When we prepare for the next step, whether it’s small or big, it’s more likely that we’ll move forward successfully. Getting ready looks different for each of us.

I was curious about my colleagues’ experiences, so I reached out to this wonderful group – Valentina Sgro, Cameron Gott, Anne Blumer, Seana Turner, Janet Barclay, and Sue West.

I asked them, “How do you prepare for next?” Their responses are diverse and inspiring. My deepest gratitude goes to each of them for sharing their wisdom with us.

How do you prepare for next? . . .

Daydream

“Daydreaming is my key element when 'preparing for next.' Some might use the word ‘visioning,’ but that doesn’t quite capture it for me. I don’t like surprises; I like a lot of lead time. That allows me to do a lot of daydreaming, playing out in my mind the different ways the ‘next’ thing can look or be. Sure those thoughts lead to some solid information-gathering to form a plan of action, but it’s the creation of alternate scenarios in my mind that guide me to the path I want to take. Maybe that’s why I’ve become a novelist.”

Valentina Sgro – Author of Patience Oaktree, organizing novels and short stories

Practice

“I’m relatively new to the game of ‘prepare for next’ since most of my years I was a card-carrying member of the ‘back into next’ club. As a decent responder, I’d react and respond my way into what was next - school, relationships, and professions.  I’d let my positive and negative emotions dictate my next move. I would often overextend myself. Now I practice a more proactive stance and embrace preparation as an absolute for what is next.”

Cameron Gott, PCC – Mentor Coach, ADHD Coaching for Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

Celebrate

“As I ponder on the question, ‘How do you prepare for next?’ my mind immediately jumps to, how will I prepare for the next chapter in my life? In one year, my son and daughter will both graduate from college. We recently lost one family pet, and now our golden retriever has days, maybe weeks, to live. I find the next chapter is preparing myself for a very, very empty nest. To prepare, I¹m going to celebrate with my children their achievements and their next chapter. And, I will make a book of memories of our family pets to commemorate them. In short to prepare for next, I celebrate and commemorate.”

Anne Blumer, CPO® – Professional Organizer, Author & Blogger

Imagine

“The tricky thing about ‘next’ is that it’s shrouded in uncertainty. This can be intimidating, because it feels a bit out of control. For me, preparing for what’s next includes spending time considering various scenarios, and how I would like to respond. We never know what is behind the next door, but we can put some structure around how we will open the door, the way we will take our first steps, who we might walk with, and what will bring along. It’s also helpful to minimize daily, ambient chaos to free up the energy we need to tackle something new.”

Seana Turner – Professional Organizer, Blogger & Life Coach

Generate

“I can become overwhelmed by new projects or big changes in my life or my business, but making a list of every task that has to be completed helps me to stay in control. Instead of waiting until I have a huge chunk of available time to focus on the project, I can delegate some tasks and chip away at others as my schedule allows and get to the next step without having to neglect other personal and professional commitments.”

Janet Barclay, MVA – Web Designer, Virtual Assistant & Blogger

Visualize and Verbalize

“If I cannot visualize myself in a new situation or mindset, that’s my clue that I have more to prepare. It could be that I have not internalized the new situation and its impact or the presentation’s content, the project’s steps, or the client’s particulars. Project management and coaching also teach us that we cannot control every reaction, detail, or situation. Bigger risks I process aloud with a trusted individual. Lesser risks, I use self-talk, a voice recorder, or mind mapping. All are ways to get everything out of my head, see the full picture and create space to think, prepare and question.”

Susan Fay West, COC®, CPO-CD®– Certified Organizing Coach, ADHD Coach & Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization

What great tips my colleagues shared about preparing for next. Several ideas center on having ponder time. Other ideas include celebrating, making lists, and talking out loud. For me, next often begins with thinking, writing, or conversing. Which ideas resonate with you? How do you prepare for next? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

Sometimes next isn’t obvious. Other times we know what next is, but procrastinate. We’re too tired. It’s late. We don’t feel like it. We’d rather be doing something else with our time. While I don’t find myself in this situation frequently, I have experienced knowing the next step then have activation challenges actually taking it. Have you experienced this?

As a matter of fact, I found myself in this situation just before I wrote this post. While my plan had been to write when I returned from organizing at my client’s home, other business and personal issues were handled instead. The late afternoon quickly morphed into evening and I still hadn’t written anything. This wasn’t good since I prefer to write earlier in the day when my brain is most alert.

I had several options and chose to continue as planned, which is why you’re reading this post. To make “next” more doable, I set the mood. I made a hot cup of tea, put on my comfy clothes, and plopped myself in front of a blank page.

I let go of my original plan. I let go of the fact that I wasn’t writing at my best time. Instead I just focused on next: the next word, the next sentence, and the next paragraph. And well, you see what happened. By creating the mood for next, next got done.

How do you do next? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

There’s a restlessness and impatience I’ve been noticing. People (at least on the east coast) are ready for winter to morph into spring. We’ve had record snowfall and temperatures. We’re poised and ready for change. This month our conversations have focused around change. We’ve looked at how we view change and the value of making small changes. As we continue the topic, let’s think about resources we can access to help us facilitate change.

What are resources for change?

Professional Organizers

Is simplifying life and getting organized one of your goals? Have you tried making changes on your own, but felt frustrated and unsuccessful in your self-help attempts? This is a good opportunity to reach out to a professional organizer. They can be an invaluable resource for lasting change. To learn more about my professional organizing services visit ohsoorganized.com. To find an organizer near you, use the search features from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) or the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

Other Professionals

Often when we desire change, we get stuck because we get confused or lack information. Enlisting support from other professionals can make all the difference in moving forward. Other than professional organizers, which professionals could help? Professionals include accountants, lawyers, social workers, therapists, geriatric social workers, insurance brokers, coaches, doctors, nutritionists, personal trainers, clergy, architects, interior designers, contractors, and educators. Who will be on your team? Which resources do you already have to help make the changes you seek? Which resources will you add to your team?

Family, Friends and Colleagues

Never underestimate the value of your circle when it comes to navigating change. Where would we be without our close friends, family and colleagues? Everyone needs their people to bounce ideas on, complain to, and celebrate with. Who are the people in your close circle? Who are the ones that support you emotionally as you struggle with the changes you seek? Keep them close. Nurture those relationships. Be available to reciprocate.

There are other resources for change. What have you found useful? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

When we view change as a process rather than a singular event, we can discover seeds of change along the way.

What if we nurture and view these seeds as mini celebrations on our change journey? How does that alter our experience?

How can you embrace small changes?

3 Ways to Embrace Small Changes

Color

Making a small change by introducing a burst of color to a room, whether it’s a new throw pillow, a vase of fresh flowers, or a brightly painted wall, can be part of our change journey. Color is powerful. It can energize, soothe, or motivate us. It’s a visual cue that something is different and sets the mood for positive change to occur.

Habits

We all have habits and patterns. As much as I advocate systems and organization, sometimes it's essential to change our routines. It’s good for our souls and healthy for our brains. This past weekend, my husband and I made a small change by sleeping in our guest bedroom instead of our room. It was fun for one night to break our routine and enjoy a different perspective. Even though we were just across the hall, it felt like we went away on vacation.

Stuff

Several of my clients are getting ready to move. They’re making big life changes, which can feel overwhelming at times. Preparing includes organizing and letting go of “stuff” they no longer want with them for the next phase. Getting an entire house ready is a time-intensive process. Celebrating and acknowledging progress along the way is key to staying focused and motivated. Doing the “happy dance” to celebrate another decluttered closet or ten more bags ready to donate keeps the focus on now with a nod to next.

How do you embrace small changes? What mini-celebrations have you experienced? Come join the conversation!