#alert.SendMail.subject#

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

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

~Albert Einstein

Welcome to Fall. I hope you have all had a great summer however you chose to spend it.
This newsletter’s quote is another sent to me by one of our readers. So true, don’t you think?

Our guest writer this month, from Michigan writes about how out of the clutter came simplicity in her life. Just reading her story I could feel lightness and calm that comes with simplicity. And to boot, they saved some money and reduced the financial clutter in their lives. I can bet there is also an additional lightness in their relationship. It just works that way.

I had the opportunity in August to be a guest speaker on a Vancouver radio station with the topic being living a simpler life free of clutter and chaos. I had a fantastic time. This was a phone in show and the beauty of it was the numbers of men and women who called with questions about the clutter and chaos in the lives. There was one fellow who was moving abroad and decided out of difficulty (having too much stuff) the opportunity to simplify his life. It was transformational for him he said. He kept only those things that had great meaning to him. He said there was a freedom he had never felt in his life as a result of this purging.

From clutter, discord and difficulty there are opportunities, harmony and simplicity available to us in every area of our lives. Maybe now that the Fall is upon us, kids are back to school and our routines are back in our lives we can each make a purposeful decision to see the possibilities in one of these and challenge ourselves in one of “Einstein’s rules”. I am game. Are you?

When I first moved in with my significant other, we wanted to be optimistically cautious. What I mean by that is live together but not get rid of our belongings until we were at a point, which we were certain our relationship was solid. We decided to rent a storage locker to store our duplicates and any other items we “might” need in the future.

This past week we had decided we are at a point that we could get rid of those duplicates and any other items we hadn’t seen in the past year. We started by cleaning out our spare room, and boy did we see the “junk” we had collected over time (we hadn’t gotten to the storage unit yet!). We do not have a closed in garage therefore the spare room became the garage. After reviewing these items we realized it was time to have a yard sale.

We set the date and began the process of going through all our belongings – right down to the kitchen cupboards. When we went thru the storage locker we found here were so many items we could dispose of, we actually wouldn’t need a storage unit; saving us $100 / month!

After proceeding through the household items, we both decided to tackle the clothing. I’ve been known as a “clothes horse” and I fully accept this title after going through the mounds of clothing in my many closets, dressers, boxes, etc. Wow! When I moved to Michigan 16 months ago, I removed several large garbage bags at that point, then again six months ago. This time, I still was able to donate 4 large garbage bags of clothes to a needy family here in Michigan. I still have lots of beautiful things to wear, and I fully realize that I really didn’t need or use the 4 bags I just gave away.

In doing this exercise this past week, I’ve cleared financial clutter; saving $100 on a storage unit, and any profit from our yard sale. Physical clutter, in clearing out the spare room I have created a space for the important items we want to keep with us for our next house, as well as the deep freeze I purchased for my “make-ahead meals”. As well as emotional clutter of knowing we only have our most cherished & necessary items around us.

We live in a small house, and this has helped us feel even more at home and comfortable. We have room to live with ourselves and our furry critters. I’ve always been a proponent of keeping my life clutter free, however I realize that once a year it’s always good idea to do a “once over” to review anything that may no longer be needed or wanted.

Question: Hi Linda, Last month I wrote in asking how to manage all of my priorities, with the top two (my family and work) taking a majority of my time. You suggested that I carve out an hour a week for just ‘me’. I have to admit that this was a foreign concept these days. With your encouragement I am pleased to say that I have managed to take that one hour a week for me. I took your advice and am using my hour to attend an exercise class! Since I work at home, it’s been a great treat just to get out of the house, and not only that I can already feel my body changing, my energy increasing, and my mind starting to refocus. When scheduling that hour for myself that I really had to look at what I wanted to do and realized that the best thing for myself would be to remove myself from my everyday environment – away from my computer, my animals, my husband, my kids, my chores – and really enjoy the time dedicated to me.

Now that I have the time allotted to myself, how do I devote time to things that are lower down on my list?

**************

Answer: Congratulations on choosing to carve an hour/week for just you. That is a big step for many of us. I imagine you and those around you are reaping the benefits.

I am pleased to hear that you have not given up time for you to do those “lower on the list priorities.” One thing that I have found works is to keep an on-going list of those lower priority tasks that you want to do so that at least they are all in one place. Do not call this a “to do” list as there will likely be a big “should” behind it which will just create space for your Inner Critic to pop on by to intimidate or minimize you in some way as you look at the list and see what needs doing. Instead, see what amount of time you can carve out each day or 30 minutes two or three times a week where you schedule time to tackle the small stuff. Unfortunately we more often “react” to the little things (and often big stuff too!) rather than looking at “responding” to those little things that need to get done. What I mean by this is not planning for handling those things and therefore getting distracted by them. Believe me, we’ve all been there. I have a client currently who is in a senior leadership role in his organization and has historically “reacted” to the little things that needed attention or doing, he has for the past three weeks been setting aside time in his calendar on a daily base (this works best for him) to handle these things. What he has noticed is that he “feels” like he has more time and energy and feels like he has “a lot more control over his day rather than his day having control over him.” It is a new habit he is creating and he is mindful on a daily basis that this is the way to go for him in order to make his job easier and his mind more peaceful. I suggest you give this some thought and see what you can put together for yourself as a way to handle the “little things”.

Another option is to hire or delegate it out if either is possible and doable. This is especially important to ask yourself if these things take you away from earning your income for those who are self employed or in the role you have in taking care of business. For this senior leader he feels that those little things are important for him to handle at this time in his role. For me, as a self-employed person it make s more sense for me to hire out some of those things in order to free me up to do what I love, what I am good at and where my business earns money. The rest I need to schedule in my week.

Let me know how it goes. And thanks for writing in again.

- 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

It has been a very busy summer although not really sure of where it has gone. Oh yes, now I am remembering. There was lots of travel again, particularly in July. I flew back to Ontario for a sister’s re-union at our sister Paula’s and we had a great time. Lots of laughs, reminiscing, fabulous food and lots of it and perfect summer weather (although frankly I can’t live with that humidity). We have six girls in our family and a cousin Pam who we grew up with so there was quite a clan of us. My youngest sister was not able to come which was unfortunate as I think she would have enjoyed the three days. I also spent some time with my best friend growing up, Patty. We’ve been friends for 39 years. We always seem to pick up where we left off when we get together which is not very often. There really is nothing like having a long time friend. Spent time visiting with my dad and two other wonderful long time friends as well. Good quality visits with all, which made for an excellent time away.

David & I and Misty went to the north of Vancouver Island for four days while I worked with a client there. We stayed in a cute little cabin on the ocean and had a wonderful quiet and peaceful time. Misty was in heaven with having the ocean just steps from the cabin. She was so exhausted when we left she slept the entire way home. A perfect holiday for a lab-retriever!

Tania & Brad bought and moved into their first home so David & I spent two long weekend’s helping them get organized, de-clutter and as well build a back deck and porch. Our grandson Cohen was right in there “building” with grandpa and dad. Too cute. Tania and I did an amazing job of getting rid of things in the bathroom to make space for needed things like towels, toiletries and toilet paper. We did the “throw 30 things out” exercise. Amazing to think that we can do that and that we actually keep stuff that is really headed for the garbage and is not useful for anything else. Hmmm.

Guess what? We actually have a clothesline now and it is fantastic. For me, having a clothesline just completes the house. There is really nothing quite like the smell of fresh clothes/sheets/towels from the line and the energy savings to boot. Another great thing is the built-ins around the fireplace are being done and will be installed in the next few weeks. Pictures of that next newsletter. We are loving our water feature and thoroughly enjoying the sound of the waterfall as we head off to dreamland every night. It’s perfect.

- Linda

- Cumberland Chronicles

Well, we’ve been in our new house and Cumberland for a year now. Absolutely amazing and wonderful.
The cherry trees were very abundant this year bringing with them some hungry bears. It was quite neat to watch the bears climb the trees, bend branches and balance themselves while they chomped away on the fruit. They were quite oblivious to us even as we shone a flashlight on one of them late at night. Misty has been on bear watch barking away at the least smell or sight of one. We are coming into apple season now so we expect them to be back “picking” apples before they settle in for their winter hibernation.

We continue to marvel at all the Village has to offer. We just need a small grocery store and we’d be complete. We have a new Indian restaurant in town that is great. We had friends come over for a drink and then we walked to the restaurant, ate and walked home again. I just can’t get over how wonderful it is to walk to the Village. If I am mindful I will always be in awe with being able to walk to the Village for most of what I need and be able to chat with the Village folk along the way. It truly is a blessing to have lived here for a year now and I look forward to the years ahead.

- 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.