What’s in the Way of Your Inspired Journey?

A reoccurring theme has been popping up lately and it’s getting too big to ignore. Whether it’s a matter of tripping over toys, losing that crucial phone number in the stack of paper or needing a helmet and safety harness to get over the boxes in the basement, the story’s the same. We got way to much stuff! And the worst part it is that the stuff is getting in the way of our happiness!

How the heck did we get here?

Okay, I’m not really going to take the time to answer that question because I’m pretty sure that’s not the path to happiness either. What I’m more interested in focusing on is how to deal with the clutter so that we can all make a little more space and time for meaning and purpose in everyday life.

As I sit here at my desk – which I will admit has a few too many papers on it, and look around the room that is in no way organized to its potential – I know I’m not alone in thinking that this whole clutter thing has become a serious issue. I know this because I recently did a survey of my email list and found out that some people didn’t have time to spend on inspired projects because their time and space was cluttered with other, less meaningful stuff. Then I had lunch with a friend (who I’ve always considered to be organized beyond belief) and found out that she too is overrun by every kind of clutter a family can create. My final straw occurred while standing in line at the grocery store, listening to the woman in front of me talk on her cell phone about the mess she had to go home to. As I overheard her confession of strategically hiding piles of papers under the coach just so she could feel some sense of peace and comfort in her living room, I was struck by just how far we all are going to deal with the material items we’ve surrounded ourselves with.

All this stuff is creating a road block between us and the experiences we long for in life. We’re living and working in spaces that are cluttered, and how are we supposed to feel inspired, creative and happy in that kind of environment? And the more we have, the more we have to take care of, so our time is spent cleaning, fixing, upgrading, storing and tripping over stuff.

We all need help!

Trouble is that the likelihood of us all getting a de-cluttering coach to come over and help us sort through our poor decisions is slim to none. And as nice as the rooms look at the end of each Clean Sweep episode, I’m guessing there’s a heck of a lot of physical and emotional work involved in going from chaos to clean and organized in the span of two days. If you’ve got a Peter Walsh to help you out, way to go! If not, what are you going to do to deal with what’s in the way of your inspired journey?

I think I may have a plan – well, actually an adventure. I’ve got stuff in my house I no longer need and it’s not adding to my happiness quotient. My life is full, so taking a weekend to unearth, toss, donate and reorganize it all is highly unlikely. And I’m not even going to do it room by room, because that tends to cause the clutter to find a new home somewhere else in the house. Here’s what my de-cluttering adventure looks like:

• de-clutter by category – old and unused electronics go first (it’s and easy place to start because I have no emotional attachment to a cordless phone with a dead battery)

• let go in eco-friendly ways – tossing the excessive contents of my house in the landfill is just not an option for me. I’m building in time to find out where I can share, sell and recycle what I no longer want.

• be gentle – it took me a while to get cluttered and it’s going to take me a little while to reverse that. I’m all about gentle and effective plans of action. This de-cluttering experiment is going to be added into an already full life, so drastic action is not the order of the day.

• make it fun – I’m planning to enlist the help of others and turn on the music. And it goes without saying that de-cluttering becomes a bit more divine while eating chocolate.

So, there you go. A de-cluttering adventure with a strategy coach along for the journey. Now all you have to do is join me for the adventure. I’ll share what I learn along the way and you can too!

I wonder what we’ll be doing a month from now when our collective loads are that much lighter?

Yours On Purpose,
Tara

Where do I begin?

Have you ever had a big idea get hold of you?  It’s an amazing feeling to be able to see the big picture – how something could be done to solve and problem or make life better, richer or more enjoyable. These are the moments many creative types long for and pay homage to. They make the times of muddling along a little easier to endure.  Oh yes, the big ideas are wonderful!

And yet, the brightness of the “light bulb moment” can become rather dark as soon as we try to figure out a first step to take.  We can soon turn our focus to thoughts like:

• I’m not an expert so how far will I really get;


• I must not be committed enough because the last time I had a big idea I lost interest in a week;


• maybe someone else could do it but for me it’s just a silly pipe dream;


• that’s likely to cost a lot of money to really do it well; or


• great idea, but whose got the time...and probably an endless number of other thoughts to justify why the big idea is impossible.

Well, before you start feeling too deflated, let me remind you that as Thomas Edison was going through an amazingly long process of trial and error while inventing the light bulb in 1879, he said “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work”.

Where would we be without Mr. Edison’s perseverance?  We wouldn’t even be able to call a big idea a “light bulb moment”!

And Thomas Edison is not the only one whose had to try and try again, investing himself in so many ways to see a big idea through to completion.  Truth is, it’s a pretty common experience to have to walk through some doubt and adversity.  It’s focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel that keeps the doubt from overshadowing opportunity.

So, with the big idea intact and enthusiasm reinstated, the question still remains ‘where do I begin’?

And the answer is (drum roll please)... You begin with the end in mind. You got it.  Steven Covey’s phrase is the one to keep front and centre as you begin to focus on your big idea.

Too lofty you say?  Well, here’s my suggestion.  Try one (or more) of these out as your first step:

• Take your big idea out for a test drive and day dream a bit (how’s that for a cheap yet priceless gift to yourself?)


• Get out the scissors and old magazines and create a collage, a visual image of your big idea


• Write your big idea down on an index card and keep it in your wallet or pocket or somewhere you’ll see it regularly.  The card will remind you to get lost in your big idea even during the less-than-enthusiastic parts of the day

And if you’re ready to build even more momentum:

• Check out www.thomasedison.com/ to learn more about an inspired inventor


• Treat yourself to more of Steven Covey’s wisdom in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People


• Share your big idea to build the enthusiasm even more by contacting me at www.inspiredjourney.net/contact.cfm

These ideas don’t required a huge investment of time or money and the upside is that you’ll be investing in yourself and your big idea in a most amazing way!  You’ll be breathing life into it.

Have fun, leave the doubts behind and try it on for size.  Your big idea just might be a perfect fit.

Yours On Purpose,

Tara

Is Blogging Supposed to be Part of My Inspired Journey?

Welcome to the first post of the Inspired Journal, brought to you by InspiredJourney.net! Just getting to the point of typing this first entry has been an adventure with many false starts and “wrong” turns. Who knew getting lost in technology could be such an opportunity for personal growth. The technical side of this stuff is not my passion but rather a series of necessary hoops I had to jump through to share what I do love to do - write, ask questions and walk with others on their inspired journey of bringing purpose and meaning into everyday life. Well, I have to say that the countless road blocks that appeared on the way to setting up this blog did make me ask myself ‘Is Blogging Supposed to be Part of My Inspired Journey?’

Being open to guidance is really what made this all possible. And that’s the coolest part of being inspired – it opens us up to amazing possibilities and connections that we might otherwise be oblivious to. My desire to create a blog made me aware of opportunities to work with people who have the ability to make sense of all this techno-garble and are inspired to share and guide the non-techies of the world (that would be me). When I focus on my passions and invite others into my life to share theirs, it enriches the journey of everyone involved.

So, with the technical stuff somewhat worked out, I am happy to say a new adventure on my journey begins. I'm a blogger! Who could have ever known way back when I as a kid watching the ever-so-passionate-and-inspiring Leo Buscaglia on Public Broadcasting that blogging would be a way to share my passion with the world!
And that’s the beauty of being on purpose – the adventures are amazing!
To embark on an adventure of your own:

• consider what you’ve been putting off and take a step towards it


• focus on the part you feel passionate about


• open yourself to the guidance that will connect you to others with complimentary passions


• get clarity about life purpose by reading this short definition at http://www.inspiredjourney.net/life_purpose.cfm


• give yourself the gift of tapping into Leo Buscaglia’s passion for life. You can find his book Personhood at Personhood: The Art of Being Fully Human

Who knows where blogging will take me…and you. Connect, Interact, Enjoy!

Yours On Purpose,
Tara