4 Tips For Clearing The Clutter

Written by Bonnie P. Carrier


Spring…. Fresh breezes through open windows, sleeping trees come awake with bright new leaves, flowers begin to bloom andrepparttar grass becomes green once more. Now along withrepparttar 101556 obvious, there is another sign thatrepparttar 101557 season has arrived, our yearly pledge to clearrepparttar 101558 clutter and organize our homes. I’m not sure why this happens, maybe we humans after months of cold, gray winter days are over come withrepparttar 101559 feelings of clean, fresh and new. Well, whateverrepparttar 101560 reason, we always start with good intentions, but like those New Years Resolutions, many of us rarely follow through. So let’s try something new this year by making a pledge to really get stuck in and finally accomplish our task. The following are a few ideas and tips to help makerepparttar 101561 "Clear The Clutter" task a little easier and maybe even fun. 1. One Room At A Time The first thought to keep in mind is that this particular project is not one you can hurry up and have done by yesterday. By working through one room at a time, you will have a much better chance of successfully completingrepparttar 101562 job. Here is a thought to keep in mind. “You did not accumulate all your stuff in a day, so why does it have to be cleared out in a day”. 2. Sort Items Into Categories Your first step will be to sort items intorepparttar 101563 following 3 categories, it will makerepparttar 101564 task go a lot easier.

a) Have to Keep b) Maybe…Not 100% Sure c) Definitely Not

Once you have completed this part ofrepparttar 101565 project, you will more than likely findrepparttar 101566 “Definitely Not” pile isrepparttar 101567 smallest one. What is it a professional might call this “Separation Anxiety”? However, don’t worry, almost everyone ends up this way, after all it is not easy parting with our things, even if it is something you have not used in years. 3. Re-Sort Once More Try to be as realistic as possible here, rememberrepparttar 101568 goal is to “Clear The Clutter”.

a) Not Sure Group This group is easy: If it is already here, more than likely, you will never use it so intorepparttar 101569 “Definitely Not” pile it goes.

b) Have To Keep This could berepparttar 101570 hardest pile to sort, so a tip to remember: If you have not used something inrepparttar 101571 last year, chances are you probably will not use it again. This applies to everything from shoes to car cleaners; however if there is something you never use but has a special memory attached, keep it.

Emotional Intelligence and ACAs (Adult Children of Alcoholics)

Written by Susan Dunn, MA, Emotional Intelligence Coach and Consultant


Everyone inrepparttar alcoholic's family suffers effects fromrepparttar 101555 disease. Typically everyone involved inrepparttar 101556 life ofrepparttar 101557 alcoholic and dysfunctional family has low or no emotional intelligence. They don't know what they think or feel, and don’t think they have a right to. Many ofrepparttar 101558 challenges facing Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACAs) can be addressed by developing Emotional Intelligence. Here are some examples.

[Source: Adult Children of Alcoholics World Service Organization (http://www.adultchildren.org )

1. ACAs tend to over-react to anger and criticism, and are afraid of authority figures.

EQ COMPETENCY: Constructive discontent.

If you’re an ACA and someone gets angry at you, you shrink inside and shut down or panic, reacting in a way that isn’t always appropriate torepparttar 101559 actual real-life situation. Learning constructive ways to deal withrepparttar 101560 emotions engendered by disagreement and criticism are part of EQ.

Emotional Intelligence means not taking constructive criticism personally and emotionally, but gettingrepparttar 101561 message and benefiting from it. Experiencing fear and anger, strong emotions designed for survival, can’t be controlled, but we always have a choice in how we respond to them.

2. ACAs often feel isolated and lonely and uneasy with other people.

EQ COMPETENCY: Interpersonal skills, Emotional Expression and Communication.

Isolation is one ofrepparttar 101562 worst things we can do to ourselves. To live in emotional isolation can be worse on our health than such things as smoking and being overweight. Learning to communicate well, and express feelings appropriately is part ofrepparttar 101563 EQ experience.

3. ACAs feel like victims when something bad happens to them.

EQ COMPETENCY: Personal Power.

Personal Power isrepparttar 101564 opposite of victim-ology. Instead of asking “Who will take care of me?” you learn to ask, “How will I take care of myself?” It means building confidence in your ability to handle your life and believing that you can do it.

4. ACAs are often uncomfortable with emotional intimacy. They’re afraid to reveal their feelings and who they are, and reluctant to become vulnerable.

EQ COMPETENCY: Emotional Expression.

The first step in EQ is self-awareness; to become aware of your feelings. Only then can you learn how to express them accurately and appropriately.

5. ACAs tend to confuse pity with love, and to be more concerned about others than they are about themselves.

EQ COMPETENCY: Interpersonal skills, Empathy.

Healthy Empathy means being able to understand whererepparttar 101565 other person is coming from, but with respect for one’s own boundaries. You can understand howrepparttar 101566 other person feels, but not have to join them inrepparttar 101567 feeling. Empathy does not involverepparttar 101568 feeling of pity.

6. ACAs judge themselves harshly and are over-responsible. Often they are perfectionists.

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