Remember that podcast I was interviewed for last week, the one about rescuing your resolutions and new year’s goals?  Well, it’s live and ready for you listen to.

It’s hosted by Sarah Welsh and Alicia Rockmore, the fabulous ladies of GetButtonedUp.com. I’m one of three guests featured and I think you’ll find the topics very helpful. So, check it out and let me know what you’ll be doing to get a grip on those resolutions.

1.  Losing weight (featuring Chris Coash from Jenny Craig)

2.  Getting organized (this is where I come in!)

3.  Controlling your finances (featuring Amy Suardi from Frugal-Mama.com)

Get More Info | Download the Podcast

Have you ever gotten the “deer in headlights” look from someone?  You say something and they look at you like you just rattled off something in a foreign language.

That happens to me sometimes when I tell people I’m a professional organizer. There’s usually a bit of a pause followed the “Did she say something in English?” look and a statement that sorta goes like this:  ”What exactly do you organize? Parties?” These conversations tend to go quite well and I usually hear a lot of “Oh, now I get it.” And, “the look” goes away.

I have to confess that though I’m normally on the receiving end of “the look,” I was recently giving it in full force. My brows were furrowed and my head cocked to the side…as if that was going to help me figure it what I was hearing…well, seeing.

While channel surfing this weekend, I found a show called Pregnant in Heels. I learned that there’s also a profession known as a Maternity Concierge. So, naturally, I wondered: “What the heck does a Maternity Concierge do…exactly?? Why would anyone need a maternity concierge?”

Hypocritical? Maybe. But, I was really confused…so, I watched three episodes back to back. Then, I really understood the various reasons why some people would need help in that department. Just like how some people need my help. There will always be someone who needs some kind of assistance, and, hopefully, a provider who can jump right in with solutions.

The whole point is, if you need help with something – anything – get it.

It may seem odd, weird, strange, and you might hear “Girl, are you really spending money on that?,” but if that’s what you need, don’t sit and languish. Choose to flourish instead.

4 Ways to Flourish

1. Delegate to your child. Pay them in kind or cash, but give your mini-me a job, show them how it needs to be done, and stop stressing. You need help and this is a great way to get it, and even spend a bit of time bonding with your child. Don’t have children? Your neighbors do. And so does your sister.

2. Grab a friend. Friends always want to help, especially when they think they’re saving you from yourself. If they agree to help, cue up their favorite music and make sure to have some good eats on hand. And, return they favor when they need it.

3. Work when you’re at your best. If you’re tired, in pain, or hungry, you’re not going to feel great about doing that thing you’ve been putting off. Pick a time of day when you’re most alert and feeling energetic to tackle that project a little at a time. Deadline looming? Schedule multiple points during the day when you’re in optimum shape to get stuff done. This is also where #2 comes in handy. Why not enlist the help of a colleague?

4. Hire a professional. Ok, folks, now that we know that there’s a maternity concierge out there, can you imagine what other types of professionals are available to make your particular problem hit the road? Don’t sit and wonder. Mr. Bing and Mr. Google can help you find the one that’s right for you.

Moral of the Story

 

No matter how crazy it may seem, get the help you need.

 

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I can’t live without my GPS. I probably am a little too attached to it (sometimes I talk to it…ok, more than sometimes), but when you can’t read a paper map to save your life, you need another option. I turn it on even when I know where I’m going…just in case the sky starts falling and I need to take a detour. You never what might happen when you’re traveling the on the beltway.

Silly? Crazy? Too dependent? Maybe…but that’s ok. I’ve found a way to (mostly) avoid getting lost. I still have nightmares about the time I spent two hours trying to find a client in DC. Besides doing what it’s supposed to do, I’ve learned from using my GPS that I’m a combination of a visual and auditory learner.

I used to think that I was primarily visual…you know, if-it’s-not-out-and-seen-I’ll-forget-about-it type of person. I am that person, but I absorb and retain more info if I see and hear it. So, when I’m using the GPS, I have to hear the voice directions and look at the map to make sure I get to where I’m going. I’ve tried putting the GPS on mute, but that doesn’t work for me. Interestingly enough, my husband’s the opposite. He never turns on the voice…just looks at the map.

How do you use your GPS? Is it the same way you “use” your office? Is there stuff everywhere? Do you leave things out or pile up your papers so you won’t forget to do something with them? Or, when you’re working, do you prefer to reply to e-mails with a phone call? Get all your info from audiobooks instead of book books?

When you put your finger on how you process info and take information in, this may sound like simple discovery …but, it’s actually simple and grand all at the same time. That’s because once you figure this out, you can find solutions – not just any solutions – but the right ones that work for your personality and help you create and maintain order in your life.

So, if you’re visual, don’t fight it and instead of trying to deal with a sea of papers or putting your files in a closed cabinet, try an open file cart. You’ll get your visual cues from the labeled tabs. Yes, you’ll still have to do filing but you can jog your memory without making a mess. A desktop file holder can help, too.

If you’re more keen on listening, make those phone calls, but keep ‘em short. Keep up with your podcasts, maybe throw in a webinar or two, and use your voice recorder for reminders. Oh, and listen to your GPS.

Ever wondered how to get all your chickens all in a row?  Liz Jenkins knows just how to do that.

Organizing and chickens aren’t usually two words you utter in the same sentence, unless you live in my house!  Deb has followed our chicken progress for the last year and has found it quite amusing, as have I.  I never really saw myself as someone who would have chickens (tech lover, book nerd, wine & foodie geek here), but here I am with 4 hens and an adorable chicken coop.

Chicks watching YouTube

The coop is right outside my office window so I have a birds eye view, so to speak.  In fact, our hens jump on top of the coop and peck at the window to get my attention. When I look up, there’s usually 1 or 2 of them checking me out, thinking, “Dude, stop working and bring me some treats.”

As a professional organizer, I needed to make sure I asked myself the same sorts of questions I would ask any of my clients who were looking to add something to their lives that requires some serious commitment.  But first, here’s how Violet, Mimi, Hootie & Bob became part of our family…

Chicken coop

Being a professional organizer for quite a while has really made our family look at not only our stuff but our lifestyle.  We’ve simplified our lives by downsizing into an 1100 square foot house, let go of a lot of our possessions (you know, the kind that don’t really enhance your life – that just give you more to maintain and clean), reduced our commitments so we have more time to spend with each other, and decided to live our lives how WE want, not necessarily how we thought we should based on others’ perceptions.

Considering where we live (can you say “conspicuous consumption?”), this is a bit of a challenge but one we wanted to attempt. And we have succeeded in many areas, still working on others, but this is how we came to the chicken decision.

We live a pretty “crunchy granola” lifestyle with having most of our front and back yards garden spaces, eating natural foods and working hard to expose our daughter (now 9) to where our food and stuff comes from before making decisions about consumption.

This is where the chickens came in.  We’d talked about it casually for a few years, but we live in a downtown area in a small neighborhood – it’s not like we have a farm.  We weren’t sure we could even have them but after researching the local laws and regulations, we realized we could – as long as they were clean, well kept, quiet and we had no roosters, we were good.

So here are some of the questions we had to ask:

•  Would these chickens enhance our lives or cause more stress?
•  What was the real purpose for getting them – were we making a statement for others or making an honest lifestyle decision?
•  Do we have the time and ability to care for the chickens properly?
•  How exactly does one care for a chicken??
•  Once the cute factor was over, were we aware of the ongoing care of them and were we prepared for this?
•  Did we have the financial and emotional means to maintain them (chickens can live up to 10 years)?

Substitute just about anything for the word “chickens” in these questions. This is what I ask my clients to think about when considering adding something to their lives.  A puppy. A volunteer position. A new wardrobe. Whatever.

Chicken eggs

We had to weigh (hee hee) our 95 pound Labrador retriever, our 3 cats, our fairly busy lifestyle, our small yard and house, our commitment to be debt free within the next 18 months, our ages (time stops for no one), our daughter’s initial excitement over baby chicks, the care and cleaning of them, etc. against the amazing experience of raising and nurturing these chicks, the learning experience of having them, the fresh eggs, the extreme cuteness of them, our commitment to our more natural lifestyle, and did I mention the fresh eggs?

The chickens won out and we are delighted with our choice.

We did a LOT of research (check out www.backyardchickens.com for great information), did a lot of soul searching and dealt with a lot of begging and puppy eyes from the 9 year old, but we are very glad we made the decision.  I’m glad we didn’t jump into it without planning as the coop took a lot of work.  But our hens are sweet as can be and we are planning on getting two more in the spring so our daughter can raise them as she did with the original four.

We find that we enjoy sharing our eggs so much that sometimes we run short.  One Sunday morning we wanted to make french toast and I found myself outside muttering, come on, someone lay an egg already.  With 4 hens, we usually get 2-3 a day which for our family of 3 is plenty.

More pics of the chicks…

Chicks having their 1st meal

Eggs

Violet

Mimi

Chickens hanging out

Bob

Hootie

Chickens eating watermelon

About The Author

Liz Jenkins is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Home Stager, and super cool foodie located in Franklin, TN, just outside of Nashville. She stands ready to help you make your life work for you the way you want to live. Have an organizing question – give her a holler.  Have a chicken question – give her a shout.  Want to organize your chickens – she’s your gal!

Connect With Liz: Web | Facebook | Twitter

It’s 2011!  Woo Hoo! A new year means a new you, right? Have you been writing lists and lists of resolutions? Maybe you should take a look back at some of your accomplishments from the past year instead.  That’s what I’ve been doing and it’s been really fun taking a trip down “Yay, Me!” lane.  You should give it a try…it’s pretty helpful.

Here’s why:

You Get to Celebrate Your Rock Star Moments

“If it ain’t broken” applies here. Because it’s not broken at all. In fact, it’s a whole lotta fabulosity! With all that awesomeness comes a good dose of confidence and a sprinkle of “feel good” with a cherry on top.

Positive vibes means that you’re more likely to see things with a “glass half full” mentality.  That will come in handy when things don’t always go the way you plan, and you’ll be more likely to push through the tough times. So, go ahead and totally savor those times when you aced it.

Whether you closed that really huge sale, already put away all your holiday decor, or, like me, spent more quality time with your family, go celebrate!

You Get to Capitalize on Your Assets

Strolling through your wins is a great ego stroke that also helps you figure out what you should keep doing.  But, don’t let your senior moments rob you of the memory of what those things are. If the wins are that awesome, you need to write them down.  Put in all the details and let it be the road map for more success.  Even the smallest win can have a huge impact.

One of those things for me was a simple plug-in. I used to use my Yahoo! calendar to track all my blog posts, but I recently made the switch to the WordPress Editorial Calendar. It’s easy to use and lets me plan ahead.  Simple. Effective. Not broken. So, it stays.

Think for a minute. What’s been working for you? What were your high points of 2010? Now, go get a pen.

You Get to Plan Out Your New Rock Star Moments

Isn’t nice when awesome things happen just because?  Isn’t it even better when we bust our butts and everything comes up roses? So, why not err on the side of greatness and use some of your rock star mojo to plan out your future successes?

At this time of year, lots of us are looking back at what sucked. Anybody can do that. We’ve all done that at one point or another. You can take a look, just take off your pointy boots and stop kicking yourself in the pants. Be a bit more thoughtful about it. A  thoughtful, future-driven person, looks for opportunities to turn unsavory moments around, and finds ways to make new fabulous, rock star moments.

Think about the results you want to achieve, add a few shakes of realistic possibilities, a couple pats of motivation, and voilà!  A plan is born. You know what’s coming next, right? Get that pen and start writing.  Don’t ignore the power of putting pen to paper as this will help you solidify your thoughts, to really think things through.  Click here to read more about how to make good on your rock star goals.

Btw, since January is Get Organized (GO) Month, it’s not a bad time to plan how you’ll shine in that department. In the meantime, let me be the first to say congratulations on all that you did well in 2010. =)

“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only radical change can make a difference. Just keeping your fridge cleared out could give you a real boost. Look close to home for ways to improve and grow.” ~Gretchen Rubin

Read More:

13 Tips for Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions | PsychologyToday.com | 12.16.10

“Research has shown that, after six months, fewer than half the people who make New Year’s resolutions have stuck with them, and, after a year, that number declines to around ten percent.” [San Francisco Chronicle |1.4.10]

With stats like that, what’s the point of making resolutions? It’s the time of year that everyone makes the decision to be better at one thing or another. It’s also an uphill battle because of one little thing – YOU…and me, too. All of us.

While we may WANT to change, it’s the required HABITS and new routines that’s tough for us to wrap our arms around. Change involves planning and long-term commitment to a reasonable, new way of doing things.

Do these resolutions sound familiar?

1. Lose weight/get healthier

2. Get a better job/make more money

3. Go back to school/learn something new

4. Relax more/spend more time with friends and family

5. Get more organized/manage time better

They should. Well, they do to me. All of them have been on my own “new year to do list” at one point or another in my life. In fact, I’ve been working on #4 for much of 2010…more on that in a bit.

Change is no easy feat, especially the part about sticking to a reasonable plan. Anybody can come up with a plan but it takes some forethought to create something you can ACTUALLY stick to. It might help to talk it through with people you trust to get their feedback.  They’d probably tell you that trying to change every aspect of your life is, in fact, not only unreasonable, but also unhealthy and sets you up for failure.

Some of us can easily get up an dust off our backsides and try again, but there are many of us who just fall into a rut and throw our hands up the air. So, again I ask, what’s the point of making resolutions? And, again I say it’s a struggle.

BUT…you can choose the direction your life is going in AND you can choose which goals you will focus on first. You can be REALISTIC about how to incrementally and systematically make changes. There are specific things you can do to stay inside the 10% of people who keep their goals alive throughout the year.

Zig Ziglar’s Seven Steps to Goal Setting

I happen to like Zig Ziglar’s seven steps because they make sense to me and because they can be applied to both personal and business goals. Plus, they’re only seven steps…just seven things to help anyone stay focused.

1. Identify your goals – write them down

2. Identify why you want to reach that goal – list the benefits

3. List obstacles you have to overcome

4. Identify the people, groups, and organization you need to work with

5. Identify what you need to know – list the skills

6. Develop a plan of action

7. Put a date on when you expect to achieve the goal – set a deadline

Here’s a quick example of how you can use Ziglar’s process. You could say: I want to lose 50 pounds…or you can be be reasonable and realistic and replace that statement with: I want to lose 10 pounds by March 31, 2011 (i.e., the 1st step toward the overall goal of losing 50 lbs).

Then, follow up with the things that might make it difficult to lose those pounds (e.g., everyone around you eats junk food). Really put your goal(s) through all of the seven steps.

Other Things You’ll Need Besides Zig

Are you thinking that maybe that’s ridiculous? …that losing 10 pounds in three months would take too long, particularly if you want to lose 50 pounds? Ziglar’s goal setting process works but you will also need:

Patience, Patience, and More Patience! Remember to pace yourself and to give enough time to achieve your goals. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? Slow and steady wins the race. If I come with any other clichés, I’ll let you know…but I think you get the picture.

Positive Vibes. You’ll want to have doses of positivity for when you come across a few bumps in the road. You will inevitably come face-to-face with road blocks, so find out what makes you happy and keep it in your back pocket. Maybe it’s your favorite music or writing with your favorite pen.  Whatever it is, go find it now. Have more than one thing that lifts your mood? Even better. More aces in your pocket. Or up your sleeve. Or wherever you choose to keep them.

People. The right people with their own positive vibes also help with those bumps in the road. They can be sources of strength and motivation. Keep them close by.

Final Word

It’s harder to make several changes simultaneously, so try focusing on one goal. Sometimes, becoming successful in one area will have a positive impact on other parts of your life.

This seems to be working for me. I’ve been focusing on spending more time with family – without rushing and making mental notes about everything I need to do. Making time to be with the people I love actually elevated me to the top of my to do list. This made me happier and less stressed, two things that were also on my list.

Give it a shot and let me know what worked and what didn’t.

On a recent episode of V…

Anna: “Did you find what we’re looking for? “

Lisa: “There’s just so much.  What does it all mean?  They don’t seem to serve any purpose.”

Anna: “Human memories contain emotion, not just information.  That’s why they can be difficult to interpret.”

Lisa: “Why aren’t our memories like that?”

Anna: “Our species is designed for efficiency. We’re not burdened by emotional imprints like humans.”

This exchange between the mother and daughter characters on the series, V, really resonated with me.  I think it’s safe to say that most of us value emotional connections with friends, family, colleagues…and, for some of us, things.  That’s the reason why Anna’s last statement got stuck in my head.

Often, it’s our strong attachment to things that makes them hard to let go of.  When working with clients, I usually suggest that they allow me to handle the items that may be donated or thrown out.  I’ve noticed that when they touch them, their feelings about those items seem to heighten – and they tend to keep them, even if they know they will never use them again.  Once the client decides to keep that object, there’s no persuading them otherwise.  Interesting how the “emotional imprint” drives the decision irrespective of consequence.

Having no emotions means that the V’s are not slowed down by unnecessary thoughts and connections.  Theoretically, decisions would be easier and quicker to make.  We’d be better, stronger, faster…just not human.  It’s an extreme notion but I have to wonder if it would be preferable to be “designed for efficiency” rather than wade through emotional baggage (even it’s just a small suitcase).

Would no emotions = less stuff = simple life?

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“With closed storage, the temptation is to just throw stuff in. Decide what you will use the space for and stick to it.” ~ ~Peter Walsh, organizing expert and author [Family Circle Magazine · "Best in Show" · Page 35 · Sarah Stebbins · October 17, 2009]

Do you have a favorite food?  Something that you just LOVE to eat?  For me, that’s sushi.  It’s not that I don’t like popcorn. I do, but it doesn’t compare to sushi (eel has my heart).  I just don’t LOVE popcorn.

When we love something, we show that we value it by, in this case, consuming it as often as possible (though with my diet diet, sushi and I have had a distant relationship).  In other cases, we put the things we love in frames, on mantles, on our coffee tables, anywhere we can see, use, and enjoy them.  If it has very high value to us, we tend not to put them under the bed, on the highest shelf in the closet, in the basement…you get the picture.

So, the next time you have to decide whether to keep or get rid of something, ask yourself, “Is this sushi or popcorn?”