A common theme came up for the members of the Power of 10 group; they felt a need to get organized and de-clutter their office.  But they didn’t know how to get there.  So at the July meeting I invited professional organizer extraordinaire and author of The Simple Sizing Break, Jane Carroo, to join us and provide some words of wisdom.  We learned ways to help us move clutter out of our workspace a little bit at a time to make it more manageable.  We learned ways to determine what is important and what is not important to keep.  And we learned time management tools to help us make our days and weeks more productive.

The discussions gave me the inspiration to attack my own pile.  On my desk was what I call the “I-know-this-is-important-and-I-want-to-record-it-or-act-upon-it-but-other-things-are-taking-precedence-right-now” pile.  So Saturday morning I commandeered the living room.  I went through the original pile paper by paper and created new stacks on the floor: business coaching resources, previous speech notes, products to research, and of course recycle.  I filed what needed to be filed, trashed what needed to be trashed, and ended up with a small stack to be recorded.  Ah.  It felt so good to go through everything.  The albatross was no longer around my neck.  I felt freer, lighter, and most importantly, more motivated.

It is amazing how a looming stack of to-do’s can stifle us.  There was such a weight on my shoulders of all the items I wanted to eventually go through, that I couldn’t concentrate on what was really important right now.  My thought was to create a pile of future to-do’s so I could work on right now.  But instead the pile because a constant reminder that I was behind, that there was so much more to do.  However, when I went through the pile, shrunk it down, and discovered the true magnitude, or lack thereof, of the pile, I found my days being much more productive.  My desk was cleaner, my focus sharper, and my motivation higher.

What is looming in the background for you?  What is the big scary task that you are afraid to tackle?  How is not addressing this issue, slowing down your productivity elsewhere?  Now might be the right time to take a look and see if taking baby steps toward resolving it can help free up some mental focus and time for you.

My purpose in life is to share my experiences, my thoughts, my hardships, and my growth to help others see options and ways to their own perfect lives.  By baring my soul and exposing my faults and struggles, others can see that they are not alone and that they too can overcome and transform.  So when I heard that the Museum of Science and Industry was looking for a roommate.  I was intrigued.  The concept is that one person will stay at the museum 24/7 to experience every exhibit and share their experience first hand as well as through blogging, Tweeting, and video.  My heart skipped a beat.  This is my purpose; I am meant to be that example.

So I stopped what I was working on and downloaded the application and rules.  I began to brainstorm the best references to use and which picture to provide.  But then it came to the video.  I don’t have a video camera that records DVD nor did I know who would be available to help with the video – and the deadline was not that far away.  So I decided that after my Monday morning networking meeting and before my afternoon client I would bite the bullet and go to an electronics store and buy a camera.  A funny thing happened though.  At the end of the morning meeting, the founder of the Dynamic Professional Women’s Network said, “My son is starting his own video company and needs samples of his work.  If anyone would like a free one minute video, see me.” What??!!!  Could this just be a perfectly timed coincidence or was it meant to happen?

Photo by Sam Levan

Have you ever had a situation where the exact thing you needed seemingly popped out of no where?  It is an electrifying experience, and kind of dumbfounding.  At least for me I always think I have to do everything myself.  I have to make things happen.  If I don’t take action, nothing will happen.  But here was a situation that I did absolutely nothing but went about my normal day.  And this amazing obstacle before me was solved, cost-free, in minutes.  I did not seek it.  I did not have to call everyone I knew to find a solution.  I did not have to buy equipment myself.  I did not have to do anything except be open and present.  For me it is an amazing lesson that I seem to need to hear again and again.  I do not have to do everything myself or by myself.  Things can get done without my direct effort.  So much stress in life is caused by the belief that we control and need to control everything in our life.  When one can open up and trust, amazing coincidences can occur.

Within a few days I met with Gerald and he agreed to work on my video.  But then there was the question as to where to shoot it.  I had some ideas, but they just didn’t seem right.  Then the idea popped into my mind, the perfect place to shoot.  (I can not divulge where this perfect place is lest I give the idea to my competition.)  But there was a problem with the location.  Was there a conflict of interest?  Would they allow me to do it?  How many others had already asked to use it?  So I called the location and they had to ask upper management if I could shoot there.  I was floored.  Had no one else thought of this idea?  Again, I had a feeling that things were falling into place.  Here was the perfect location and a location no one else had thought of using.  It was a long shot but it fell into place easily.  When things are right, the way is easy.

What are you currently struggling to make happen?  What if you let go the idea that you have to make it happen and trust that it will be completed?  What happens to your stress level?  And what other options now present themselves?

On August 12^th after all applications have been submitted, I will release my video on You Tube.  Watch my Twitter account, www.twitter.com/itsmylifeinc for details.