless research

• Going down rabbit holes

• Engaging in time sucks

However, Cam said you can reframe curiosity as a resource. He said, “Bring curiosity to a dilemma.” This will help you focus and take a more proactive approach.

While my virtual organizing clients desire change, they often face internal and external obstacles. However, with support and accountability, we work together to identify these challenges and try different ways to overcome them.

“Bring curiosity to a dilemma.”

— Cameron Gott, PCC

3. Connection is Essential

Carrie M. Lane

The last conference session, “Qualitative Research, Connective Labor & Professional Organizing,” was presented by Carrie Lane, PhD, an anthropologist and author of More Than Pretty Boxes – How the Rise of Professional Organizing Shows Us the Way We Work Isn’t Working.

“Connective labor,” which is “work that relies on empathy, human interaction, and mutual recognition,” was one of the ideas Carrie discussed. She referenced her friend’s book, The Last Human Job, written by Allison Pugh, a sociologist and author.

Carrie reminded us that “Our job as organizers requires the human connection – an intimate, nonjudgmental connection.”

While technology and AI keep advancing into our daily lives in many ways, nothing can replace human interaction and connection. I value the relationship I have with my clients. By building trust, showing compassion, and remaining nonjudgmental, I provide support as they work on growth and positive change.

Decision-Making, Change, Connection, and Virtual Organizing

There are many ways I support my virtual organizing clients. Are you struggling with making decisions, creating change, or feeling disconnected from others? What becomes possible when you get the help you need? Which ideas resonate most with you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or disorganized? I’m here to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s talk. I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Getting organized is possible, especially with support.

Are you feeling exhausted after meeting a deadline or finishing a project? While hyper-drive may be necessary to reach completion, downshifting is essential afterward.

Over the past month, I worked hard on the chapter I wrote for the new ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization) book to meet their short, time-sensitive deadline. I am excited to have written the chapter on client support and look forward to sharing more once it is published later this year.

How does this relate to fresh starts? The writing deadline straddled the end of one year and the beginning of another. The time I typically take to wrap things up and reimagine what’s next was allocated to the book project. Instead of slowing down as the year closed, things sped up and kept going until earlier this week when I submitted my draft.

Completing the deadline helped reaffirm the necessity of taking a moment to breathe. This slow exhalation is the break I need to refocus my energy and plan what comes next. I identified several elements that I hope you’ll find helpful the next time you are about to switch gears.

3 Ways to Exhale & Refocus Your Energy

1. Reflect

Doing a post-deadline debrief, thinking about how I approached the book project and what I learned, was valuable and affirming.

These are some reflections:

• Clarified the chapter’s content and description with the committee

• Made time estimates for how long it would take to write the chapter

• Scheduled writing blocks on my calendar

• Said “no” to things that would distract from my objectives

• Remained flexible with scheduling and idea development

• Developed an outline of topics to cover

• Made a plan for how to approach the various sections

• Hired an accountability partner (thank you, Lana) to keep me on track

• Set weekly goals

• Logged hours and other metrics

• Journaled

Another aspect I noticed was how my weekly blog writing routine prepared me for this project. My well-established writing tools and rituals made writing easier during the scheduled “ICD Book Project” writing blocks. When things didn’t go well during a particular block, I wasn’t discouraged, as I knew it was a normal part of the writing. I had built up resiliency through experiencing similar ups and downs with blogging.

Hiring an accountability partner was incredibly beneficial for the book project, especially because of the tight deadline. It was also fascinating to experience and fully appreciate the benefits from the “lived” perspective. While I have received a lot of positive feedback from my clients, I better understand why they say having me as their accountability partner is helpful. I get it.

2. Sense

I just finished reading a wonderful book How to Winter, by Kari Leibowitz, PhD. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re interested in the far-reaching benefits of developing a “positive wintertime mindset.”

One of the things that she wrote about was how to develop an awareness of those things you love about winter, like:

• the “fresh” smell of the air that slow-moving molecules create

• the cozy warmth of being around a firepit

• the delight of sipping hot cocoa with marshmallows or

• the happy sensation of curling up with a warm blanket and book

While I engage regularly with my senses, I noticed how they were heightened during this transition time because I was reading Leibowitz’s book. When I was outside, instead of thinking about how cold I was, I breathed in the crisp air and appreciated the cyclical nature of the dormant, bare trees. Instead of feeling guilty for wanting to go to bed earlier, I recognized the value of rest and delighted in the visceral calming effects of my bedtime rituals.

Appreciating and sensing is a gentle way to experience presence and gratitude for what is here now. Lingering in this presence through my senses removes concern about what will be next and helps replenish my energy.

Of all things, as if on cue, the snow just started falling. At first, the flakes were sparse and descended slowly. Then, the flow and pace increased as the sky and landscape turned white. We’re expecting five to seven inches of snow over the following hours. I’m so excited! Perhaps there will be some hot cocoa in my future. A white covering will soon transform everything. Talk about a clean slate! It’s the perfect visual to encourage a fresh start.

“While hyper-drive may be necessary to reach completion, downshifting is essential afterward.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Nourish

Engaging in nourishing activities that support your well-being is another way to slow down and refocus your energy. When you have exerted a lot of effort, balancing it with restorative practices is vital.

My supportive activities include meditation, yoga, walking, and journaling. There are others, too, like exploring new places, seeing friends and family, watching movies, eating healthfully, or getting enough sleep.

And then there’s soup—yes, soup! Making and eating soup is a thoroughly enriching activity for me. I love washing and chopping ingredients, adding them to the big pot, and creating a delicious meal with a few simple, fresh items.

After hours of simmering, my husband and I will share this hot meal as we look out the dining room window into the chilly night, watching the snow gently fall. Maybe we’ll even eat by candlelight. If that’s not cozy and nourishing, I don’t know what is.

What helps you slow down and restore energy? How can taking a restorative break energize your fresh start? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you want support organizing, planning, or restoring energy? I’d love to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – A local feel with a global reach.

Please schedule a Discovery Call, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, or call 914-271-5673. Change is possible, especially with support.

Proactive change is a fascinating thing. It’s the type of change you seek when you desire a shift in your life. You might have identified an area you want to improve, a behavior you want to stop, or a wish you want to manifest. You are ready for a transformation but may feel overwhelmed with where to begin or what to focus on. Change is possible through desire, small steps, and support.

This week, I attended the educationally stimulating ICD Virtual Conference, “Shining a Spotlight on ADHD.” There were three terrific speakers- Melanie Sobocinski, PhD, PCC, Sharon Saline, Psy.D, and Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA. They shared a wealth of information. I’m focusing on three ideas I learned about change that I thought would be especially helpful.

3 Useful Changes

1. Task Activation

Have you ever wondered why a task isn’t happening? In Melanie Sobocinski’s presentation, Mastering the ADHD Trifecta to Manage Task Salience, she said the key to activation hinges on using strategies in three areas:

• High Interest – May need to be boosted or toned down

• Urgency – Can be overused, but can be beneficial when used in small doses

• Other People – Can provide support, including focus and problem-solving, or can be an obstacle if it erodes the client’s autonomy

Task activation can be improved by understanding which elements are interfering. While Melanie shared excellent strategies for each area, there was one for High Interest that caught my attention.

To boost “Interest,” you can introduce novelty with a micro-change. Melanie shared a worksheet by Casey Dixon, PCC, who defines micro-change as “the smallest possible change you can make to have a task or solution feel new again.” These tiny changes will “catch your brain’s attention and help a task feel fresher and more rewarding, without creating utter chaos.”

Use Micro-Change to Introduce Novelty

• Try a new tool or resource, such as a new app.

• Change your location or placement of objects, like working at a coffee shop.

• Select a new color for writing with or on.

• Use a new sound for alarms.

• Adjust your position or lighting by walking during a call or switching the lighting intensity.

2. Confidence Formation

Have you ever felt nervous, anxious, or lacked confidence in social situations? Are you curious about one strategy that can change your experience? In Sharon Saline’s presentation, Strategies and Solutions for Social Anxiety in Neurodivergent Adults, she described social anxiety disorder as a “debilitating fear or judgment, humiliation, or rejection.” There can be a “disconnect between how a person actually appears to others and their own exaggerated perception of themselves.”

Sharon delved into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), Perfectionism, and Imposter Syndrome. One of the strategies she offered when discussing Imposter Syndrome was to develop and name your “inner ally.” Negative self-talk can run rampant. Call upon your inner ally to provide support, compassion, and belief when you’re feeling nervous, doubtful, or ruminating with unhelpful thoughts. Sharon calls her ally “Tina Trailblazer.” What name will you give yours? What words of support will they offer?

While I haven’t named my ally or identified her as such, I have relied this year on my 2024 motto to lift me when I run into a challenge. Her voice says, “You got this.” Those words help me get over myself and move forward with confidence. After learning about the inner ally concept, I feel inspired to give my ally a name.

“Yes starts the process of change; Yet keeps it going.”

— Sharon Saline, Psy.D.

3. Sleep Foundation

Do you get enough sleep? Is that an area of your life you want to change and improve? Ari Tucker’s presentation was ADHD Makes Sleep Worse – And We Probably All Need More Sleep. He said, “No one is bringing their A-game after a bad night of sleep.”  

Lack of sleep negatively impacts mood, efficiency, effectiveness, focus, and attention. Consider how you feel after good or bad sleep days. There are many solutions for sleep deprivation, which include establishing a consistent bedtime, limiting caffeine, minimizing kid and pet disruptions, or stopping naps. For more strategies, read Ari’s ADDitude article, 9 Sleep Deprivation Solutions for Adults with ADHD.

While there are numerous ways to address good sleep hygiene, Ari suggests focusing first on quantity. If you establish the ‘right’ number of sleep hours you need, the quality of your sleep will probably be fine. If the quantity of sleep is good and you’re still having sleep challenges, then it’s worth investigating your sleep quality. Talking with a doctor who can advise about any medical challenges affecting your sleep could be beneficial.

Small changes in your sleep habits can significantly improve your daily experience.  

“Partial progress is still progress.”

— Ari Tuckman, Psy.D.

Which ideas resonated with you? Are there areas of change you want to focus on? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you want guidance with the changes you desire, I’m here to help. Please email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or click here to schedule a Discovery Call. Change is doable, especially with support.