Sitting by the river brings me peace, energy, and connectedness. Each season feels different. With fall's arrival, the river is noticeably changed. Today the water is fierce as the waves move swiftly with a sense of purpose. The sun moves in and out behind the large, white fluffy clouds.  The clouds regulate the changing light and temperature between dark and bright, cool and warm. The wind makes the grasses and leaves rustle loudly. I'm surrounded by the intensity of movement of the water, foliage, clouds, and wind.

In experiencing this gorgeous fall day, I am noticing internal changes including thoughts about action and possibilities that mirror the landscape before me. I feel a renewed sense of urgency and direction.

What I've noticed is that several things in addition to the change of seasons, have encouraged me here. They included visiting new places, reading books, and adding a few more "yeses" to the plan. If you are feeling like it is time to be energized, perhaps one of these ideas will help you.

3 Tips to Feed the Possibilities

1. Feed the Soul - No matter how much we love our every day spaces, there is nothing quite as enervating as getting out and changing our scenery. It doesn't take much. It can be for an hour, day or longer. I recently had two, day trips that infused me with energy. I visited new places, enjoyed beautiful surroundings including the ocean and changing fall colors, and appreciated the company of special people. I returned from those days rejuvenated and ready for “next.”

2. Feed the Mind - Reading is a wonderful way to solidify ideas, stretch the mind, and stimulate possibilities. I recently finished Gretchen Rubin's new book, Happier at Home. By the way, she'll be our Ask the Expert guest featured this December. I just began reading Still Procrastinating? by Dr. Joseph Ferrari. He was one of the fabulous speakers I heard at the ICD conference in Chicago. Both books are rich with ideas that have sparked me to begin some new projects.

3. Feed the Engagements - Many of you know that I'm a huge advocate for bringing "no" back into the mix. Boundaries are important. When we over-commit, we can become resentful, overwhelmed, or both. I am very careful about choosing my "yeses." While I don't like to miss opportunities, being stressed out I enjoy even less. With this new season, I am feeling ready and open to introducing more "yeses" into my vocabulary. The openness to possibilities and opportunities fills my being with hope and excitement.

How about you? What feeds your possibilities? Come join the conversation.

What happens when we let ourselves make excuses? We all do it at some point, don’t we? Whether we can’t move ahead because we’re stuck, tired, sad, time poor, or unenthusiastic, we can be really good at coming up with those “can’t dos.” I will admit that, while I’m typically excellent at activating and taking action, there have been darker periods when it’s just harder to think of possibilities and move forward.

One way to stop the negative cycle is to pay attention to the excuses. Be an investigator and use the excuses as clues to figure out how to move past them. In the spirit of this fall season, with colors and temperatures changing, why not use this time as an opportunity to open up possibilities and get over the excuses? Here is the short list.

5 Tips to Eliminate Your Excuses

1. I’m stuck.

Tip: What is making you feel stuck? Is there too much information to choose from? Are you unsure about what to do next? Consider narrowing the choices or setting parameters for the amount of research required before proceeding. Make the next step very small. If that's a challenge, ask a trusted friend or confidant to help figure out the one small action to take that will move you beyond stuck.

2. I’m tired.

Tip: Being exhausted makes it more challenging to focus, plan, and take action. It’s important to take care of basic needs. If you’re tired, pay attention to your sleep habits. Is it time to revisit the amount of sleep you’re getting? How about the quality of your sleep? For example, I need between 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to feel rested and ready for the next day. If I get less than that, it takes me days to get back my energy.

3. I’m sad.

Tip: Life is filled with high and low points. It’s normal to experience periods of sadness. Sadness can occur for many reasons, including grief, divorce, seasonal affective disorder, emotional contagion, or hormonal shifts. If, however, your sadness is prolonged and unrelenting, consider reaching out for professional help from a therapist or other mental health professional. You can feel better, but you may need outside help to get there.

4. I’m time poor.

Tip: As far as I know, time is a level playing field. We all have 24 hours each day. It’s true that some of us pack more into those 24 hours than others, but it still comes down to choice and self-management. For every “yes,” you make, “no” gets said to something else. This isn’t a quick or easy process, but it begins with examining your values and needs. Once you’re clearer on those, build your choices and schedule from there. What is most meaningful and important will become an integral part of your daily experience. You will be more purposeful in your choices of how your time is being managed.

5. I’m unenthusiastic.

Tip: This is a huge indicator. When you’re resistant to doing something or moving forward, it’s often because a “should” is involved. This negatively affects our motivation. When I notice this happening, I stop to do some soul-searching to make sure that the activity in question deserves my time and energy. Very often, I realize that letting go or making a different choice is the better option. Follow your passions, and the enthusiasm and energy will be there to sustain you.

Do any of these seem familiar to you? What other excuses have you heard? What tip can you share to help? Join the conversation.

There are an assortment of toys and objects that dot my workspace. I suppose some might see this as clutter, but not me. They bring humor and fun into my space. Some objects are sparkly like the glitter-covered Eifel Tower or bottle of green fairy dust. There are small word signs with messages like “relax” or “Things to Do." Then some pieces are just visually fun to look at such as my miniature slice of watermelon or snowman Pez dispenser. Also sprinkled around are motivational messages from fortune cookies, tea bag tags, pins and buttons. Today, one in particular caught my attention. It’s a clear, smooth glass stone, which is painted on the back with an Emily Dickinson quote that says, “Dwell in possibility.”

What would happen if we allowed ourselves to do just that- dwell in possibility? What if we let go of our fear? What if we didn’t permit our internal critic to speak?  What if we embraced change and let the possibilities bloom? What if we allowed ourselves to linger just a little longer imagining what’s possible?

Sometimes we’re able to think large and project months or years ahead. Other times we’re more now focused on the coming hours or days. Take some time to suspend fear, silence the critic and let yourself dream. What do you want more of in your life? What do you want less of?

Pick a question. Share your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

The possibilities are tremendous when we help each other. Great accomplishments and changes can occur. Who knew that one pair of shoes could make such a difference? I am so excited to share an eco-friendly opportunity, which helps people in need and saves the environment by collecting, distributing, and recycling new or gently worn shoes. You can declutter and do some good at the same time.

Oh, So Organized! is participating in the NAPO Challenge, which is the result of a partnering effort with Soles4Souls (“S4S”), a Nashville-based charity that provides shoes to adults and children in need. Since 2005, S4S has given away over 14 million pairs of shoes to people in over 127 countries, including the United States. “With tragedies such as the earthquakes in countries like Haiti and Japan, on top of the enormous need elsewhere, we can use the estimated 1.5 billion shoes taking up space in closets of ordinary people to change the world one pair at a time,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls.

Oh, So Organized! is sponsoring a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls through November 11, 2011. We are collecting gently worn shoes. So far, several Oh, So Organized! clients have edited their shoe collections, increased their closet space, and felt good that they donated to this worthy cause. Tax-deductible receipts are available. Would you like to participate? There are several options below:

Shoe Donation Opportunities

• Oh, So Organized! Clients: Linda Samuels will pick-up shoes you want to donate during all organizing appointments and supply you with a tax-deductible receipt

• Westchester Residents: On Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 10am-2pm, you can drop off your shoes at 202 Cleveland Drive in Croton on Hudson, NY

• Special Arrangements: To make alternate arrangements, contact Linda Samuels at linda@ohsoorganized.com

Shoe Donation Update

• Oh, So Organized! has collected 537 pairs of shoes as of 11/11/11

Organizing Tip 101: Shoes

• Follow the link for helpful shoe organizing & decluttering tips from professional organizer, Linda Samuels

My deepest gratitude to all those that already have donated or will donate. Please join our conversation and leave a comment about shoes, donating or decluttering. What is your favorite organizing or donating story? 

Linda Samuels at shoe drive - November 6, 2011