#alert.SendMail.subject#

For more information and to view this newsletter online go to our website now !

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I was sent the quote for this month’s newsletter. I am always talking about baby steps to readers and clients alike. There really isn’t anything that we do which doesn’t start with that first step. I know for myself that on occasion it has taken me far longer than I really needed, to take my first step towards something I wanted (wasted time & energy and far too much space for that Inner Critic). The thing is, when I really knew that was what I wanted I had faith, and knowing that I was moving in the right direction - away I went. Every time I have stayed with my intuition and taken a baby step towards where I wanted to go, I was able to see it become a reality. My niece Emmy & her husband Steve have done just that in this last month. They took a baby step towards where they knew they wanted to be and have been building that “staircase” one step at a time since. You’ll read more from Emmy in our newsletter this month as a guest writer on their de-cluttering process towards their move West (a first step).

What is it that you’d be willing to take the first step towards, knowing and having the faith that this is the right thing for you? Where is your staircase leading?

Picking up and leaving really addresses the issue of clutter. When my husband and I decided to leave our Ontario life for a new one on the west coast, we were overwhelmed by the sudden realization of how much ‘stuff’ we actually had. After living together for four years, we had accumulated a plethora of knickknacks, towels, dishes and furniture that we hardly remembered wanting in the first place. We started the agonizing process of determining what was coming with us and what was staying put.

At first we toyed with the idea of actually storing all of our furniture so that we could ship it out west once we were settled. That notion soon fizzled as we realized the mounting costs of storing and shipping. It seemed as though we couldn’t let any of it go; how did we know what we would want in our new home? It was then that we knew we had to get real, we wouldn’t want to have all the same furniture in our new life. A new life, called for new stuff, and the feeling of home that we got from our belongings now, wouldn’t necessarily resonate later. So we made up a rule to help us sift through our belongings, ‘if you don’t love it and you don’t need it, then get rid of it’. With that in mind, we sold all of our furniture in the paper, we had a huge yard sale for pots and pans and gadgets and we donated the rest to Goodwill. Then when it was time to leave, we loaded our truck from top to bottom with crates of what we decided were our dearest possessions. And we did end up shipping five boxes by bus.

The interesting thing was that our de-cluttering process did become easier as the time went on. Initially there were things that I thought really defined who I was and where I had been. Things that I got as gifts, things I had picked up in my travels. But I came to realize that these things do not define me and in reality they started to weigh me down. Knowing that, I was able to let go of heirloom china, which never really suited me, and teddy bears I had since I was a child but that I no longer needed for security. And the last night we spent in our apartment, we had only our phone and a mattress on the living room floor. Having that spaciousness surround us, stark white walls looming over us, was not as alarming as I thought it would be. In fact that night I fell into a wonderful, clutter-less sleep.

And now, getting sorted in our new place, in our new life on the west coast we are starting to go through our crates. There are still moments when I pluck out some little thing from a box and try to remember why this was important to me a month ago. De-cluttering will remain an ongoing process. Now I just need to master the art of living simply and not acquiring so much to begin with!

Question: My top priorities are my family and my work - keeping a clean and organized house comes in a distant third; time for others and myself comes in even further down the list. With my top two priorities taking up so much of my time, how do I work my way down the list?

Answer: You are certainly not alone in your struggle to have a more “balanced” life. That balancing act is really about setting priorities, which for you are your family and work first. Funny how we generally put ourselves last in this equation. This in fact is the complete opposite of what we really need to do in order to be present for our work and our families. This is what I mean by this: We go all out for family and work, feel exhausted, depleted at times, guilty, resentful, frustrated, you name it. When we don’t take care of ourselves first we are actually giving our work and our family only about HALF of what we’d like to be giving. Here’s the thing: if you took even one hour to yourself each week which means no family, no work, no friends, no spouse, just YOU, what impact do you think that would have in your life? I can guarantee you’d have more energy, more desire for family and work, more patience, an increased feeling of well-being and those involved in your day-to-day life will notice a difference. Now this hour per week is not something you “fit in” your schedule around other things. It is something you schedule on an on-going basis, say every Tuesday at 9am. Take some time to think about when would be the best time for you in your schedule. It may take a few changes to sort this out and it MUST become part of your routine, just like brushing your teeth at bedtime. Get it?

Here’s the challenge. By next month write and tell me which hour you have carved out of your weekly schedule that is just for you. I will do the same. Because you see, I am not very good at this either. There are many of us in the same boat. Let’s see how many of our readers are willing to take this “baby step” towards having the time/energy/interest and presence for the other priorities in our lives.

PS. I have a client who excels at this and what a difference it makes in her life. She now has time for ALL her priorities and recently received a promotion with more responsibilities and hasn’t missed a beat with taking time for herself first.

- Upcoming Events

Isn't it time you put yourself first?

"My retreat with Linda helped me to identify the areas of my life that were not working. She helped me to formulate a plan that would facilitate those changes and my coaching with her gave me the direction and the confidence to move forward. We continue to work together as I move along the path towards creating more space for what I want in my life." CC.

Book your Coaching Retreat today!

(Click to Learn More)
Intensive 1 on 1 Coaching Retreat	Group Coaching Retreat

- Personal Reflections

May was filled with family, travel, some new clients and a visitor from Holland. Where to start?

We had a wonderful Muir BBQ (David’s family) in North Vancouver. Three generations of Muir’s now that we have Cohen & TJ. Was great to see everyone again, be with our kids and their kids and catch up with David’s siblings. Not a late night for any of us…now that’s a big change. We used to all stay up till the wee hours of the morning sipping wine and sharing new and old stories. Now the young parents have kids to get off to bed and routines and the rest of us (i.e. grandparents) just don’t have it in us to stay up late any more. So we said goodbyes by 10pm and met again for breakfast at 8am and planned next year’s event on Lopez Island in the San Juan’s where Tim & Jennifer were married. That will be a blast I am sure.

Next, we had visitors from Holland: my client Trevor and his 3.5yr. old daughter Lilli. They stayed with us for 24 hours and we made the very most of each visiting minute. What a delight to see them again. T’is been far too long.

Next, more family. My niece Emmy & her husband Steve arrived from back East and will have been with us for almost three weeks by the time they leave this Thursday. It’s been great having them here and of course Misty is in heaven with the extra attention. I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to know Emmy better and certainly to have more time with Steve. They’ve been a great addition to our household and we’ll miss them a lot. They are off to new adventures in New Westminster, BC. You know that baby steps thing I talk about? These two are perfect examples of creating the staircase of their lives and having the faith in themselves to take that first step. Steve has found himself what seems to be an excellent job and an added miracle arrived just after Steve was offered the job. David & I have a friend who lives in New Westminster who moved into her brand-spanking new luxurious condo a month ago. Well, as life has it, this woman has fallen in love and is moving for 18 months across the country. I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now. Yes, Emmy & Steve have a fabulous place to live on a river and close to everything. Perfect for everyone, wouldn’t you say? More proof that taking just that first step is so important.

I’ve been off doing some traveling and am delighted to be back home again. It was so good to see all the trees and greenery and sleep in my own bed again. Now, when we go to sleep we are serenaded not only by frogs singing but also by the new addition in our front yard…an outstandingly beautiful pondless waterfall and garden. It is out of this world and was created by a most talented landscape designer. It’s like sleeping next to a river flowing over rocks. We’ve taken some pictures although I don’t think they quite capture the beauty of it all. Makes it hard to leave home. A few pots to plant at the front door and things outside will be almost complete. Oh yes, the clothesline. Maybe this w/e.

- Linda

- Cumberland Chronicles

The Village has been rocking this past month. We’ve got a new coffee bar, a gift & garden store, a small plant nursery, a new and our first dentist and chiropractor, and a café re-opened under new ownership with a very positive change in ambiance. What more can we ask for? There really isn’t a day that goes by that David & I don’t mention how fortunate it is we live in this fabulous little Village and what a perfect choice we made in building here.

David & I were in our first May Day Parade. It has been a tradition here for at least a century I believe, complete with the crowning of a young Maypole Queen and a dance around the Maypole. We drove a car in the parade carrying two dignitaries from the Old Age Pensioners group; Violet & Biddy. We had such fun with them and they seemed to know almost everyone standing at the side of the road watching. It was the biggest parade ever according to the locals and despite the rain was a huge success.

The vegetation is so green and full, along with wildflowers growing everywhere. I am writing this in the dining room looking out at the forest and seeing the shadows created by the angle in which the sun hits them. Gorgeous. We never did get to entertain on our new deck this past month with everything going on. We must make it a priority for June. You’ve all an open invitation to join us. Just call ahead to ensure we have enough food prepared for you. Happy summer to all of you on the 21^st, Summer Solstice.

- Linda

- To Reach Linda

For more information on the "More Results with Less Clutter" programs, visit our website at www.ascentcoaching.com. If you would like more information on receiving coaching for yourself, your staff, or if you would like a key-note speaker for an upcoming event email us or call 250-336-2636 or 1-888-391-2233.

Feel free to forward this e-newsletter to your friends and colleagues. Your recommendation helps us grow and anyone can subscribe by visiting www.ascentcoaching.com or by entering their address in the following box and by clicking Subscribe.

For any issues relating to technical support of this newsletter, please email Christina@ascentcoaching.com.

You may copy or distribute " More Results with Less Clutter" as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author are attached. The author is: Linda Oprica and she may be contacted at oprica@ascentcoaching.com

We will never release, sell or give a subscriber's name or email address to any other party or organization. Our subscribers will only receive email messages that contain requested information, new monthly articles or announcements of new services.

Copyright © 2006 all rights reserved.