Are there many things you want to experience, explore, or accomplish in life? If so, that’s wonderful. However, when you encounter daily challenges, it becomes harder to think about the future and imagine possibilities.

You have the capacity to handle a lot. You can boost your capacity by identifying and addressing a specific challenge you’re facing. Often, just one small tweak is enough to create momentum and open the path for new ideas you couldn’t see before.

Why is that? It’s easy to get stuck in cycles of distress, overwhelm, and frustration. These patterns can cause paralysis and inaction. When you’re in that negative mode, your mind can spiral or shut down. Thinking and dreaming about new possibilities feels out of reach.

There are many ways to open up the ‘what’s possible’ path. Depending on your preferences and situation, choose the strategy that will be most effective for you.

5 Ways to Easily See What’s Possible by Finding Solutions to Your Challenges

1. Identify the Hiccups

One of my favorite methods to prepare for possibilities is by making a list of the hiccups you encounter during your day.

Pay close attention as you go through your day. As situations occur, write down anything that causes you stress, distress, or inconvenience. These might include things like:

• Misplaced or lost keys, glasses, or your phone.

• Had trouble getting dressed because of clutter in the closet.

• Created an overly complicated organizational system that’s too difficult to maintain.

• Had supplies tumble out of the bathroom cabinet every time it was opened.

• Was late for an appointment again.

• Ran out of milk, toilet paper, apples, or other household staples.

• Was annoyed during kitchen meal prep because things weren’t organized in a useful way.

• Woke up cranky because of sleep disruptions or lack of sleep.

• Began the day feeling anxious and unsure what to focus on.

Notice the hiccup. Write it down. Choose one of the challenges and fix the problem.

2. Quiet Your Mind

When the noise upstairs gets too loud and clouds your thoughts, it can prevent you from seeing possibilities. How can you quiet the mind so you can move forward with clarity and purpose?

There are many ways to do this, including:

• Journaling

• Meditating

• Sipping coffee or tea from your favorite mug

• Resting

• Reading

• Breathing slowly with focus and intention

3. Declutter the Desk

Numerous studies show how clutter can negatively affect our mental health and well-being. Not everyone is affected by clutter to the same degree. However, if clutter bothers you, you may actually feel its effects viscerally. You might feel anxious, stressed, agitated, or have difficulty concentrating or relaxing.

One of the easiest ways to change how you’re feeling is by decluttering a small area. It doesn’t matter what you choose. Pick something with distinct boundaries like a desk surface, a comfy chair, or a coffee table.

Remove items that don’t belong. Route the outtakes to the trash, recycling bin, donation box, or rehome them elsewhere. For the remaining items, decide whether you want them to stay, let them go, or relocate to another spot.

Clearing space and surfaces is calming. With this simple reset, you’ll be more open to possibilities. 

“The physical act of movement can encourage progress and possibilities in other areas of your life. ”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4. Move Your Body

Sitting is passive. Not only does it make your body stiff and less active, but it can also affect your energy level and mood. Since transitioning from in-person to virtual work, I sit much more than I used to.

Movement has become even more important. I make sure to take breaks between virtual organizing sessions to walk around, stretch, take bio breaks, or get some fresh air. When I’m on the phone, I often walk around the house while talking. I incorporate other movements by doing yoga, exercising, walking by the river or in the woods, running errands, gardening, sweeping, or cleaning.

Some movement is spontaneous, while some is more intentional. It helps when I schedule time to meet a friend for a walk or go to yoga class. That adds accountability and keeps me committed to moving more.

Physical movement creates its own momentum. The physical act of movement can encourage progress and possibilities in other areas of your life.

5. Ask for Help

Have you ever faced a challenge that overwhelmed you? When that happens, do you try to solve it on your own or ask for help? I usually try to figure things out myself first. However, there are times when hiring someone or seeking advice is beneficial.

Recently, I experienced some frustrating tech problems with Mailchimp and Square while setting up the backend for my December workshop. While customer support offered a few insights, they didn’t resolve the issue, so I hired someone to help me. It was incredible how much less stressed I felt knowing someone would help me find a solution and fix the problem. I didn’t have to do this alone. It was wonderful having the personalized support to troubleshoot the issue, discuss options I hadn’t considered, and resolve the problem. Thank you, Lana Kitcher!

As a professional organizer, I help my clients get unstuck and move forward. I love helping and serving others. It’s inspiring to see what becomes possible when obstacles are removed.

Sometimes the answer to a problem is asking for help. When you receive the support you need, your stress and overwhelm decrease. You become more available to take the next steps and imagine what is possible.

Will Finding Solutions Make You More Receptive to New Possibilities?

Everyone gets stuck sometimes. What happens next is what matters most. There are many options, which include identifying the challenge, decluttering a small area, or reaching out for help. What hiccups during your day are keeping you frustrated and stuck? What helps you feel receptive to new possibilities?

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 and making progress is possible, especially with support.

There’s nothing wrong with being productive. However, life can be stressful if your focus rests solely on to-do lists, getting things done, and making every minute count. You might find it surprising to hear this from a professional organizer. But guess what? Everyone needs time to relax, not be scheduled, and have fun.

Some time ago, one of my clients emailed me an article from The New York Times by Melissa Kirsch, titled “Satisfying vs. Productive.” In it, Kirsch made a distinction between the two concepts. She said that “A productive day implies a day in which you got some things done, a certain degree of industry. Whereas a satisfying day might be one in which you didn’t necessarily do very much at all, but the contents of the day seem totally appropriate given any number of factors…”

Kirsch presented the idea that instead of criticizing yourself for what didn’t get done, you should make time upfront to be more intentional. She suggested setting your day up for success by asking, “What would constitute a satisfying day today?” Think about how you want to feel by the end of the day. What needs to happen (to do or not do) to get there?

The “Satisfying” Perspective

As someone who enjoys being productive, I also value a day that isn’t solely focused on crossing items off my list. Using the “satisfying” lens to reframe the intent of certain days boosts my joy factor and removes the guilt and pressure to produce.

By letting go of my to-dos, I can fully embrace how a day unfolds. The day’s intent might be to have fun or relax. It could involve exploring or wandering. But what the day isn’t is being list or task-driven.

A Perspective Experiment

Recently, I had a chance to experiment with this idea. We took a few days off and put work on hold. During our trip, we did some planned and unplanned things.

One of the impromptu activities was visiting Knoebels, an amusement park. It was so much fun exploring a new place, going on rides, and indulging in good eats. Have you ever had a Belgian waffle ice cream sandwich filled with chocolate peanut butter ice cream? It was delicious!

I digress. My husband loves riding roller coasters, while I prefer the less thrilling rides. I happily waited while he enjoyed the scary attractions. Then he joined me on the gentler ones, like the Ferris wheel and carousel. I love the movement of the carousel—going up, down, round and round with no destination in sight. No worries, just pure delight.

Aside from unpacking, no productivity tasks or thoughts were on my mind when we returned home. Without a doubt, the day and our trip had been soul-nurturing, satisfying, and fun.

I was happy about my response to Kirsch’s question, “What would constitute a satisfying day today?” For me, it had been setting aside the list, doing something spontaneous, and having fun!

“What would constitute a satisfying day today?”

— Melissa Kirsch

What Does Your Day Look?

Productivity isn’t a dirty word. However, when you start to view productivity as satisfying, it can have a positive effect on your experience. What does a productive day look like for you? Is it the same as or different from a satisfying one?  

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

How Can I Help?

Do you need support with organizing, editing, or managing your time? I’d love to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

• Let’s talk. You can:

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call directly 914-271-5673

Making your days intentional and satisfying is possible, especially with support.

Yes. It’s still officially winter, and our recent run of several warm days has reverted to colder temperatures. Despite the fluctuating thermometer, I notice hopeful signs of spring as nature begins its blooming ritual. Frequent sightings of green plants push through the ground to greet the blue sun-filled sky. They don’t hesitate. After being dormant for months, rejoining life with gusto is their next step.

Nature’s confident growth got me thinking about things that prevent us from moving forward.

• How about the mile-long to-do list?

• Is yours dormant and paralyzing?

• Or are you actively working on it?

• Is your list meaningful and necessary?

• Or is it filled with tasks that aren’t essential and you don’t care about?

• Is your list so daunting that it brings up negative feelings, regret, and disappointment?

• Or instead does it inspire you to act?

If you are struggling to determine your next step, here is a novel idea: Lose your ‘negative list.’ Crumple it up, let it go, and say buh-bye! That might sound radical, and perhaps it is. But can you imagine doing it anyway? And if you did, what might happen?

What’s On Your Negative List

Things holding you back can be concrete or emotional. They might include things like:

• Thought loops with messages such as “I can’t” or “I’m not good enough”

• Projects that would be nice to do, but realistically you’ll never get to

• Thank you notes that are years overdue

• Plans you wanted to make with friends or family, but never did

• Piles of magazines with articles to clip and file

• Stuff inherited from other people’s lives to sort and edit

• Papers and objects representing previous careers or life stages to curate and edit

Without realizing it, I had a negative list. It included feeling bad about not yet:

• Finishing my 2024 review or 2025 plan (and it’s already March!)

• Selecting my 2025 word or motto

• Choosing the topic and scheduling my next workshop

• Creating a video about virtual organizing

Make Your Next Step Easier

It may sound too simplistic to lose or release your negative list. However, recognizing how it might be holding you back makes it worth trying.

Maybe you’ll decide you still want to attend to some things on that list. And if so, perhaps a reframe of how you think about that ‘thing’ will make the difference. For example, instead of the projects you’ll never get to demotivating you, celebrate the ones you have accomplished. Review the remaining ones to decide if one is worth pursuing. If so, think about it as a project you get to, not have to do. Release the rest.

As Oliver Burkeman says in Four Thousand Weeks, our time is limited. “The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short.” We will never get everything done or be able to pursue every possibility that exists. Burkeman says, “we’ve been granted the mental capacities to make almost infinitely ambitious plans, yet practically no time at all to put them into action.”

Recognizing these limitations can be freeing. Don’t try to do everything. Instead, let go of what is holding you back and pursue what’s most meaningful and necessary.

Selecting next will become easier. Guilt will be gone. Action and intention will rule the day. What comes next will be joyfully embraced once you are unencumbered by the lingering tasks you’ve chosen to release from your list.

“The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short.”

— Oliver Burkeman

What’s Next?

I might forgo choosing a new word and motto this year and even skip a deeper review of 2024. Just considering that option makes me feel lighter and more energetic. After all, I imposed these things on myself, and I can just as quickly release them from my list.

My next steps will prioritize energizing and nourishing actions, projects, and ideas. What will be next for you? What can you release that is holding you back? 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 figuring out your next step? I’d love to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – 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.

Happy New Year! Hello to you and to 2022. Your blank slate is ready to be painted with a wash of gorgeous colors. Behind are the successes and challenges you experienced during the last twelve months. A new level of energy and motivation is here. You can start again and chase the dreams and goals you desire. The New Year cues us for a do-over, reset, or reinvention.

Have you already done your reflecting and planning? Maybe you don’t like to reflect or plan. For me, there are years such as this one, where that process happens in January rather than December. There is no right, wrong, or one way. There are many paths, including making resolutions and setting specific goals, which will help you get the most from the New Year’s fresh start effect. I’m excited to share some ideas with you and would love to hear about your process.

In conjunction with using one or more of the ideas below, I re-read my personal journal entries from the past year and make a list of highlights, challenges, and ah-has. My perspective deepens where I traveled and clarifies where I’d like to go. 

5 Ways That Will Make You Get The Most from Your Fresh Start

1. One Word

Choose a single word as your guiding force for 2022. I don’t do this every year but decided to select one word for 2022. It is flourishing. The past few years have been challenging. With my ‘word’ in mind, I want to cultivate the seeds planted and changes made in a positive direction. 

2. Three Things Reflection

A terrific way to look back on the previous year and ahead to the current one is with the Three Things Reflection. It includes seven pairs of questions such as:

• What are three things you said “yes” to this past year?

• What are three things you hope to have the opportunity to say “yes” to in 2022?

I’ve done this exercise for the past several years. I love reviewing the previous year’s reflection to see how many things happened as I had hoped. It’s a great way of gathering a quick overview of the past and future hopes.

“Your blank slate is ready to be painted with a wash of gorgeous colors.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

3. Intention

Consider the ‘intention’ strategy instead of planning every change, minute detail, or date of when “x” will be accomplished. Select an overall intent for your year and let that be your guiding force as you make decisions each day. A few months ago, I purchased the most deliciously scented Hive to Home candle at the Renegade Craft show in New York City. While it smells great, it’s the message on the container “Manifest Amazing Shit” that spoke to me. It is the perfect pairing for my “one word.”  Between “flourishing” and “manifesting,” I feel ready to embrace all that 2022 will bring.

4. More or Less

Using a single question can help you focus your choices and actions for the year. Are you curious what some of my colleagues like Judith Kolberg, Joshua Becker, Erin Doland, and Yota Schneider had to say about this when asked,

• What do you want more of and less of for this year?

The question will encourage you to think about last year and the current one to create a vision of where you’d like to be.

5. Past and Future Smorgasbord

A few of my blogging colleagues wrote great posts that describe detailed methods for setting goals and making resolutions. They incorporate the importance of looking back to move forward. Here are my favorites:

• Review & Renew for 2022:  Resolutions, Goals & Words of the Year by Julie Bestry

• Set Your Compass to Reach Your Goals for New Year by Janet Barclay

Did you select a word for the year, set an intention, or create a list of goals? Or, perhaps like me, you’re still in the process of discovering your way into the New Year. Which ideas resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

Wishing you health, happiness, and a joy-filled New Year!