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.

The things you say or think can act as possibility-blockers, preventing you from moving forward. They can be subtle or obvious. You might not notice how these phrases get in your way.

The blockers may sound like:

• “I can’t do this.”

• “It’s too hard.”

• “I can’t tolerate the discomfort.”

• “I’m just not good at this.”

• “I’m unable to figure this out.”

• “I don’t know where to start.”

• “I don’t have any skills.”

• “Nothing ever seems to work out.”

• “I’m really frustrated, and I don’t know what to do.”

• “I never finish anything.”

• “It has always been like this, and I can’t change it.

• “I’m feeling totally overwhelmed.”

• “Nobody ever taught me how to do this.”

• “I can barely get through today, let alone think about tomorrow.”

• “I’m stuck where I am.”

• “I’m too busy and don’t have time to find a solution.”

• “I can’t imagine what’s possible because my mind and space are so cluttered.”

That’s a lot to take in. Have you noticed yourself repeating any of these phrases? Maybe you have different go-to messages that aren’t helping you. Take a moment to identify which thoughts are shutting you down.

What did you find out?

Focusing on negative messages reinforces your lack of agency. You are paying attention to defeat. While you might not be able to eliminate negativity completely, there is hope. In fact, here is a three-step approach that can help. It consists of awareness, reframing, and action.

A Three-Step Approach: Transform the Impossible into Possible

Step 1: Develop Awareness

“The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the ‘buts’ you use today.”

— Les Brown

Notice the messages that aren’t serving you. Each time you repeat them, those neural pathways in your brain become stronger. The applies to positive messages, too. Becoming aware of your thoughts is the first step in changing them.

• Observe and record.

• Write down your negative thoughts and messages without judgment.

• Make a note of how frequently they ‘visit’ you.

Step 2: Experiment with Reframing

“Take your mind off the problems for a moment, and focus on the positive possibilities. Consider how very much you are able to do.”

— Ralph Marston

Once you recognize which negative messages appear and how often they do, you’re ready for this next step.

When you notice yourself repeating the undesired words, use that as a cue to reframe them. Make a mental or written note. Intentionally craft a statement that reduces the power of negative thoughts and promotes healthier, more proactive messages.

Reframing examples:

•  “I can’t do this,” can become “I’m learning to do this.”

• “I don’t know where to start,” can become “Just start anywhere.”

• “Nobody ever taught me how to do this,” can become “I can learn and will ask for help.”

• “Nothing ever seems to work out,” can become “The past doesn’t have a hold over my future.”

Step 3: Do Something

“The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react.”

— George Bernard Shaw

Negative messages can cause doubt and inaction. One way to overcome them is by taking action. After trying out the reframes, you’re ready to move on to this last step.

Ask yourself, “What tiny action can I take to move this project or situation forward?”

Make the action as small and simple as possible. That’s where the real change begins. By doing something, you shift from “I can’t” to “I can.”

Taking action changes your thinking and behavior. It helps you move from feeling stuck to being proactive.

Action also helps you to:

• Be more creative when facing challenges,

• Build momentum,

• Foster a sense of agency,

• Achieve your goals, and

• Nourish hope.

What Is Possible When You Change Your Message?

You’re human. You’ll have internal and external messages that are negative and unhelpful. However, by learning to acknowledge, reframe, and take action, you can change the course of today and the future. Words and thoughts matter. Are yours supporting or hindering your growth? Change the messages so you can thrive.

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.

Does this sound familiar? Your mind is filled with a running list of tasks, places to visit, and projects to start (or finish). The thoughts swirling in your brain feel like one giant, cluttered mess.

It can be more challenging to concentrate, take action, or make progress because your ponderings are caught in thought loops. Simply thinking about the possibilities can leave you feeling anxious, exhausted, or demotivated.

Guess what? I’ve been there, too. It’s not that I don’t have task lists to manage, because I do. However, those tasks and events have already been prioritized, planned, and accounted for. They aren’t the issue, but the unaccounted-for ones are. Many of those items require coordination with my husband, Steve.

To clear my mind clutter, I engaged in a helpful process that I will share with you. If your cluttered thoughts have nowhere to go, I encourage you to experiment with this strategy.

The Process to Calm Mind Clutter

Step 1: Activate the Process

• This may seem obvious, but the first step is to schedule a time to actively work on clearing your mind clutter. This intentional act will help you move in a productive direction.

• Choose a time when you’re at your best. Steve and I decided to meet on a weekend morning after breakfast when we felt alert and well-rested.

Step 2: Do a Brain Download

• Release your thoughts, which will immediately clear your mind clutter. This clearing is analogous to decluttering a kitchen counter or editing an overflowing basket of magazines. Relief is felt as space opens up.

• The brain download can take many forms. Your capture tool can be analog, digital, or auditory. I used a blank piece of paper, which I titled “Planning with Steve.”

• Create categories if it’s helpful. I separated the page into four columns, each representing a different category: Papers/Logging, Fun, Home, and Financial.

• Populate your capture tool. As soon as a thought surfaced, we categorized and added it to the corresponding column. For example, “Visit the New York Botanical Garden” went into the Fun category. “Clear out the garage” was added to the Home column.

Step 3: Prioritize

• Your capture tool is probably quite full now. You might feel overwhelmed, as in, “How am I going to get it all done?” You can accomplish everything, but not all at once.

• Prioritizing comes next. Instead of planning every single thing you captured, select the top three or four things you want to focus on first.

• There is no right or wrong way to prioritize. For example, your priorities could be time-based if something has a specific deadline, or preference-based, as in what you’d like to accomplish or do first. We opted to prioritize several things from the Fun and Home categories.

Step 4: Commit

• Commitment is the powerhouse of the mind decluttering strategy. It is essential and is often neglected. Overlooking this aspect can make Steps 1-3 ineffective.

• Have your calendar ready.

• Choose one of the priorities you identified.

• Schedule a time block or blocks for that priority. We began by scheduling dates from the Fun category and then added a few projects from the Home category.

• Repeat choosing and scheduling until those three or four top priorities are blocked out on your calendar.

• We found it less overwhelming to focus on and schedule only the top few priorities. We will revisit this process and repeat Steps 3 and 4 once we have made progress on our initial priorities.

• As an alternate approach, you may prefer to schedule everything from your brain download list in one sitting.

“Commitment is the powerhouse of the mind decluttering strategy.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

The Benefits of Mind Decluttering

There are many benefits to clearing mind clutter. Here are some of the positives I experienced using this process:

• My mind feels clearer.

• While we utilized a team approach for mind decluttering, I also see value in using this strategy individually.

• The unproductive thought loops have ceased.

• That anxious feeling has dissipated.

• I feel less burdened by the projects and events because they now have a designated slot for attending to them.

• I am excited because we have set aside time to focus on things that are important to us.

• I feel confident that we will complete the tasks we prioritized.

• I am glad that projects that have been incomplete for a long time will now be brought to completion.

• I have happy anticipation about the fun things we’ve scheduled.

What Helps You Release Mind Clutter?

There are many ways to ease mind clutter, including the strategy I shared. What helps you declutter your mind? In what ways could the process I described be beneficial to you?

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 decluttering your thoughts? 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. Living clutter-free is possible, especially with support.

What is the value of letting go? In many circumstances, your willingness to let go can reduce frustration and enhance your daily life. Let go when you are:

• Stuck

• Overwhelmed

• Frustrated

• Burdened by the past

• Weighed down by physical stuff

• Distressed by non-supportive processes, relationships, and environments

• Determined to be present or move forward

I curated a small collection of my favorite letting-go quotes from Yung Pueblo, Chuck Palahniuk, Todd Henry, and Hans Hoffman. Each idea highlights a unique aspect of releasing.

When you allow yourself to let go, you experience less stress, more flow, and better alignment with your values. The past won’t hold you back. You’ll be more grounded in the present and open to possibilities that you couldn’t see before.

FIVE FAVORITE LETTING GO QUOTES

1. Let Go of the Past

Letting go is a process. Release things that no longer serve a purpose in your life. This will create more mindful and present-centered living.

“When you put yourself through the process of letting go, you gain greater access to the here and now.”

— Yung Pueblo

 2. Let Go of the Stuff

When the volume of possessions becomes overwhelming and burdensome, they take up your valuable time and energy. This is a cue to edit. Keep what’s most important. Release what you can. You’ll feel lighter and less encumbered.

“The things you own end up owning you.”

— Chuck Palahniuk

3. Let Go of the Complex

Life is complicated. However, you don’t have to make things more involved than necessary. Consider what you can release to simplify your schedule, processes, or thought patterns.

“Is there any place where you are making things more complex than they need to be?”

— Todd Henry

4. Let Go of the Only Once Idea

Letting go is like a muscle. It needs to be exercised to develop and experience results. Releasing is not a one-and-done occurrence. It requires time, attention, and practice to experience positive results.

“Letting go is not a one-time event; it is a habit that requires consistent repetition to become strong.”

— Yung Pueblo

 5. Let Go of the Unnecessary

Thinking or thriving is impossible when you have too much stuff, crammed schedules, or unhelpful thoughts. The excess gets in the way and makes it challenging to discover what’s most important. Letting go of the unessential will create space for what you truly value.

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”

— Hans Hofmann

Is Letting Go Easy or Challenging?

You might find letting go easy for some areas of your life and more challenging in others. What has been a successful letting-go experience? What has been difficult? 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 letting go? 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. Letting go is possible, especially with support.