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Greetings!,
 One of these days, I'm going to get my act together (and maybe even mail this out toward the beginning of the month!)
If you're like me you periodically take a look around your home or office and think, "Oh my! What a mess! I've really got to clean this place up." I
mean, I'm actually pretty well organized; I have to be. I work for me.
But there are still "those little odds and ends" that I'd like to clean
up.
And you have great intention to do it but, well, you know, "life" kicks in and little by little, the disarray grows.
I don't know about you but I have trouble concentrating when things are neat. So, then I get distracted and I become less efficient and I fall behind. Now, I'm behind in my work so I just shove everything out of the way and work solidly to catch up, leaving no time for organizing becuase I wasted so much of my day.
And the cycle continues.... Oy vey!
So this month, our guest writer is a woman I met at a local seminar. We've started working together and I enjoy her style, her philosophy, and her energy. Claire Josefine has been a professional organizer since 1997, working with people in
their homes and offices to get rid of clutter and create simple systems
that make their lives easier and more fulfilling. She is also an author of three books and several ebooks. Part of what makes her so special is that she has a holistic and spiritual view of organization.
And that's what today's main article is about.
- To read my past column "One of these days..." about procrastinating, follow this link.
- To read my past column "Before I Begin..." about hiring an organizer, follow this link.
Lots of Other Stuff For You Too
At the end of Josefine's column, there is information about:
- The 3rd month of the International Inspiration Index with results from last month and the on-going survey you can take (click here to jump there)
- My magazine, Two Words (click here)
- A great tip booklet to help you lose or maintain weight (click here)
- A link to a way cool video that someone sent me showing a "human rain" concert (click here)
That should keep you busy -- but at least organized! Of course, if I can be of service to you in any way, don't hesitate to get in touch. Thank you for reading my newsletter.
Treat yourself special,
Scott "Q" Marcus
THINspirational Speaker & Columnist, Recovering Perfectionist
P.S. If you have missed any of my newsletters, or you'd just like to see what I've done, you can follow this link.
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A Special Note: I am looking for writers for the magazine. If you would like to know more about writing for Two Words, please follow this link.
If you have been waiting for issue #2 "I Can," you have not missed it, I'm just behind deadline. What can I say? I need to get more organized!
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 Organizing as a Spiritual Art
By Claire Josefine
February 2005. The Spiritual Art of Being Organizedhad recently been published, and I was working on a talk to give at
bookstores. Sitting at my computer, I found myself stuck, unable to
decide what one thing I wanted to tell people, what that one kernel of
wisdom was that I wanted people to know.
So, I took my own advice and went for a walk to my favorite
spot at the end of the covered bridge, where I watched the water swirl
by. I listened to the gurgles and tinkles of the river, to the chorus
of songbirds, the occasional frog, the foghorn. I looked out past the
river to a vibrant-green pasture with a sprinkling of cows -- remember,
this was early February, when we get our first tease of spring --
surrounded by redwood-covered hills and crisp blue sky. It was late
afternoon, so the sun was doing its magical-light thing. And I thought
-- this is it. This is what I want people to know. This is what
organization is about, what it feels like. It's grounded and peaceful
and connected.
Organization is not what you see on TV. It's not about
color-coordinated containers and indexed filing systems and someone
coming in to do a "clean sweep" on your clutter, just so you can go out
and buy more stuff and have somewhere to put it. It's not about quick
fixes or control. Organization is about living simply, paying attention
to your actions, making conscious choices. Simplifying our lives,
restoring balance and meaning, feeling connected to a power greater
than ourselves -- these are the core of being organized. This sense of
connection and meaning is what we hunger for -- and mistakenly try to
fill with things.
Not that containers and filing systems should be cast aside completely. They are useful tools. But they are not the end goal.
Being organized works on two levels, external and internal,
physical and spiritual. Over the years, I've summarized the multitude
of sundry tips that organizers throw at us into 12 Basic Principles.
The first seven are external principles, the last five are more
spiritual. I go into each of these principles in detail in my book, The Spiritual Art of Being Organized. For now I'm going to touch on just the spiritual ones.
The first of these spiritual principles is
Principle # 8 -- Slow Down and Pay Attention.
Although each of the 12 principles is important, I think of this one as
the keystone. Slowing down and paying attention is fundamental to
implementing any organizational system. It's the Zen practice of being
organized...
To continue reading the principles follow this link.
----- MORE FROM CLAIRE ------
More articles can be found here.
Her website is here. Her blog is here.
Her books can be found here.
You can sign up for her inspirational weekly quotes here.
She can be reached at 707.268.8585 or at organized@humboldt1.com |
Ay! How Ya Doin'?
June Results from the International Inspiration Index
The purpose of the I3 (The International Inspiration Index) is to
get a feel for how people are feeling, what's bothering them, and their
outlook for the future. It started in late April, 2009 so we now have
three months to analyze.
Guerrilla Marketing Increases Sample Size for June
Per my post on the increase in sample size due to Jess Pettitt's help and the use
of my auto responder. We have a significant number of people in June.
However, because Jess's audience consists mostly of college students,
we have strong skew in the direction of what that generation and
students consider to be important. There's nothing wrong with that of
course, but when your sample size is only in the sixties and about half
of them are from a narrow age and interest segment, the results are
heavily weighted in that direction.
That said, let's take a look.
(click to enlarge)
- If you would like to read a complete analysis of how people are feeling -- with my humble analysis, you can go here.
- If you would like to take the survey, follow this link. Once you have completed the survey, you'll have the option to see the results. (Feel free to tell friends and neighbors to go there too.)
- If you would like to download the June report as a summary, you can (right) click here.
- If you would like to follow the complete history of the I3, you can click here.
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Video of the Month
A friend sent this to me; it's the Perpetuum Jazzile Choir from Africa doing one of the most unique presentations you'll ever see.
 Click on the image above or follow this link; it's not an embedded video. Rather it will take you to where Ihave posted the video and you can view it there. It's about two minutes long but is well worth your time. (You might need to turn up your volume a little.) If you'd like to find out more about them, you can follow this link. |
Going on the road -- looking for places to speak.
Because you know me, you are my best source of engagements, and I really appreciate it. So, I like to list the holes I have in my calendar and see if you know anyplace that could use my talents. Since it makes more sense (and it's more
economical) for me to do an engagement while on the road than it does
for me to come home and go back out again, I'm able to be a bit more
flexible in working out an agreement. If you know anyone who could use
my skills (or you could), please forward this email to them or get in touch with me.
The specific dates and locations I'm trying to fill include:
- Second week of September -- Chicago & the mid west
- Mid September -- Northwest
- End of September, Early October -- South
- November -- South
- December -- Southwest
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Magazines & Booklets
Two Words Magazine Special Offer!
If you're looking for some motivation, you have come to the right place. Scott's brand new, glossy, four-color printed magazine comes out four times a year and each issue is chock full of great writing, designed to help inspire you, motivate you, and help you deal with change.
Each issue, several authors each pen 500-700 words on a common theme. The first issue, "We Are," is now available -- at a discount through this newsletter.
151 Easy Things You Can Try BEFORE You Give Up On Your Diet!
If
you're looking for some motivation, you have come to the right place.
This simple, inexpensive booklet is so full of ideas, it'll keep you -- and your friends -- motivated for months to come. Order several and save a bundle!
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