Continued from page 1
It's okay if you're not ready to de-clutter. Just as
alcoholic and drug addict, no one can make them change, or make them stop their self-abuse. They have to have a deep desire to stop, to take control of their lives, to overcome and eliminate their negative behavior and take one day at a time making positive changes in their life, so must you in dealing with your clutter.
Get sober from clutter by taking it one day at a time or one area at a time. If you fall back into your old patterns, acknowledge fall and get back on wagon to being sober from clutter. Slowly, one day at a time.
Dali Lamas' Tips to Making Changes: So, how will you accomplish this? What will be your approach?
In book, The Art of Happiness, in which Dr. Cutler interviews Dali Lama about process of change, he indicates that they are six steps you need to do in order to bring about change: education, conviction, determination, action, and effort. "...you must exert effort to establish new habit patterns. This is way that inner change and transformation take place in all things, no matter what you are trying to accomplish."
The Dali Lama goes on to say, "...start by developing a strong willingness or wish to do it [what goal or action you are directing your efforts towards]. ...generate great enthusiasm. And, here, a sense of urgency is a key factor. ...It [sense of urgency] can give us tremendous energy. ...to generate commitment and enthusiasm to overcome negative behaviors or states of mind...is to be constantly aware of destructive effects of negative behavior. ...by making a steady effort, I think we can overcome any form of negative conditioning and make positive changes in our lives."
I know you can be stronger then your fear, your pain, or your sadness. You can be stronger then your habitual spending, hoarding, or saving by being determined, by carving out time, and by putting some effort into reasonable expectations of getting organized.
Just like alcoholic or drug addict, you are healing. Healing needs to take place in mind, body, and Spirit to be effective. A big step towards your healing will depend on you having knowledge of what you can do by yourself and acceptance of reality that you might need help.
God, grant me Serenity To accept things I cannot change... Courage to change things I can, And Wisdom to know difference.
Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right I surrender to His will. That I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with Him forever in next. Amen. --Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr ~~~~~~~~~ For additional help: The Organizing and Feng Shui Wizard, Janet L. Hall, FSII has a FREE newsletter, OverHall IT! at http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm and many organizational products for your office, home, and computer at http://www.overhall.com/products.htm Janet is a Professional Organizer, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, Speaker, and Author and can help you regain control of your life, your time, your stuff, and your environment.
Copyright Ó 2001 by OverHall Consulting P.O. Box 263, Port Republic, MD 20676 All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy, or distribute so long as article is kept intact, this copyright notice and full information about contacting author is attached.
For additional help: The Organizing and Feng Shui Wizard, Janet L. Hall, FSII has a FREE newsletter, OverHall IT! at http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm and many organizational products for your office, home, and computer at http://www.overhall.com/products.htm Janet is a Professional Organizer, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, Speaker, and Author and can help you regain control of your life, your time, your stuff, and your environment.
