" Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” ~ Margaret J. Wheatley
Reflecting on the year 2022
In a blink of an eye, another year has flown by. 2022 you have given me plenty to be thankful for personally and professionally. Below is what I am thankful for and my key takeaways for the past year.
My Clients
I have the greatest clients in the world and when I reflect on all the people I have worked with in 2022, I can’t help but notice just how fortunate I am to have so many people, families, and businesses invite me into their lives.
To all my clients, whom I have helped with organizing your home, supporting your moves/transitions, designing your closets or speacking at your events. I just wanted to again say THANK YOU. You have trusted me with your spaces and so much more in 2022 and I am forever thankful.
My Avid Readers
For those of you that we haven’t worked with in 2022 but are avid readers of the blog, engage with me on Instagram or facebook or just write me emails, I also wanted to express my sincere gratitude to you. 2022 has yet again shown me the power of connection through the use of technology (even though I still have a love hate relationship with it).
So to wrap it up. I wanted to thank you all for helping define 2022. Here’s to moving forward into the new year 2023 with gratitude & grace.
2022 Takeaways
Start Small
Sometimes it’s hard putting in the work to accomplish a goal. Often times the results aren’t seen until consistent effort has been put in over a significant amount of time. We must remember that mall things can domino into larger outcomes and any change in the right direction, is a change in the right direction that ripples outward. Big changes have small beginnings.
The tipping point. The ice cube melting once the temp raises above 32 degrees. From exercising to learning a language or decluttering your home, it is important to remain consistent despite the demoralizing feeling from slow results. We must never give up on ourselves and the changes we want to make because we may have made unseen progress and then hit a tipping point where all the result s of our effort are evident. We may be right at 31 degrees.
Set Goals and Create Systems
The outcome you want is life is never just one and done. Just because you hit your weight loss goal # doesn't mean you are done. You need to put in effort to maintain. Organizing your home is not just a onetime event it to is an ongoing process overtime and require maintenance. Daily additional items are brought in our homes - we get mail and we need groceries. Make sure you have a system to manage to prevent the clutter pile up.
Eliminate Distractions
Most of us what to make the highest possible contribution toward our goal and remove things that don't. However, I find there is a lot of gray area. We often want to please our colleagues, family and friends by saying, "yes" to them. We don't take the time to set our schedule so we allow others to fill it up. The more things in your life that you leave in the gray area, the less focus you will give to your most meaningful priorities. It takes courage to eliminate opportunities and obligations. It is s not just a mental discipline, it is an emotional discipline to reject social pressure. We need to shift our thinking from how we can do it all, to who gets to choose what we will and will not do. If we do not choose, someone else will choose for us, tugging us in different directions we don't want to go. So choose YOU, give yourself the power to direct your time and energy. Eliminate the distractions so you can create time to focus on the essential. Maintain a focus on your goals.
What clutter is clogging your calendar?
What clutter is taking up space and away from what really matters?
It is so easy to be distracted - just checking your email for a minute turns into an hour.
The average person spends 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media. Is this distracting you from tackling a goal? Taking away space from perusing what you love?
What ELSE could you do with these 469 hours per year?
Reset
The new year is an excellent time to incorporate "resets" into your schedule. Having a reset allows you to pause and eliminate anything that is stopping you from being the best version of yourself.
The process of resetting can be uncomfortable. After all we want to keep move forward because we feel like FORWARD is the ONLY progress or path. If we stop we will get behind. If we stop someone will pass us up. If we stop there is NO WAY we will get everything done- so we just keep going.
Avoiding asking ourselves the hard questions because they make us squirm in our seats “ Do I really like where I’m going” or “what clutter is distracting and holding me back? “
In 2023 may you be filled with peace, joy, and contentment.
Leah Morris
Founder & Chief Organizer @Mindfully Minimized
Mindfully Minimized is a holistic organizational solution company committed to helping people clear the clutter from their lives. Based in Minneapolis, Mindfully Minimized was founded by owner and chief organizer Leah Morris who works alongside her clients to help them with their challenging spaces to create a beautifully organized home focused around their intention. Leah is a professional organizer, decluttering expert, speaker & coach. She is committed to helping people declutter their lives to focus on what they love. With her passion for providing solutions to problems and serving others she is able to transform spaces to be more clam, purposeful, sustainable, and joyously livable. Check out her website or you can also follow her on Instagram or on facebook.