Have you noticed that you sometimes use negative words to describe the more, ah, cluttered rooms in your home or office? I have a client that refers to her den as “the junk room.”  We have decided that she will practice using more positive terms about this room because the more she “puts it down,” the less likely she is to get it together.

Would you be motivated to go in the “junk room?” Wouldn’t you rather go into your “zen place?” If it’s always known as “the mess” or the “junk spot,” then that’s what it will probably always be…and you’re not likely to do much about it.

Why not refer to it as what you intend it to be? Come up with a descriptive and appealing name (e.g., Deb’s Yoga Sanctuary – nice, yes? J). Let that picture of what it will look be a kick in the pants so that you can transform your space into the fabulous, relaxing room you’ve always wanted.

Don’t underestimate the power of the words you use and the influence they can have on your mood and actions. If you think I’m crazy and this is just a bunch of psychobabble, let’s hear it. ;)

We had friends over this weekend and they noticed one of the books on my coffee table was Purple Cow: TransformYour Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin.  It’s hard not to talk about Godin and use words like “genius” and “amazing.” And, those are the exact words we used. In fact, “genius” was said at least 10 times. Have you read his blog? Ah-may-zing.

There are many reasons I think Godin is fantastic. Here are a few Seth-isms you can apply to your life, especially if you’re trying to live more simply.

1. Seth is straight forward and to the point. Godin doesn’t dilly dally about. He gets right to it. He says what he has tosay without the fluff. Fluff can be complicated. Complicated ≠ simple. There are too many bends and curves with complicated. If your life or productivity systems are always bendy and curvy, that means too many steps to keep up with.

2. Seth appreciates brevity. This point is very connected to #1. If you’ve read his blog, you’ll notice that many of his posts consist of just 100 words. Including the title. Even so, the content is powerful and gets the message across as intended. If you’re trying to simplify, this is a great path to follow. Get rid of the fluff and include powerful bursts of activity. You don‘t need to spend hours upon hours decluttering and streamlining. A few minutes a day can have tremendous impact.

3. Seth asks questions. Scan through his blog posts and you’ll notice a few questions sprinkled in. Questions get you thinking. You may not have the answers straight away, but queries get your brain cells to exercise. What will you gain by living more simply? What changes do you have to make? Who will you have to delete from your regular, day-to-day life? Yep, I said “who.” Sometimes, people = clutter + complicated. Another essential Q: How will you sustain the changes you’re about to make?

Need a little pick me up? …a little something to help you get up and go or get stuff done? Today’s guest blogger, Kim Starry, shares how she stays motivated.

We all have experienced it, times we are discouraged or maybe even depressed.  Times we need to be motivated to make it through the day.  We may find it hard to motivate ourselves.  I learned early in my adult life that I could either be discouraged and depressed or find a way to rise above it.

I was a young Navy wife and mother of two young children far away from my family with a husband who was frequently out to sea.  I realized I could find tools to overcome those feelings and motivate myself.  I then found myself being the designated cheerleader for other Navy wives, helping them through the difficulties of deployments and the stresses that long separations could bring to family life. I found my motivation through the writings of people like Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Martin Luther King, Jr., and most importantly, the Bible.  I found myself pulling their quotes and saving them in a file for just the right situation. I knew that every quote I saved at some point would help somebody at just the right time.

Fast forward many years and along comes social media such as Facebook and Twitter, once again another wonderful opportunity to pull those quotes out and share them with friends, colleagues, and people around the world that I have never and will never meet.  Some days when I may be feeling a little overwhelmed with life, it is so uplifting to receive a note saying, “Hey I was having a bad day and that quote you posted was just what I needed to hear.”

“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.” ~James M. Barrie

It makes my day to know that a quote that I posted has touched someone in a special way, helped them if only slightly make their day just a little brighter.  While there can be some negative things out there on the internet, I have found that sharing motivating goals has been noting but positive.  I have received only nice, uplifting notes from many people, some of which have evolved into friendships.  I find it amazing how something that started out as a way to help me get through a lonely day and be the best mom and wife I could be, all of those years later is still not only motivating me, but many others too.

I’m often asked “What is your favorite quote?”  It’s almost like asking a mom which child is her favorite. Well, not quite, but I have so many favorites it’s really hard to pick just one or two.  My favorite quote is which ever quote I just read or the last one that I posted.  If you would like to read my quotes, please feel free to follow me on Twitter at KStarry.  If you have ways that you motivate others I’d love to hear it.  Wishing you a happy and healthy 2011.

These are a few of my top picks from some of the quotes that Kim has posted on Twitter. ~Deb

»  “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to always try one more time.” ~Thomas Edison

»  “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” ~Henry Ford

»  “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” ~Jim Rohn

»  “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ~Albert Einstein

»  “Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: ‘I’m with you kid. Let’s go.” ~Maya Angelou

»  “Obstacles are the things we see when we take our eyes off our goals.” ~Zig Ziglar

»  “If you really want to improve your life, learn to laugh.” ~Tony Robbins

About the Author

Kim Starry is the owner of the Virtual Transcription Team.  She started her business in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and today, she lives in Orlando with her husband along with her dog Maggie. Business is thriving providing transcription services for businesses in the social media industry as well as for college professors and market research firms. Stay tuned in the first quarter of 2011 for the roll out of exciting new services.

Connect With Kim: E-Mail | Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

In honor of Get Organized (GO) Month 2011, we’re reposting a snippet of an article on motivation that we shared last year, GO Month Day 6: How to Stay Motivated. See below for two of the four tips we suggest and read the entire article to see all four. We hope you find them helpful this second time around.

Whether your goals are to eat healthier, manage your time better, or have a less cluttered home/office/car, staying motivated can be a challenge.  A certain pro organizer can relate as her home office is typically on her “to do” list…but more on that later.

Here are a few things you can do to keep the momentum going.

1. Jump to Conclusions. First, think about what end result you want to achieve.  What will success look like when it happens?  Will your desk be clear at the end of each day?  Will you fit into your high school cheerleading uniform?  Will you get your car in the garage?  Burn your “success picture” in your mind and hang on to it.  Put it on your bathroom mirror or fridge door, anywhere you’ll see it regularly.

4. Get “Appy.” Your app might be a spiral bound notebook or a digital notebook likeEvernote.  It really doesn’t matter, though, what you use, as long a you use it.  Apps will help you keep track of your successes and alert you to small changes you may need to make.  If you have a smartphone, take advantage of the myriad of productivity programs out there.

Click here to read the entire article

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. =)

On Saturday, I attended the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers (MARCPO).  It was a great day with fabulous food and content-packed sessions, several of which were motivating and inspiring. Some of the key messages from this year’s conference: Be positive. Avoid perfection. You CAN be happy and successful.

I loved the opening keynote address, Ten Things Everyone Should Know to Be Happy and Successful, by Caroline Adams Miller. There were so many things she said that just made sense…some we’ve all probably heard before, but they were great reminders.

≡ Go outside your comfort zone every day. You may not like it, but helps you grow and flourish.

≡ To accomplish goals, you must start FIRST with the happy face.

≡ When you set mediocre goals, you feel mediocre.

≡ Nurture your friendships.

≡ People who pretend to be happy achieve the same results as people who actually are happy.

≡ When the brain is happy, you learn better.

≡ YOU are charge of your happiness level.

≡ Live life like you have grass stains on your pants…have fun!

≡ Stop focusing on what’s wrong.

≡ Success equals happiness.

≡ Prime your environment. You’re impacted by everything so must carefully choose what you accept in your life.

Caroline also mentioned that we don’t have to live in a perfect world to be happy. This goes hand in hand with seeing the good in ourselves and others. If you focus on the negative, then that’s what you’ll get. Put a positive spin on your life and pretty soon you’ll end up with a nice bucket of happiness. A little success + a little success + a little success still = happiness! Who says that all your successes have to be grand and ginormous?! Can you tell I was super motivated after this opening session? A good dose of inspiration was a great way to kick off the day.

Check out Caroline’s book: Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide

We ended our day with Dorothy Breininger of A&E’s Hoarders. Her presentation, What Do Your Conversations Say About YOU?, focused on being mindful about the types of conversations we engage in every day. What are you talking about with the people you connect with on daily basis? Are you driving your success by talking about positive things that fuel your passions and connect to your personal values? Are you always talking about the recession? Job loss? Illness? The BP oil spill? Divorce? Someone you can’t stand (if yes, scroll up to read Caroline’s reminders)?

If you answered yes, to those final few questions, perhaps it’s time to change what you talk about and consider making your conversation more global. Think outside yourself and see how you can start having a more positive impact on those around you. Thinking of volunteering and donating your time to your favorite non-profit?  Start talking about that. Are you helping to prepare meals for your elderly neighbor? Start talking about that. Imagine if people started sharing and joining in your POWERFUL conversations…

Dorothy’s presentation was fun and upbeat, and, just like Caroline, she doesn’t believe in perfection. She proved it, too…whenever she was finished with a page of her notes, she threw it on the floor and exclaimed: “I avoid perfection at all costs!” Watch our interview below to hear more from Dorothy about her avoidance of perfection.

Check out Dorothy’s Book: Time Efficiency Makeover: Own Your Time and Your Life by Conquering Procrastination

Thinking of joining the organizing industry or know someone who has a natural talent for creating order and helping others?  It can be a very rewarding and satisfying career. Certified Professional Organizer®, Helene Segura, explains why she loves being an organizer.

Oh, Professional Organizing Career, How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways.

It’s rewarding.

I love to see and hear client reactions at the end of an appointment. The most rewarding experience I consistently have is seeing the light bulbs go off for my clients.  By the end of their first session, they know what they need to do, and they know that an organized life is on the horizon.  The two things I commonly hear are, “That wasn’t nearly as painful as I thought it would be,” followed by, “My life is about to get so much better.” It’s that hopeful smile at the end of each appointment or workshop that makes it all worth it.

I love a challenge.

I thrive on problem solving.  I enjoy digging my way to the root of a problem and finding the easiest and most beneficial solution.  It’s like an addiction almost.  I crave it.  I solve it.  I go to cloud nine.

I love learning.

I love to research and find out about the latest in organizing products or psychological theories and approaches or what the newest great resource in San Antonio is.  Every time I meet someone, I learn about a new type of personality, a new situation, a new type of business, or a new life direction.  I impart a lot of knowledge to my clients, but I also learn so much from them.

I love to see lives change for the better.

I’ve witnessed:

• Families stop bickering because we’ve reached a compromise on household order
• Clients end up with more money in their pockets because they no longer had to buy duplicates or triplicates or pay late fees on bills and credit cards
• Children’s grades improve because we set up a realistic study and paper management system
• Clients develop healthy eating habits because they can find the ingredients and supplies that they need in their kitchen without a struggle
• Smiles because clients have peace in their lives

In a nutshell, I love my job because I wake up happy everyday.

My job is incredibly gratifying.  I know there are many people out there who don’t truly love what they do for a living, so I realize that I am blessed to have found my calling.  I love that I am able to teach people, solve problems, and bring happiness to their lives.  It just doesn’t get any better than that!

About the Author

Certified Professional Organizer®, Helene Segura, is the owner of LivingOrder® San Antonio.  She teaches clients how to understand their core issues causing disorganization and thereby prevent it in the future.  She also conducts organizing workshops for larger groups and is a member of the trailblazing team providing expert organizing help online at The Clutter Diet.  Helene writes an organizing column for ezine Concierge and has been a featured organizing expert in articles in the San Antonio Express-News, as well as on Great Day S.A. on KENS TV.

Connect With Helene: Website | Twitter

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Studies have shown that most New Year’s resolutions are forgotten soon after the new year begins.  Certified Professional Organizer®, Helene Segura, shares a few tips on how you can keep your resolution to stay organized.

As December was ending and January approached, you were excited about the prospect of your New Year’s resolution: Get Organized!  When the after Christmas sales started, you ran out and bought every container imaginable: huge bins, tiny boxes, and those cute little containers that just looked absolutely perfect in the display.

You dove head-on into your first project.  You tore up a room, spread stuff out everywhere – and then got stuck.  So you moved on to another room.  And spread stuff out everywhere.  Before you knew it, you had more clutter in more places than before you started.  Sound familiar?  Don’t worry.  You’re not alone.  You were in the state of inspiration and then crossed the border into the state of overwhelm.  If you want to leave this state and jump back on the decluttering wagon, here are five ways to help yourself get back on track:

1. Take a deep breath. While the task ahead may seem daunting, it is not impossible.  Relax as much as you can and stay positive.

2. Acknowledge the fact that your organizing projects will not be complete overnight. It took time for your clutter to build up, so it will take time to declutter.  Decide if you want to devote a couple of long weekends to your project or if you want to work in small chunks of time each day.

3. Pick one room.  And stick to it. If you hop around from area to area, it will seem like you’re not getting anything done, and that will deflate your enthusiasm.  If you concentrate on just one area, you’ll see visible progress.

4. Divide your room up into sections. Either mentally (in your head) or literally (on paper) draw dividers in your chosen room.  Create a clock pattern and work your way from 6:00 to 7:00 to 8:00 – and so on – all the way back around to 6:00 again.  Or, divide the room into a checkerboard and work on one square at a time.  Cover the room with sheets if the sight of the rest of your stuff distracts you.  Just chip away slowly but surely.

5. Reward yourself at the end of each session. So many times we focus on what we didn’t get done, and that negativity brings us down.  Instead, focus on what you did accomplish and celebrate that progress.

Rome wasn’t built in a day…or two…or even three.  It takes time to build solid foundations.  Pick yourself up by your boot straps and hop back up on the decluttering wagon.  The road to organization might be a bit bumpy at times, but the end destination will be worth the journey.

__________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Helene Segura is the owner of LivingOrder^® San Antonio.  She teaches clients how to understand their core issues causing disorganization and thereby prevent it in the future.  She also conducts organizing workshops for larger groups and is a member of the trailblazing team providing expert organizing help online at The Clutter Diet.  Helene writes an organizing column for ezine Concierge and has been a featured organizing expert in articles in the San Antonio Express-News, as well as on Great Day S.A. on KENS TV. To get more information, visit her website at  www.LivingOrderSA.com or follow her tweets on Twitter.

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By now, you’ve read a lot about Get Organized Month on OTR.  Professional organizers across the country, myself included, have been using the 31 days in January to shine a light on the benefits of being organized.  Now that the month is coming to a close, how’s your mindset?  How’s your resolution to get more organized coming along?  Still need a little motivation?

If so, you’re not alone.  It’s not easy to make changes, even good ones.  My advice is to take it one day at a time – just do a little bit every day.  I have a few more tidbits that can you help stay on the motivation train.  Check them out this recent Holidash article, New Year’s Resolution:  Get Organized.

Remember, clear space = clear mind. Let this year be the year that serenity and order hang around for a while.  

Read the entire article:

New Year’s Resolution:  Get Organized

It’s day 27 of Get Organized Month.  GO Month is all about the possibilities – the potential for “what can be.”  Have you thought about your possibilities?  Can you see your future, a more streamlined future?  One without scavenger hunts for important papers?  ..without racing against the clock to get to meetings on time…without special navigation skills around paper piles and toy towers?

Visualize your success picture, remove your limits, and get some inspiration from self-proclaimed busy person and Possibilities Coach, Earl Mann.

Perspective is a huge thing. When your focus changes, what you do – and get in return – changes.