I found it fascinating that homes, cars, yards of friends and family, seemed to maintain the same level of piles, clutter or mess. It didn’t get worse, but rarely did I see it better, or if it did get cleared, it didn’t last long. And why didn’t it get much worse over time? The overly busy mind might not feel at home in a clear clutter free space. I realized this perfectly illustrates the wisdom behind the saying “As within, so without”.  

When I help people get organized inside a space, I do wonder if they will be able to keep it that way, at least somewhat. After all it does take a bit of conscious intention to put things away when done, to not let an empty or unloaded box stay in your hallway; to do now, what you would set down to do (or re-do properly) later. 

It made sense to me that if you deal with that thing now, you don’t have to keep looking at it and keep holding the tension of it needing to be done. I realize not everything can be done in the moment, but one can take the extra few minutes (sometimes mere seconds) to put away clothes, the vacuum, the rake, take that pile to the garage, go through the mail and eliminate the junk, etc.  Then we don’t have to make time in the future to do it. Yet it is not what people tend to do. Mail stacks up, piles of clean clothes gets larger, clutter accumulates. But only to a point.

A certain amount of comfort comes from familiarity so having lots to do, many projects or feeling busy all the time, can be what your system feels is “normal” and “right”. Even when you don’t really like it. Think about how people who have been abused, can, at times willingly go back to the abuser. It is what they know. And the mind prefers what it knows over the unknown. 

But we don’t have to let our minds fear of the unknown or our busy thinking mind run the show. We have the power and the wisdom to shift.

We can practice cultivating a level of comfort with the not knowing, the unknown, or discomfort. After all, we experience surprises and unexpected things all the time, some fun, some not so much, but we know it is how life flows. And that is a good thing! Change can be scary, but stagnation is way more so. Imagine if you stopped progressing once you learned to crawl, because hey, you were good at it and it got you places. Your life would be quite limited would it not?

How might you both tidy up your spaces, and your mind? Can you meditate daily or take a quiet walk in the woods? Can you sit and gaze at the world without picking up your phone for 5 minutes? Try to be conscious of your actions throughout the day and be curious as to why you do the things you do. Try something you’d like to have be a normal habit for a week, such as hanging your coat up when arriving instead of over the chair. Or if you dislike that you never make your bed, make it for a week or two. Then check back in with yourself. How do you feel? How does your space look? What did you notice? Were you able to be in and enjoy the moment more during that time? 

Life is your mirror. It shows you what you believe or expect and resonate with. This mirror is a tool that you can choose to use or ignore. 

I love to help people get to a place of calm inside their homes. And I can also appreciate that there is more going on and that some inner shifts will support that. I am here to facilitate with either or both.

Much love and blessings to you for reading all the way to the end! 

Recently I have felt that claustrophobic sensation in two separate instances. I could notice the discomfort and also know I was perfectly safe. It was only the mind that was uncomfortable. My body was fine. But it was not a pleasant time. 

We were camping in a fairly remote forest and I woke up in the middle of the night and opened my eyes. Nothing to see. It was pitch black; eyes open or closed, there was no difference. I was surprised how uncomfortable that made me. I could tell myself I was safe and could hear my husband breathing next to me. And yet my mind continued to freak out a bit. I knew there was a lantern or flashlight somewhere nearby, but I didn’t want to have to find it to make myself feel better. So I fought the urge - for a short bit. But finally I had the thought to press the button on my indiglow timex watch so that there was something to see! But as soon as I released it, my mind freaked out again. It was interesting. I had to sit up in bed, I had to move, to do something, as the energy of the fear began ramping up again. Ultimately I had to turn on a flashlight, dim it by covering it mostly, so that just a tiny bit of light was created in the tent. But then I woke again. The flashlight had died. I basically repeated the whole thing again. I don’t recall what I did the 2nd time that allowed me to get back to sleep. But boy, seeing a tiny bit of light from the impending dawn, was such a beautiful thing! 

Then while at Burning Man, there were dust storms that meant I could not see anything but my own body. Not even the sky (and it was mid-day). Again, I knew I was perfectly safe, that what I had been standing next to was still there, and yet my mind went to fear. Why, I wondered. could I know I was safe and still freak out. So I just continued to dance and move to the music as I had been doing, and that helped, a lot, but it was still uncomfortable. I knew it was only the thought that created the fear, not an actual threat. That the feeling of claustrophobia was just a feeling, just an energy, created by a thought. A slightly less intense version happened when it was raining on and off the next morning (and had through the night). I wondered - would we be stuck there? Just the thought of not being able to leave, was uncomfortable. Even though really, it was temporary if it was even true at all. Yet, the energy was making itself known. I was able to realize that it was just a fearful thought, not an actual threat, and that it would pass and of course, I was going to be fine. Even if perhaps, uncomfortable for a bit. 

It was quite interesting and also not exactly fun. But staying with it, and not letting it overwhelm me, was a powerful experience. Not feeling it at all, which seems preferred, would not have allowed me the opportunity to experience  being in the sensation but also being aware that the feeling itself was not me. It was like I was an observer of it, even though I was also “in it”. And that I can survive being uncomfortable with no ill effects.

Our minds are good at finding threats. Even where they don’t exist. Our nervous systems get overwhelmed by all the “thoughts of” doom and gloom. Next time you find yourself feeling anxious about something, pause to ask - is there a real threat or is it just a perceived one? If no fire to run from, practice breathing with the feeling to get more comfortable with discomfort. Discomfort is here to teach us something, not harm us, and the lesson is usually not run away. Sometimes it is, and in those times, run! 
😝

I was tired and grumpy after a particularly long and super busy day at work.  I had worked 2.5 hours longer than I had been scheduled for, thus I didn’t get to things I had prepared to do. This can be an area of frustration for me. So I went to bed early, confident that I would feel better in the morning. I slept poorly, waking up for spans of time with my grumpy mind thinking and fretting about my upcoming trip and the planning and packing I needed to do. Even though I had most of the next day to further prepare, my mind was fixated on all of it as well as the frustration from the day prior. I was still grumpy when morning came. 

I felt the urge to just get started with the day so my mind could quiet down. But I knew better. I did my usual meditation, even if a little short because I slept in a bit due to not sleeping well, and then got onto the yoga mat. I selected a replay to watch that was about 20 min. in length and it was just what I needed. It got me into my heart, focused on my body and breath and I was able to get through the short class without pausing to go write something down I had remembered I needed to pack. 

But I was still fairly grumpy. Not like me at all, although it was improved. I didn’t get too worried about it however. If this day was to be a grumpy day, well, there must be a reason. I listened to some nice music and juiced my celery and then my friend texted about our walk we had tentatively planned the day prior. She said something funny in her text and I laughed out loud and instantly felt the grumpiness leave.

Wow.

Tools: I used what I knew was helpful.

Acceptance: I let it be.

Centering: I listened to my heart and not just my mind. 

Grounding: I did my normal morning routine without rushing.

Opening: I allowed humor to move me. 

I trusted my heart. I knew better than to force things or to let my mind replay things over and over again. I knew I had time, even if just a bit, to use the tools I had and to shift this mood. My mind was telling me I didn’t have time for that walk with a friend and it continued to spin around all the things I had to do, had done yesterday, would be doing today and tomorrow, and it really had a good stress story going!

I used past experience of success (meditation, yoga), opened my heart and trusted I would have everything I needed (somehow I always do, even if I did “forget” something). Life just has a way of working out when you relax and let it flow. I’m not suggesting we sit and do nothing, but to be mindful of the crazy fearful mind thinking too much and not trusting life itself. Use the heart! Taking time upfront, at the start of the day to do some self care and self awareness is important.

I got everything done I needed to (taking off 2 things that could wait), went for that walk with my friend, and had time to write this blog! I am so grateful for this day! And myself for making the choice to use the opportunity provided. Yay!

There is a recorder app on my phone. I use it for all kinds of things such as the cacophony of frogs in a nearby wetland in spring, the coyotes yipping in the woods, ideas for a project, along with affirmations or words of wisdom, whether that be recorded from someones podcast or youtube or some powerful words in my own voice. Just the other day I was going through my recordings and listening to a few when I played one I had forgotten I had done over two years go. It was singing my praises about big things accomplished over the prior several years. 

It brought me back to that moment when I paused to place my full attention on appreciating what I had accomplished in the recent three or so years. I really had not been giving myself full credit for the big things that I had made happen, dismissing them too easily while focusing more often on the troubles I still encountered.  So, at that time, I decided to record something rather different from what I had done before and I highlighted all the big things I had brought forth, accomplished, improved upon and continued to do. How much I had grown and how far I had come. I praised the bravery and strength, trust and action taken, offering gratitude and appreciation to myself, in my own voice. It was deserved. It was true. And just yesterday, I realized I had forgotten to listen to it but once in over two years!

What a treasure to find! It was a blessing that I thought to recorded it in the first place. And while I have given myself more credit for these big things since then, I was surprised I had forgotten about this recording and was not listening to it on occasion. But at the very least, I found it again to appreciate anew. And to see that I was doing a better job appreciating myself, loving myself more easily and continuing to trust myself and life to unfold in beautiful ways.

If you were to look at a friends life and point out to them all the wonderful things they had accomplished or handled, or how they had touched others, or helped selflessly during tough times or any number of things, what would you say and how would you say it? Could you be that friend to yourself? Record - verbally or in writing, appreciations and acknowledgments, gratitudes and kudos, toward yourself as if you were a loving family member, friend or even a neutral witness. Then make a point to re-read or re-listen to it now and then or when you need a pick me up. It is good to remind ourselves how far we’ve    come, or how brave or bold, or undaunted etc. as we continue to show up in life. And sometimes we are too quick to dismiss our accomplishments or even our goodness as a human being. Let’s stop that! 

Let me know if you already do something like this, or if this is the first time, how it feels or how it went. Are you able to really hear it in this way? Can you hear it better from your own voice rather than another's, or is it the opposite? What a wonderful simple and free gift we can give ourselves. Let’s make an effort to be a better friend to ourselves and it will undoubtedly ripple out into the lives of those around us. Why not give it a try!

There is so much which influences us these days. It can be overwhelming to know what to believe, pay attention to and embrace or even try. We encounter things, have experiences, engage in relationships that shape and influence our perspective, and these can differ dramatically from one person to another. Two people can witness or even participate in a conversation and walk away with two very different perspectives of what was said or how it went. We all have filters that are biased to what we already believe. My filters are different than your filters because my life experiences and what my mind will highlight as well as my feelings, are unique to me and yours to you. So who’s to say who’s interpretation of any discussion, event or experience is more “right” than another?

It is impossible to be a completely neutral party as we all bring our past with us into the present moment. And that is ok!  If we don’t have to be right or convince others or our “rightness” then it is often less of a problem that we don’t see things the same. Anymore however, with social media, news media and the speed of the internet around the entire world, it can be harder to remain neutral in our opinions of these happenings, even in other parts of the world we have little personal experience with. Remember that things have been happening all around the world for thousands of years that mostly just local people or communities were even aware of. Now we are able to access a wider view and it feels like it is expected of us to hold opinions about things happening even far away. Our actions, words, beliefs and assumptions do affect one another, even from afar, and is not limited to the internet (think pollution that travels across the globe). While I believe we are all part of a connected web of life, that doesn’t translate into needing to take a stand, have an opinion and especially not a need to share it, particularly an uneducated or uninformed opinion. There is so much to know about any one thing, it should be hard to believe we feel as confident in our views as we do. The ego mind is always on the lookout for dangers in order to keep us safe, so it fills in a lot of the blanks itself without us even realizing it. And the pressure exists to speak out, take a stand, post and blog about it all.

How might we look at life and our world so that we can live as connected beings without needing to have an opinion about everything? How might we stay aware of things but not get caught up in the drama of it? How might we assume the best, have compassion and understanding, remembering that stressed brains make less good choices, hurt people hurt people, and that everyone is doing the best they can in the moment (even if it is not particularly good)? Not to be a doormat nor turn a blind eye to harmful actives but in order to practice refrain from writing stories, sharing or even holding strong opinions and acting on those stories or opinions as if they are based on unbiased information or facts. 

One place to start is simply noticing when we are making an assumption or sharing an opinion about something or someone. Even better is pausing before sharing any opinion or thought or even withholding “fact sharing” realizing that it’s possible we don’t have all the relevant facts. Sharing opinions is not the same as sharing facts. It can be hard to know the difference, so ask yourself how critical the information you are about to share is and perhaps don’t share it. The power of our words, of suggestion is a real thing. Are we simply spreading dislike, fear, judgment with our opinions and unkind “facts”?
Try this for a day or week. Don’t share an opinion about much of anything with others. Not even about the weather. Be a neutral and open observer rather than placing limitations upon it. You might also notice how often others share opinions with you, even about the weather. At the conclusion of the day or week, take time to note how that was for you. How do you think it was for others? Be honest and perhaps journal about the experience or share with a close friend. Is there a kind of addiction to forming opinions about things and people? Is it a way to make sense of the world, make small talk, fit in or perhaps a way to make yourself feel better if others have flaws you can point out, even just in your own mind? What might it feel like to assume the best in an uncomfortable encounter? Consider this an opportunity to practice valuable self reflection. 
What would the world look like if we all shared our opinion even 50 percent less than usual?  I’d love to hear what you discovered!

The human experience is quite the ride, especially now, is it not? The absurdities, the divisiveness, the negative biased news, the constant searching for the next shock or laugh that has folks reaching for their devises, is amplified right now like no other time. We may want to hold our hands over our ears and scream STOP!

How much are you letting what is happening in the outer world effect your inner world? They are actually related. As within, so without. So the saying goes. It is like the researcher bias or searching the internet. You get what you are looking for. Your thoughts, intention and attention (focus) influence your experience. Don’t believe me? Think about when you confidently “knew” how something was going to go, often badly as our minds are biased toward danger and warnings to keep us “safe”, that went exactly like predicted.  And when you were a little less convinced of an outcome and went in with good intentions or an open mind and heart, and things went better than you dared to hope? 

Our energy effects the world around us. The world acts as a mirror to us. If we are having a good day, often nice people and good things seem to pop up. When we have decided it is a bad day, we get that reinforcement as everything that goes wrong “proves” it is a bad day. 

As an experiment, for one week set an intention as you start your day. It can be specific if you want, but I find it is best to focus on the big picture and overall feeling of the day rather than specific details happening or not happening. And you should always set your intention in the positive present tense. So rather than, “I want nothing to go wrong today” Or “I don’t want my boss to get angry with me over this late project”  You would state “I wish to see the beauty and good in each moment today” or “I intend a pleasurable connection with my boss and co-workers today.” 

You can write it down or say it out loud. I often add it to my todo list to see throughout the day. I don’t get out of bed for the day until I have written in my gratitude journal - either an appreciation (maybe for a good rest or bright morning) or setting an intention for the day. At the end of the week, reflect on each day to see if you can see where your intention came to be. 

This is because like attracts like. A musical note of B can’t resonate with any other note besides another B. If you vibrate with negativity and pessimism you will resonate with that in others and get more of that in your life. This is not to negate all lower energies we experience, as they are all beneficial. We just don’t want to linger too long in the lower ones. We want to feel them enough so they continue moving through and out and we find a more enjoyable feeling or vibration.

You can ask “how would it feel in my body if I kept my focus on the bigger picture, with love, of all that is occurring in my day/the world”. Allow your mind to notice and take in what it feels like to have that be true. Then return to that same feeling in your body (rather than just the thinking mind) throughout the day. 

Can you think of examples of when you got exactly what you were expecting and felt justified but disappointed at the same time? Sometime I think we want people to behave poorly because we want to reinforce our “rightness” about someone or something. Like Dr. Phil used to say, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?  Choose happy more of the time and see what happens!

I wondered about the application of these - what is it like to rub directly onto my head? And will they be messy to handle or while they sit in my shower? Will I be disappointed with how they treat my hair? I can confidently say, after using them for over two weeks, no to any downside. So far anyway! While I wouldn’t recommend these sit in a shower in a location where they continue to get wet, and luckily my shower shelves are out of stream range, they dry quickly and are great to handle. I found that you really don’t need to rub much or for long, as the shampoo lathers quite nicely (I have short hair, so might be different for long hair) and the conditioner spreads nicely to easily. 

I love that they come in paper, there is no plastic to dispose of, no glass to worry about, and you have some options for types, depending on your hair needs.  

I don’t know how long they will last but I can leave a comment below once I have used them up. I do wash my hair daily, and I use a dandruff shampoo twice a week, but I know many people do not wash their hair as often as I do, so these may last even longer for some folks. 

Related to this, a while back I tried a dish soap bar at my kitchen sink. I did like it! However, the container you place it in is important. You want it to dry out, be easy to collect onto your scrub brush without it slip sliding around, and the one I got was a large square shape so finding the right soap dish that fit the bill was not easy. While I have not seen this option in shops recently (I first bought it while on vacation in Canada) a quick google search turned up several promising looking options!

I love to try these types of things that come with and require less material to throw away or even recycle. Recycling is great, but not the answer. It is still energy consuming, imperfect and relies on local services which often vary greatly by location. 

Give these hair ones a try! I have seen them at many an earth conscious mercantile and REI or other outdoor stores. Maybe you have tried them? If so, what did you think? If you want to try them, please share below where you bought them and then give your assessment after a length of use. Let’s take a chance and try these kinds of things so more companies are willing to risk bringing them to market! It may be a little different than we are used to, but change is not only inevitable, it is good for us!                                Here’s to a good hair day!

I love things to look nice. And clean windows, mirrors and shiny surfaces stand out as light reflects off them into a room and our eyes are often drawn to that. And the opposite can be true; streaky windows or mirrors often stand out to us because they don’t reflect cleanly the light and the surroundings. 

My Mom’s neighbor told me about a cloth she used on her windows that always left a streak free clean without glass cleaner. It was like magic! So when I got home and googled glass cleaning cloth, the E-cloth came up on the list. Instead of ordering it online, I remembered I saw the E-cloth line on display at my local Ace Hardware store so the next time I was in that area I went to Ace and bought one. 

It took a little looking to find the one for windows amongst many different E-cloths for various surfaces and/or uses. It is a two cloth system. One is a waffle cloth that you wet, ring out and wipe the glass with and the 2nd, a buffer cloth that feels similar to your phone or computer (or eyeglass) cleaning cloths. I tried it on my bathroom mirrors, full length mirror, then my oven door and even my shower doors. Wow! With little effort, they look like new! My main motivation was on the inside of my car windshield as I keep trying to clean it, but when the sun hits it just right I could see a film. And sometimes it even makes it hard to see when the sun is coming at just the right (or wrong) angle. So I cleaned the windshield, just on the inside, and so far it seems great, although I am not sure if I have encountered yet that tricky angle of the sunlight that makes it hard to see.

I have tried a variety of glass cleaners, cloths, paper towels, even vinegar and newspaper (what a mess your hands get with the newsprint!). Nothing has worked as well as this! They guarantee 300 washings of the cloth before you would need to replace it. That is a long life! I have suggested it to my manager at the gift and jewelry store I work part time at since we often have a hard time getting the front doors streak free as the sun shines through them for much of the day.

I am excited to try the other cloths and uses. I have really enjoyed my stainless steel cloth (not and E-Cloth brand) that needs only water, no chemicals, for several years now. Especially with the prevalence of stainless appliances. Especially refrigerators - finger prints are prolific! I am happy to have less cleaners and less plastic bottles under my sink. More environmentally friendly and a better outcome - win win! 
​
Have you used any of the E-cloths? What has your experience been? How many different kinds do you use or which one is your favorite?

During my morning meditation this morning this spontaneous thought arose: “I wouldn’t want to be anybody else but me! I love me!” Wow! Where did that come from I wondered?  It seemed to come from deep within me.

But really, even though there are things about other people or their lives that I think are super cool, is there really anyone else that I would switch places with - after all I would have to take it all on - their past, their present, their future, I couldn’t just pick the good things about another’s life.  And the truthful answer was no, there is not! 

I admire others. I might love what they have, or what they are doing. I might like their style, their looks, their talents, wisdom or connections (social media makes that even more pronounced) but would I take their entire life? Their kids or the fact that they don’t have kids, their stresses and challenges along with what I really like in their life? No, I decided. I really like my life. My kiddos, my house, my place in the world. Even if currently I am in hot and humid Iowa, helping my Mom recover from surgery after a fall. Here for the entire month of July. This was not how I thought my summer would go, especially after being on vacation for half of June!  But what a blessing to be able to help my Mom! To be with her, to be in her neat house, and spend so much one on one time with her, not going going going, like our usual pace, but taking things one day at a time. Perhaps the Universe conspired with my higher self, to get me here, since I had said in early spring, that I was determined go and visit my Mom this summer or fall! as It had been two years since I had seen her for her 80th birthday. Plus the following happened in early June; I smelled my Mom’s house one day while at my own house. You know how people’s houses often have a certain smell? Her’s is nice and I was caught by surprise when twice, just before her fall, I had the sense of her home and thought I caught a whiff of how her house smells. That has never happened before. Curious!

I believe this has all gone smoother because of the attitude I have chosen. Gratitude. Even if better circumstances would be preferable, I am here and able to support her and keep her from needing to recover in a nursing home which might have depressed her so much she never came out. She has always stated how she never wants to be in one, and I can’t say I blame her. Now I know there are some really nice ones out there, but those can be pricey and not likely a financial reality for her. I see this all as a blessing and not a burden. It is the push she likely needed to get serious about selling her house and moving closer to me. 

A client recently went to help her mom out of state when her mom was diagnosed with cancer. I thought, wow, how neat of her to drop everything and go to her mom. Especially after I found out how long she was there for! I thought, how did she do it? Here I am doing it, and I am feeling blessed. I did not expect that. But I feel calm about it all and appreciating all I can about the situation. I just don't allow myself to go to the guilt of stranding my retail manager or abandoning a regular client I see two times a week. Because everyone knows, these things happen. 

I am grateful for my ability to stay in a higher vibration during this time, and not get caught up in the unfortunateness of it. It is a choice. How we choose to look at something, is a choice. Doesn’t always feel like we have much choice, some situations seem so obviously “bad” but truly, it is a choice. After all, we can all recall examples of a “bad” thing that turned out to be a really “good” thing after all! 

Feng Shui has always fascinated me. I think because I could feel things as “right” or balanced or fitting into a space and when something was “off”. I really don’t know many details or rules in the practice of feng shui but I totally relate to the energy flow and how things are arranged or placed in a room impacts our experience of the space. 

Some make sense when you think about it, such as having your back to the door in an office. It is not a posture of welcoming nor a good position for seeing what is coming. If you think about how energy flows through a room, it also makes sense to me that you would not want the front door of your home to be directly across from the back door - energy doesn’t linger in your home, but rather flows in and immediately back out again. These kinds of things are interesting to me, and I love to learn about them. Yet I hesitate to get too caught up in the fine details of the what to do and what not to do according the feng shui principals, since some things are beyond our control. Like some rooms only have one wall where the bed or sofa could be. And certainly how the home is oriented on the property can’t be changed. Also, what works energetically for one of us, could be slightly different for another. I am curious how hard it is to get the ideal feng shui when you have a large family living in one house!

When I first started my business around organizing and clearing, I understood that clutter was stressful and that our lives were more of a struggle when we have too much stuff and/or when things are in disorder and there is little to no clear or tidy space that allows for calm and focus. While I was creating my business plan and turning it into what I enjoyed doing and helping others with, simultaneously I was exploring and learning more about energy work as it pertains to our body and our own energetic field and how that impacts others and the role it plays in how we perceive the world. And as I wished to share what I was learning with others, I thought I was creating two separate businesses. But it soon became clear to me that they are really one in the same. Or at least intertwined in such a way that they go together, enhancing or inhibiting one another. 

In a recent Dr. Sue Morter podcast she interviews the feng shui expert Marie Diamond and they touch on this connection. It is further confirmation to me that our inner and outer worlds are reflecting one another and that we need to connect them in our efforts to help energy flow freely throughout our inner and outer experiences of life. 

Just like how the Fab Five in the show “Queer Eye” as seen on Netflix, help transform a person’s life through a variety of ways: how they dress, eat, their living space and their mental and emotional experience of themselves. It is all important and not one area operates in a vacuum. It can be a lot to transform all at once, but knowing that ultimately one area will not click into place for good until the other areas are also tended to, can help to motivate us to look at all areas of our lives and do what we can to wake up to the connection and information that reality is providing us - giving us clues as to where we could use some help or focus.

Here is the podcast link to hear more. 
And if you have never watched an episode of Queer Eye, it is a must! Wonderful humans doing amazing things for sweet but struggling people. It is all about love in the end. My desire is for more people to learn to love themselves enough to allow for vulnerability, seeking support, and opening to their inherent worthiness as co-creators of this world.
​When you do good, we all do good!