The type of “new” I’m talking about doesn’t come in a box or a bag. The power of this type of new comes in doing something you’ve never done. This new can push you past the procrastination, beyond the fear, and outside your comfort zone. This type of new can bring fun, joy, and clarity back to your days. Positive energy is generated when you commit to the goals you’ve been dreaming about, and then take the next action step.

Sometimes we need more time to germinate our ideas. This year, I was ready to go. I embraced the fresh start momentum the New Year brought. What about you? Even if you haven’t begun the process, you can start at any time. We each have different ways of capturing ideas and activating them. Decide what will be effective for you, then go and do.

To harness the new, there were four essentials to the approach I used, which you might find useful.

• Gather – Capture all potential goals and ideas in one place. Force them out of your head and onto something concrete like paper, computer, or recording. What becomes possible when they are released from your thoughts?

• Prioritize – Acknowledge that you can accomplish a lot, but be clear about what’s most important. Does your list seem too ambitious? By prioritizing, you can focus on the key goals first. What if you accomplished even half of the things you set out to do this year?

• Do – For the goals you decide to pursue, clarify what single next step brings you closer towards getting there. The smaller the step, the more doable it becomes. Anchor the step to your calendar and schedule the time to do it. Repeat this process until your goal is “done enough.”

• Marvel – Coming full circle back to the power of new, take time to appreciate what you’re doing and feeling. What’s possible now that you’ve captured your goals in one place? What happens now that you’ve determined what’s most important? What does knowing “next” mean? As you move ahead, what are you noticing? Has your energy changed? Has your perspective shifted?

There are many goals on my list. I’m in hot pursuit of some. Others are on the back burner. A few of the forward moving ones include taking a Comedy Improv class, meeting my Twitter buddy Yota Schneider face to face for the first time, designing and building a new office area, reorganizing a kitchen trouble spot, helping my Mom to transition, inviting the 2013 “Ask the Expert” guests for the blog, and planning more collaborative posts. As I’ve pursued these goals, the excitement and learning that’s accompanied them has been surprising. Perhaps it’s the adrenaline pumping and the new neural pathways forming. My energy flows intensely as the power of new is pursued.

What is possible for you? I’d love to hear from you. What’s on your list? What process do you use to get there? Come join the conversation.

What becomes possible with a fresh start? I asked some of my wonderful colleagues (Peggy Pardo, Janet Barclay, Ellen Delap, Leslie Josel, Christy Lingo, Helena Alkhas, and Yota Schneider) to ponder this question and share their perspectives with us.

Their insightful responses are filled with hope, possibilities, and understanding. My deepest gratitude goes to each of them for taking the time to reflect and share their positive, energizing words of wisdom with us. 

What becomes possible with a fresh start? . . .

Try Again

“With a fresh start you have endless possibilities. You have the opportunity to change direction, reinvent yourself, begin something new, undo a wrong, work smarter, and most importantly, the chance to try again.” 

Leslie Josel, Professional Organizer

Create Life You Want

“Everything is possible with a fresh start! A fresh start offers the opportunity for a new awareness and a clearer vision. Use the lessons you've learned from the past to help you create the life you want.”

Peggy Pardo, Interior Decorator, Professional Organizer, & Author

Clear Path for Success

“With a fresh start, you begin with optimism and release negativity. Fresh starts clear the path for success in any and every way.  It is giving yourself permission to begin again.”

Ellen Delap, Professional Organizer

Bring What’s Important

“A fresh start is an opportunity to eliminate the clutter. Whether you’re moving to a new home or simply breaking out a blank calendar for the New Year, you can choose to only bring over those things that are still important to you.”

Janet Barclay, Virtual Assistant, Web Designer, & Blogger

Apply Collective Life Wisdom

“Our daily fresh start provides a chance to learn a new skill, have a new experience, and apply our previously acquired skills and experiences to any challenges we are currently facing. Relish this chance to apply your collective life wisdom on a daily basis and perhaps even have a second (or third) chance to tackle life's challenges with new knowledge and perspective.”

Christy Lingo, Professional Organizer

Embrace New Experiences

“Fresh starts liberate us from limitations. They energize us to embrace new experiences and to have new perspectives in every situation. They serve as moments of transitions, rites of passages in our lives when we say to ourselves: this is THE moment I decide to...”

Helena Alkhas, Professional Organizer & Virtual Assistant

Take Risks Only Dreamed Of

“Just reading the words ‘fresh start’ makes me feel giddy. Standing on the edge of something brand new, a myriad feelings that range from excitement and nervousness to shyness and uncontrollable enthusiasm, may flood our being. We can rewrite our story and be the person we always wanted to be and see where this takes us. We can explore and try new things; take risks we've only dreamed of. Why not, after all? That's what new beginnings are all about. Stepping over the threshold of a newly opened door into the unknown and carrying the value of lessons learned, but leaving all that burdened us behind. I guess, what becomes possible with a fresh start is the chance to ‘shed our old skin’ and get one more chance at growing into our potential.”

Yota Schneider, Life Transitions Coach

Which ideas resonate with you? As this New Year is upon us, what are you thinking about? Come join the conversation and share your thoughts about fresh starts.

We’re in week two of the New Year. Are you feeling excited about the opportunity a clean slate presents? Maybe you’re starting to feel slightly less motivated than you did last week?

Being that I’m a big fan of the fresh start, “do-over” period, I began thinking about ways to get the most from this time. I’ve come up with a few ideas and would love to hear from you too. Read on and then please join in and add your thoughts.

7 Tips to Turbocharge Your Year

1. Clarify – Whether you prefer visual images, lists, or recorded messages, allow yourself time to figure out your “do-wants” for this year. Take time to dream and future think. Do you need more clarity? Enlist help from a trusted friend, family member, or professional. Consider using an accountability partner to share your progress and challenges.

2. Motivate – According to leadership coach, David Rock, we are most likely to perform well when we focus on solutions rather than problems. Solutions that we figure out ourselves in those “aha” moments as opposed to ones “offered-up” release a burst of energy. Motivation to take action is highest at this point. Know that you have the answers from within. Tap into your internal riches.

3. Laugh – There is nothing quite like having fun to make us feel as if we can accomplish anything. The joy and laughter that accompanies fun, promotes that “Can do” attitude. In the past few weeks, I enjoyed my share of fun activities, but perhaps more than any other, was when I visited the Ann Hamilton installation at the Park Avenue Armory. Laughter and happiness filled this huge space. Participants of all ages watched the billowing white curtain dance, as the oversized swings we were on, activated the movement of the fabric.

4. Organize – Don’t underestimate the power of feeling organized. While this can look very different to each of us, having a sense of control, clarity, and order in our physical environment can greatly enhance our ability to function well and move ahead. Suspend the notion of organizing perfection. Instead, figure out what organized enough means for you and take small steps to get there. Feeling more organized is a fresh start booster.

5. Develop – Perhaps some of your goals for this year include breaking old habits. Based on neuroscience research and concepts that David Rock has tested, they’ve discovered that changing habits are difficult because they are hardwired in our brains. What is far easier is to create an entirely new habit or wiring. Reframing your goals in the form of adding something new instead of taking away the old could be the key to successfully moving forward.

6. Challenge – What are your plans to move yourself out of your comfort zone? The idea of doing this, and then taking action steps forward to make it happen, can increase confidence, motivation and growth. What’s on your facing your fears list? I’ve got a few things planned, one of which is taking a comedy improv class. Someone asked me if I’m excited about it. I’m not excited, more like, terrified. It’s good for me. What’s good for you?

7. Surround – Focus on the positive. That includes people, spaces, objects, thoughts, and sayings. Release the naysayers and energy drainers. While it can be easy to blame others, we can be our own worst enemy. Suspend the negative self-talk. Acknowledge your strengths and potential. Move forward with positive expectation. As Zig Ziglar said, “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.”

Energize the days and months ahead. Come join the conversation. Which ideas resonate with you? What will help you get the most from your year?

We’ve arrived together. It’s a new beautiful winter season, the beginning of the year, and the opportunity for a fresh start. Before we look ahead, it’s just as essential to reflect back on what happened, what we learned, what we accomplished, and where we currently are. We locate ourselves so that we can move forward with focus and enthusiasm.

For this amazing community of sharers, while all the conversations have been incredible, I thought you’d like to know which posts resonated the most with you this year. Your insights and thoughts have been invaluable. We talked with experts like Julie Morgenstern about time management, we had giveaways for books, organizing products and most importantly…chocolate. We shared ideas about clutter, change, enlisting help, and more. Enjoy the 2012 highlights!

10 Most Popular Posts of 2012 . . .

1. Ask the Expert

Julie Morgenstern – The “Ask the Expert” monthly feature, newly introduced in 2012 was very well received. Julie’s interview on time management generated an especially dynamic conversation. My favorite question was, “Why do some of us have so much difficulty managing our time?”

2. Giveaway

Fall Organizing Giveaway – Fall organizing tips on inspiration, relaxation, and organization were shared along with a giveaway including a $25 Starbucks gift card, Purse Perfector handbag organizer, and autographed copy of The Other Side of Organized to lucky winner, Rachel. More fun giveaways will be coming in 2013.

3. Wonderfully Human

Sometimes It’s The Little Things – Following on the heels of Superstorm Sandy, we shared our thoughts about gratitude.

4. Possibility Thinking

5 Tips to Eliminate Your Excuses – We looked at the top five excuses and tips for overcoming them in order to move forward and embrace the possibilities.

5. Success Secrets

8 Tips for Bouncing Back – Eight wonderful colleagues shared their best advice for handling life’s surprises and setbacks. Thank you Yota, Leslie, Geralin, Ellen, Janice, Janet, Sue, and Helena for your unique perspectives.

6. Enlisting Help

Top 10 Reasons People Ask for Organizing Help – As a professional organizer for over 20 years, I’ve noticed certain patterns that propel people to reach out for organizing help. Can you add other reasons to the list?

7. Getting Motivated

10 Motivation Challenges & Fixes – What de-motivates us and prevents us from moving ahead? We identified challenges and talked about tips for overcoming them.

8. Too Much Clutter

What’s Your Relationship to Clutter? – We talked about our views about clutter. We looked at if we were on a clutter hiatus, oblivious to clutter, or overwhelmed by it? After locating ourselves, we discussed next steps.

9. Embracing Change

4 Tips for Navigating Change – Procrastination can keep us stuck. This post, inspired by a pair of purple velvet slippers, looked at what to do when we’re struggling with change.

10. Fresh Start

Recombobulation Area – Transitions are integral to beginning something new. We shared ideas about the shift from a disconnected to a more balanced state.

Thank you for being part of this community and taking time to reflect back over the best of this past year. Did you have a favorite post? I’d love to know which one and what you liked about it.

I’m looking forward to the conversations we will continue to have this year. My heartfelt wishes go out to each of you for a happy, healthy, organized-enough, and joy-filled 2013!