Something exciting is happening. While this spring seems to be off to a slow bloom, the letting go energy that often accompanies this season is blossoming big time. Between clients, friends, family, and acquaintances, the permeating mood is about releasing those things that no longer serve us and are weighing us down. I’ve joined the letting go ranks too, as I prepare for a tag sale this spring. It’s time to clear the space, the decks, the closets, and more. It’s time to create room and energy for what we want in our lives, and release the extraneous.

When our spaces are cluttered with things that no longer serve a purpose, those possessions drain our mental and physical energy. Too much of our resources go to thinking about and maintaining them. When objects clutter our spaces, it becomes difficult to easily move through our day. We feel heavy and encumbered. We might even feel hopeless and depressed.

“When our spaces are cluttered with things that no longer serve a purpose, those possessions drain our mental and physical energy.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

When we let go, what happens? We often experience a sense of lightness, freedom, happiness, clarity, or growth. Positivity envelops us; perhaps a sense of giddiness enters our being. I experience this wonderful shift regularly with my clients. There is a huge sigh of relief when the weight of those paper piles, or crowded closets, or floors covered with overflowing shopping bags are released. The smiles return, as the letting go increases. The things, which once cluttered our rooms and thoughts, are no longer obstacles.

Are you ready to exercise your letting go muscles? Which questions will be most helpful with your releasing journey? Create your mix of prompts and let me know what you discover.

21 Letting Go Prompts

Do you love it?

Do you need it?

Does it need you?

Do you want it?

Does it fit?

Does it look good on you?

Do you have space for it?

What can easily be released?

Has it overstayed its welcome?

If you released it, would you miss it?

If you saw it now, would you buy it again?

Is it taking up too much mental or physical space?

Is it worth the real estate, energy, and maintenance?

Does it support your current needs?

Could someone else use it?

When was the last time you referred to, needed, or wore it?

Do you have other similar items that you like better?

How many is enough?

Are your things preventing growth?

Are your things taking you away from what’s most important to you?

What will become possible for you when you let go?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation. What are your letting go challenges or successes? What helps you release those things that are holding you back?

Are you ready for next? What will you need? At the end of last year, I started preparing for next. An exciting volunteer opportunity presented itself and I knew that if it were to happen mid-year, I’d need to be ready. Part of getting ready had to do with comedy and knobs. Are you curious? I’ll explain and also share some preparing for next strategies.

The opportunity I mentioned, has come to fruition. The exciting news is starting July first, I’ll be joining the ICD board as President-Elect. This amazing association is the premier resource on chronic disorganization.

ICD provides education, research, and strategies to benefit people challenged by chronic disorganization. Adding this volunteer position to my current commitments required that I get ready both physically and emotionally.

4 Tips to Prepare for Next

1. Bring on the Comedy – Doing something we’ve never done requires some bravery and creativity. As I’ve never been president of an association before, I wanted to exercise my bravery muscles to prepare myself. I did this by signing up for a Comedy Improv class. I’ve never done Improv. This new experience has been incredibly liberating. I’ve discovered that it’s all about letting go, trusting others, and allowing the filter to be silent. There’s been immense joy in facing the fear, turning up the bravery dial, unleashing creativity, and delighting in pure fun.

2. Bring on the Knobs – The knobs I’m referring to are for my office space. For a gift several years back, my husband promised to design and build a beautifully organized office area in my colors. For a variety of reasons, we hadn’t moved forward on the project. However, I recognized now was the time to get it done. Preparing my physical space so that I could be fully ready for next, became a top priority. Selecting the knobs indicates readiness. The knobs symbolize those finishing touches that will allow me to open the doors to next.

3. Bring on the Blog – Writing a weekly blog post is one of my regular commitments, which takes time. To get ready for the additional responsibilities as President-Elect, I thought that it would be useful to plan out and work on a years worth of posts. This included creating a blog calendar, selecting monthly topics, preparing all of the “Ask the Expert” interviews, and finalizing the details for the Giveaways and collaborative posts. Doing the advance planning and writing has helped me clarify the bigger picture, and pave the way for next.

4. Bring on the “It” – Today is my Dad’s birthday. He passed away a little over a year ago and I miss him so much. He was an amazing person, a wonderful role model, and one of my biggest encouragers. I always went to him for advice. When I was deciding if I should accept this leadership role for ICD, I spoke with many people. My Dad wasn’t there this time to weigh in. When my husband and I talked, he said that he knew what my Dad would have said if he were here. I knew too. He would have said to me, “Go for it!” He knew the importance of stretching, growing, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. His words of confidence and exuberance accompany me in the pursuit of next.

Whether you decide to try something new to practice stretching, organize your environment to allow the physical space to support your needs, do some planning and project completion, or determine your call to action, I wish you all the best as you prepare and move forward. Come join the conversation and share your thoughts. How will you prepare for next?

Laura Berman Fortgang

Laura Berman Fortgang, Now What?® CoachingThe “Ask the Expert” interview series features dynamic, inspiring leaders. This year, we’ve spoken with Judith Kolberg about change and Sue West about fresh starts. As we shift our focus this month, I’m thrilled to bring you a pioneer in the personal coaching field, Laura Berman Fortgang, to share her thoughts about next steps.

In 2006, I had the pleasure of hearing Laura present “Have A Business Breakthrough!” at the NAPO conference in Boston. She captivated the group with her energy and insights. My sincere gratitude and thanks goes to Laura for taking the time to join us. Laura’s interview moved me to tears because she spoke to the best of who we can become. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

Laura Berman Fortgang is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the personal coaching field and as the author of five books including Amazon bestseller, Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction and The Little Book On Meaning, which was a finalist for a Books for a Better Life Award alongside the Dalai Lama. Laura is a trusted media resource having appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and all the national morning shows. She is also a sought-after professional speaker. Laura is founder of Now What?® Coaching and was a founding member and early board member of the International Coach Federation. You can connect with Laura on Facebook, Twitter, website, or blog.

Linda Samuels:  You’re a pioneer in the coaching industry and expert on helping others to become their best selves. How can we successfully prepare for “next”?

Laura Berman Fortgang:  The best gift you can give yourself as you prepare for the ‘next’ is to reduce the stress and anxiety in your life as much as possible. Hearing your own inner promptings and recognizing opportunities that are around you are not likely to happen when you are in a state of alarm over your circumstances.

Build in time to exercise, to have some fun and to meditate or journal as ways to ease your body and mind into a state where you can be receptive to new ideas and build the courage to take action.

Linda:  Sometimes our end goals seem so far away that we intimidate ourselves into inaction. What are some of your favorite strategies for moving past stuck?

Laura:  Small and steady is the motto for getting unstuck. Reduce the action steps into very small, do-able pieces and re-ignite your engine for action by having small successes.

For example, take on one thing a day towards your dream or make a deal with yourself to make two phone calls a day to people who can shed light on your chosen direction or help you explore the feasibility of an idea you have.

Small starts adding up and before you know it, you’ll be past ‘stuck’.

Linda:  What if “next” isn’t obvious?

Laura:  It is often not obvious what is ‘next’. The key is to follow the crumbs.  Even if it seems scattered and unfocused at the start, follow every lead and every whim until traction begins to occur or until your excitement in one area or another starts to build. 

Observe where things start falling into place and pursue that path. It’s taking you to your ‘next’ (or some variation thereof.)

Linda:  What has been your most surprising discovery about figuring out “next”?

Laura:  The most surprising thing is that if you start thinking that you are crazy and everyone is telling you so because of what you are considering as a next step, you must understand that you have found ‘IT’. That idea, inkling, nudging or longing is exactly the one you need to be pursuing. 

Many will run.  Only the brave will stay the course and be happier for it!

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around taking the next step?

Laura:  For me, the biggest personal challenge has been reconciling that the past is not to be repeated but rather to be rolled into what’s coming next. In other words, I have been slow to accept when it’s been time to move on. 

Linda:  Is there anything you’d like to share that I haven’t asked?

Laura:  I would ask:  What is the most significant tool you use to help people find their next step?

Surprisingly for many, it is not their resume. To many a client’s surprise and disappointment, I don’t look at someone’s resume when we begin the process of learning about them.  The reason for that is that it tells me only the chronological, logical progression of your career. It does not tell me if you are using all you have available to you. I know you are not, or you would not be calling me.

The most important tool I use is someone’s life story. I use a very specific way of extracting someone’s life history and then we analyze it together for specific clues to what would make the most satisfying future direction. 

A resume is linear and logical. A life story is not. And it is there that the rich information waits for the exploration of what’s next.  It’s very exciting.

Thank you, Laura for your generosity and insights about next steps. There are so many wonderful ideas here. Your thoughts about preparing the canvas or self so that you can be ready, rested, and open to next resonated with me, as did your “follow the crumbs” idea when next isn’t obvious. Perhaps more than anything, though, your last point about discovering next by exploring one’s life story rather than resume, really spoke to my core. Our stories reveal patterns, strengths, and passions.

I invite all of you to join Laura and me to continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your thoughts about next steps, getting unstuck, or your discoveries. What are you thinking about?

Reflecting on my recent trip to Toronto with my mom, I found a connection between traveling and the next step ideas I'm writing about this month.

Perhaps as you take on next, some of the steps I've identified will be helpful as you continue on your journey. We begin first with an idea and travel on from there.

“Prepare not only your suitcase but also your attitude.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

The 7-Step Travel Journey

1. Entertain New Idea

Before I planned to go away, there was no plan. A question was raised if I could travel with my Mom to Toronto to hear the premiere of my brother's new symphony?

Next step: Is this journey possible? Set aside time to mull over the idea.

2. Consider Logistics

Moving to next involved looking at calendars, discussing possible travel schedule, reviewing the basics for flights, hotel, and ground transfers.

Next step: Fact gather to move ahead.

3. Create List

After schedules were coordinated and travel details were booked, "to dos" came next. This included writing a pack list, getting foreign money, and adding international capabilities to my smart phone.

Next step: Create "to do" list to provide focus.

4. Prepare Attitude

No matter how organized or ready we are, the unexpected will occur. The morning of our trip, a major snowstorm hit our area. Roads were messy, our flight was delayed, and things didn't go according to the plan. Between Porter Airline's free latte machine, the short video clips I was sharing back and forth between my Mom and our younger daughter, and the great people watching at the airport, I enjoyed the travel day, delays and all.

Next step: Prepare not only your suitcase but also your attitude. Next is so much easier when you activate positivity, gratitude, and fun.

5. Get Comfortable

Change in routines and environments can be energizing or stressful. Know what you need to take care of you. After a car ride, flight, ferry boat, and taxi, Mom and I arrived at the hotel feeling a bit worn out. We unpacked, settled in, ate some dinner, saw my brother, put on our pjs, I took a bubble bath, and got a good night's sleep.

Next step: Getting back to the basics prepares and renews us for next.

6. Activate Senses

Traveling is an opportunity to experience the new through our senses. I explored the sights, sounds, scents, and feel of being in a different place. I enjoyed walking, taking photos, hearing wonderful music, being with family, and meeting the friendly people of Toronto.

Next step: Allow your senses to guide you forward.

7. Complete Cycle

We pack. We unpack. Preparing for next included finishing the process. Upon returning back home, I unpacked, put away the “stuff,” responded to emails, reviewed the schedule and to dos for the week, enjoyed dinner with my husband, and got a good night's sleep.

Next step: Clear the decks. Complete what you start to prepare for next.

Many exciting adventures are ahead. I'm ready to move forward, one packed bag at a time. Come join the conversation. What are your next step thoughts?