Know Your Preferences and Thinking Process Now that you've determined you want to work toward your goals for positive change in your life-I'm sure you are wondering how you are going to accomplish this! On top of the things you've already identified, you have: daily demands, relationships, never ending to-do lists, and financial responsibility. How will you do it all? How does it all come together? Well the answer to that is YOU! It All Starts With Your Mind! Before you build your strategy and make your plan, you should know your thinking patterns, processes, and your preferences. These will guide you to a plan that works for you.
Take Action! While performing this action-use these guidelines: Be Authentic, Keep An Open Mind, Make It Fun, and Reward Yourself.
Peek into your mind-How do you look at life? How do you process or take in information? What will work for you when you begin making your plan? Honestly look at your preferences and the way you think. (You may want to take notes.) There is no right way or wrong way to go about organizing your mind, home and life. However, once you examine your thinking patterns, processes, and preferences in the following areas of your life (listed below); you will probably find areas that don't serve you well. You may discover destructive habits and patterns-as you uncover them, seek to change them yourself or enlist the help of a professional if needed. Doing this will add value and productivity to your life. Here are the areas to consider:
1. Spiritual Connection?
How do you draw your strength?
Who do you go to for wisdom?
Have you given this some thought? Are you putting it into practice?
We have discovered that "Wholeness, peace, and joy comes from the daily renewing of the mind ~ seeking God and all His wisdom ~ thenyou can express that outwardly in your environment".
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 Attitude- Mind over Matter. I believe attitude is linked to our beliefs, convictions, values, and morals. We all put our hopes, dreams, desires, and beliefs in something. Most of us have formed "patterns" in our attitude as time goes by-some good and some not so good. Evaluate yours-is yours serving you well and adding value to your life or is it an obstacle and making you miserable? Choose well-Be Positive, Determined, Focused, and Motivated! It can make all the difference in achieving your goals and help you to Live Unscrambled.
2. Possessions?
Do you know why you keep the things you do?
Do you need or use them-meaning does it have a purpose and is it useful to you or family members?
Do you keep things because you just love them?
It is easy to get out of balance with our possessions; sometimes we develop emotional attachments to things that shouldn't be.
Give yourself permission to clear out the clutter.
3. Organizing Style? Do what makes sense to you and reflects your unique self.
Are you the creative artsy type? Like lots of color?
Do you think your drinking glasses belong with your dinner plates so you don't have to open another cabinet? Or do you think 'like' things should be together?
Do you prefer to do the work of organizing your home yourself with the assistance of a coach? Or do you prefer working together with someone to help with the hands-on work? Or do you think, "someone just do it all for me, I just want it done"?
Do you prefer for 'your stuff' be out in the open? Or out of sight?
Do you think, "A place for everything and everything in its place"? Or do you think, "A little messiness is okay"?
Do you like your files in a file cabinet, categorized and labeled alphabetically? Or do you prefer piles?
Are you motivated by a home office that is aesthetically pleasing? Love having 'your stuff' around you when you work? Or do you think, "It doesn't matter as long as I know where things are"?
Do like everything to match and have a certain style? Or are you an eclectic/anything goes kind of person?
4. Organizing Time?
Are you a procrastinator?
What makes you focused and motivated?
Are you more productive if you schedule your projects in chunks of time or broken down into small pieces?
Do you use planners, calendars, and organizers to help keep you organized? If so, electronic, paper, or both?
Do you prefer to work on 1 project at a time? Or several-multitasking?
Do you know your natural rhythms? When are you at your best and more productive: Early mornings? Evenings? Late nights?
5. Personality?
Do you prefer to be structured and have lots of lists? Or do you prefer less structure, i.e. rely on your memory and make as few lists as possible?
Do you thrive on variety? Or like consistency?
Are you logical thinker? Methodical? Or are you a 'live and learn' kind of person? Fly by the seat of your pants, preferring options and flexibility?
Are you a perfectionist? Love details? Or do you think things like, "There, that is good enough, at least it's done, let's move on to the next thing"?
Are you an Out-Of-The-Box thinker? Or think black and white (clear cut answers and ways to solve problems)?
Are you decisive? Or do you find it difficult making decisions and need someone to help you?
Are you constantly saying YES to things? Doing things to 'impress' a specific person? Do your preferences and thinking patterns reflect YOU or SOMEONE ELSE?
What is your learning style: Auditory (listening)? Visual (watching/reading)? Kinesthetic (hands-on)?
Whew! We are almost there! You will really appreciate taking the time to discover these valuable insights about yourself when it's time to make your plan and strategy. It will be much easier on you and could even be fun!
A Passing Thought: As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. ~Henry David Thoreau
You can do this and we can do it together! Please leave a comment. What are your thoughts? Topics covered in within the program:
Introduction: Lifestyle Organizing-A New Way to Think
Guidelines for Lifestyle Organizing
Discovering Your "Life" Style (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)