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The rain has finally stopped here in southeast Texas and the sun has come back in all its glory. Thankfully I didn’t have any flooding issues, so for me, the rains were more of a novelty. Not to make light of those that were negatively impacted, this was just my personal experience. It fed my lawn and trees, swelled the nearby bayou, and made navigating from Katy to the Woodlands adventurous. Now that the rain has ended, I’m happy to see the sun through the windows in the morning. I didn’t realize how much I missed the morning sun.

Trembling skies over southeast Texas make for dark mornings.

While the skies have been trembling with activity, I too have been busy. On May 11^th I started a 100 Day Challenge. And it has been a challenge – as the name would imply. 🙂 The Challenge I am a part of is the inspire 100 Day Challenge. I chose to be a part of this because I am always looking for ways to improve my life. I know that this character trait of always striving for self-improvement is the driving force that led me to be a Professional Organizer. Organizing is one path of self-improvement, and for so many clients, it is what brought me to them or is what follows after I leave. I love this aspect of the job and I feel humbled when I get to assist in another person’s evolution.

What has been amazing about the 100 Day Challenge is that it has led me to really look at my goals and what motivates me to do the footwork required to make them happen. The Challenge has steered me towards discovering my WHY:

• WHY do I want to have goals?
• WHY do I want to reach them?
• WHY do I continue to strive when the path gets difficult?

Identifying the WHY has been critical for me. My WHY is what propels me forward and keeps me on course day after day.

What does this have to do with organizing? Everything.

What I know about organizing and working with so many different clients is that there a lot of WHY’s. WHY’s that motivate clients to start getting organized on their own or reach out for help. And WHY’s that compel people to hang on to things, or worse yet, take no action at all. By doing the work in my 100 Day Challenge, I’ve learned that WHY’s can be excellent motivators. Finding the right WHY can point you in the direction you most want to go and propel you to a successful outcome because you will not give up when the going gets tough. Face it, getting organized can be difficult. It is a multifaceted challenge in itself and if it were easy for everyone, then there would be no need for Professional Organizers like myself.

So I want to help you find your WHY. WHY do you want to get organized? By finding this WHY or better yet, finding the right WHY and keeping it in the forefront of your mind, your pathway to success becomes clearer.

Finding Your WHY Not

Before finding your WHY, it helps to find your WHY not. When you think of that one area in your home that makes your skin crawl, ask yourself:

• What about it makes your skin crawl?
• Is it visually unappealing?
• Does it represent all that you have still to do and don’t have time for?
• Is it an assortment of items that bring bad memories and thus make it feel untouchable?
• Is it the fear of the unknown?

These may reveal your WHY nots. The reasons you avoid the scene altogether. Your WHY not is as important as your WHY. Your WHY not keeps you from doing something that gnaws at you. (Remember it’s the place that makes your skin crawl!) It repels you from taking action. After all, who would want to step into that?!

Finding Your WHY

Now ask yourself:

• What would it be like if I got that space organized?
• What would I do with that space?
• Is there a piece of furniture I have been dreaming about buying and putting there but I can’t until I clear that space out?
• Is there an item that I’ve been searching for that I think might be in that mess that I really need?
• Have I been planning to transform this room into something different, but have always avoided it because of the clutter?
• Do I struggle with the space every time I am in it?

What about your peace of mind?

How would you feel if the area were organized? (Pretty calm inside I bet. Happy. Proud. Relieved.)

Now we are getting somewhere. Dig deeper:

• Would you utilize that room/space more often?
• Would you invite your friends over for dinner or your kids for the weekend?
• What possibilities would organizing that space open up for you?

You might be tempted to gloss over the last question, but don’t. This is where your new WHY can step up and take the spotlight. Take 5 minutes to write down all the positive things that could happen if you were to finally tackle that dreaded space. Write down what you would really like to do with that space if you could do anything at all. Don’t be shy, no one is watching, and don’t hold back.

Have you taken the time to listen to yourself?

Did you do it yet? Why not? Your thoughts and feelings are (and should be) of utmost importance, especially to you, so listen to your inner self, it wants to be heard! Take five minutes to listen, surely you are worthy of 5 minutes. (I think you are!)

Alright, now that you have taken 5 minutes to write out the possibilities for that currently disorganized space, how do you feel?

Inspired? Motivated? Encouraged?

You got those creative juices flowing and broke past the limits of the WHY nots, and have moved over into the realm of possibilities. That’s where freedom lives! When you can imagine what is possible despite current circumstances, you have made great progress!

Have you found your WHY?

Now, hold this vision in your mind. Bring it into focus and apply more details to the vision. Now feel the feelings you would have if it were real right now. – {I know it’s not real right now, just play along for a minute.} – Would you feel excited? Satisfied? Accomplished? Breathe in deeply and intensify those feelings, take those feelings up a notch. Swim in the feelings. Really live in them. (Yes, you can do this!)

How do you feel now? Amazing, right? At the very least, you might be feeling that perhaps there is hope after all, now that you can see past what currently is and into what could be and that it is indeed possible.

This is Your New WHY

This feeling, this vision, this creation you have just imagined in your mind is your new WHY. This positive emotion, this amazing, calm, and organized vision is what you can pull up at any time when you need motivation to continue on. Instead of holding in your mind what repels you (your WHY nots), hold this new vision in your mind. Now that I have you captivated, take a few more minutes and write out in detail this vision so if it dims from view, you can read what got you so motivated in the first place.

Now you are ready to take the organizing task on!

With this new found vision and accompanying motivation, you are now primed for action. A shift in perspective is all that is ever needed.

To learn more about what to do next, you can read about the organizing process to learn more. Or you can contact Maureen through the Katy Home Organizer contact page or call 832-978-1482.

WHY not call now!