Simplified Organization: How I’m Managing My Attitude

You know there are a gazillion and one self-help books and articles and blogs, about how to organize your life. My husband would argue that “a gazillion” is not a number. Just you wait, it will end up on the new list of words one day, just like “selfie” did last year… I digress.

There really are so many resources out there, though. “How to organize your life” has got to be a major topic, probably one of the most written about topics, I’d guess. So why bother trying another one when time after time, all the blogs and articles and “perfect printable organizing planning pages!” sit unread, untouched, unprinted…and my life remains unorganized, chaotic, and crazy imperfect?

I’ll tell you why I’m bothering, again, to find some organization in my life.

I need it.

My house will be cleaner, my family will be happier, my own brain will be calmer…among so many other things, I hope.

So how, you ask?

Remember when I talked about a SWEET new e-course? No eye-rolling! This is so much more, and so much better than another course of all the same tips about getting up early, writing down tasks, etc.

This is already an attitude adjustment for me, and I know that when my attitude changes, when my thoughts about home-keeping shift, when my heart moves to a place of gratitude and eagerness to get my home in order, that this will stick.

Mystie is hosting a monthly link-up so we can share our progress in the course. Remember, it is self-paced! If you have only gotten so far as listening to the first podcast, join in! If you’ve been able to get through the entire first module or more, join in! This is about encouraging each other along the way.

Alright, my turn to share what’s been happening in my home.

I have finished Module One: Decide. I was crazy excited to dive in on the first day, listened to the lesson, printed my action step…and stopped. Life happened. And as always for me, I was scared to even read the action step paper, fearing it would take me more time than I had to offer to answering. So I just ignored it, until a few nights ago. Let me tell you, ignoring the paper about “attitude” was just a sign of my overall attitude: ignore whatever I can’t devote my full attention to. That of course ends up with too many things piling up (often literally) until I don’t even know where to begin to make sense of it. A few nights ago, I ignored some other to-dos (photo projects! they are hanging over my head!) and finished the module.

Ladies. Module One is about an attitude check. It’s about motivation, overcoming inner complaints, learning how to get out of a slump. I haven’t cleaned yet. I haven’t decluttered. Heck, we just finished our first break week of the school year, and I haven’t organized the school table.

But I have a better attitude. I’ve reminded myself of my favorite quotes which inspire me to serve my family in love and cheerfulness, I’ve written a list of things which will help me turn my attitude around when I start to feel like a grump. I’m encouraged and motivated to move forward.

My favorite part of this module was what Mystie calls the brain dump. Haha! I love the phrase. My mind is always racing with too many thoughts, and the brain dump gets them out on paper so I can make sense of them. It’s wonderful.

What I’m struggling with? The calendar. I keep 3 or more calendars and can’t get myself to combine them…BUT! After I finished watching Mystie’s brilliant video about how she uses her calendar, I think I might be able to try getting everything, even meals, onto one calendar. Maybe.

Realistically? I won’t ever have a perfect house, I’ll still struggle with the calendar and piles of shtuff…but I’m looking forward to having a brighter attitude and renewed sense of purpose as I go about doing my best to organize.

Have you started the e-course? What is helping you? Are you stilling thinking about it and have questions? Let me know!