Organizer’s Thoughts
Sitting with my hot cup of tea on this cozy winter day, I’m grateful for this season. I’m also feeling behind with my year-end wrap-up and future planning. Maybe you’re in a similar situation.
What is happening for you? How can I help and support you this season?
Fall is a visceral season of change. The magnificent color shifts and cooler weather cue me to assess and act. I’m knee-deep in exciting professional and personal projects.
What is happening for you? How can I help and support you this season?
Summer combined with time off has a restorative effect. Time off gives you a break from your routines so you can clarify what you want more or less of.
Hope comes with the arrival of spring. This season also encourages letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose.
As I embrace the fresh start of the New Year, I am excited to reflect on what was, learn from what went well or what didn’t, and think about what I’d like to do more or less of in the future. The vast horizon is vibrating with abundant opportunities, surprises, and experiences.
As I walk by the river or through the woods, it’s impossible not to notice—a burst of red here, a swath of yellow there. The landscape and season is changing. I feel conflicting things with this transformation. I acknowledge the negative and choose to focus on the positive.
There is a relaxed quality to summer that I’m appreciating even more. The longer days, warmer weather, vacations, and long weekends encourage me to slow down. Why slow down? Changing my pace is no small thing for someone who has a deep need to be productive and not waste this one precious life.
Spring is a season of growth both outside and within. Give yourself time to nurture what needs attention.
Change is all around. Winter weather is here. The holidays have come and gone, and the New Year has arrived. I sense the seasonal pressure for change and a reset. Before moving forward, it’s helpful to reflect. The year-end audit helps me understand what was so that I can future-think and plan for the new year.
Especially in the fall, changes are visible. Trees hold the magic and never disappoint. Catching my gaze was a small maple tree full of mostly green leaves. But what drew me close was one bright red leaf nestled among all the green ones. It was a sign of what is possible.
The beginning of summer feels like a giant exhale. The kids are off from school, the anticipation of travel plans is present, and a visceral sense of ‘having more time’ is palpable. Summer cues us to shift gears.
Spring’s magic is undeniable. Each day I see visible evidence of new growth. There is a purple flower here, grass coming up there, and plants displaying their “leaf out” mode. Seeds nurtured in the stillness of winter are blossoming into a landscape alive with color.
Winter is upon us, along with a new year. The trees are bare, and the saturated colors from seasons past are asleep. However, there are some noticeable bright spots even with this quiet winter scape. I delight in discovering the red berries, yellow-green ferns, and deep blue-green pine trees beneath a dusting of snow. These colorful gifts are tiny moments of joy.
The late summer and early fall inspired my personal ‘live with less’ project, inspired by our vacation at the Tiny House Resort. I am on a mission to reduce the material possessions I own. I want to feel lighter and not leave the burden of dispossession to our kids.
Summer is here, bringing with it those much-missed in-person gatherings, vacations, and time for organizing and other projects. This season also brings intense heat, which messes with our energy and motivation. Discover how to make a small adjustment to get unstuck.
Spring is a magical time of year when the earth comes alive with bursts of color. Each day I notice something new that delights my senses-a tiny purple flower here, a warm breeze there. I feel hopeful and ready to let go of winter’s heaviness and things that have overstayed their welcome. This season also brought with it a profound loss. My mom died after celebrating her 92nd birthday a few weeks earlier. It was another kind of letting go, as I said my goodbyes to her.
What a year we had! 2020 was full of challenges, heartbreak, and silver linings. Who knew that the word of the year would be resilience. I felt it within and saw it all around me. People accomplished amazing things in the face of tremendous adversity. As I say goodbye to the year and reflect on the last twelve months, I feel grateful for the many lessons in patience, creativity, and love that it taught. I am thankful we stayed connected to laugh, cry, brainstorm, support, reflect, celebrate, and organize using platforms like Zoom.
This season with fall’s magnificent, vibrant colors, begs our attention to appreciate its changing landscape. Noticing nature’s shift provides an inspiring backdrop for possibilities. The dramatic views stir our imagination and encourage thoughts about change.
Life is different now. It’s easy to focus on the things we aren’t doing this summer like traveling to far off places, having large gatherings with friends, or dining out. Instead, I choose to focus on what I can do.
My heart is with you. I miss our in-person interactions, as more of us are staying-in-place. I’ll continue touching base with family, friends, clients, neighbors, and colleagues. I’ve used a variety of tools like FaceTiming with one of our daughters, having a virtual cocktail party with friends via Zoom, or going old school with the phone, email, and texts. There are many stories of struggle, but also of inspiration. And there is so much love.
I’ve noticed that change seems to revolve around three ideas- letting go, trusting, and embracing. To create change, I have to be willing to let go of what was, trust the process even if I feel unsure, and be able to embrace the new.
The snowdrops are open. The crocuses have come and gone, and the daffodils are about to bloom. Iconic signs of spring make me feel hopeful as the temperature warms and the color returns to the landscape.