Photo Credit: YunikoStudio

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar…

You start doing the dishes and the dryer beeps. As you pile your laundry on the bed, your friend calls – she needs a number that’s on a piece of paper that’s in your car. As you’re digging under the passenger’s seat you find that earring you lost. Which goes with that dress you took to the cleaners and forgot to pick up.

40 minutes later you have half-accomplished five things and haven’t fully accomplished anything.  Unless you count feeling annoyed and depleted as accomplishing something. (Which, I’m guessing, you don’t.)

This has probably happened to all of us. It’s part of the curse of being constantly connected and trying to balance a full personal, professional, and home life.

Now, I could offer a series of tips about putting your phone in a drawer and turning off social media notifications but I also think it’s important to take responsibility for our actions and talk about the importance of personal focus and completion.

I recently started an amazing practice that has dramatically changed how I deal with the tiny distractions and little obligations of everyday life.  It motivates me to complete projects – at home or otherwise – even after I’ve been interrupted. It’s called…

 “Closing The Circle.”

What does this mean? Basically, it’s another way of phrasing your mom’s favorite saying:
“finish what you started.” But frankly… I find “Closing the Circle” to be a much more elegant, gentle and motivating way to say and think about the process completion.

You can practice Closing the Circle in nearly any area of your life. On the surface, it might look like putting the wrapping paper away, folding the laundry, clearing off your desk at the end of the day, throwing away those wilting flowers (you know you’re guilty of this too!), or dropping things off at Goodwill.

On a deeper, more heart-centered level it could look like making a decision about something you have been avoiding, having a difficult conversation with a friend, or saying no to an invitation to do something you no longer enjoy.

There are million and a half circles we can open and close in a day, a week, a month, a year, a lifetime – relationships, careers, chores we put off, projects we don’t finish.

The power of closing circles is big. Truly.

Each time we open a circle and neglect to close it, our mind is holding it somewhere. The psychological weight of all those half-finished projects and nagging should-dos add up. Who among us hasn’t felt irritable or depressed after a week of multitasking or a day when we failed to cross anything off our to-do list? When you constantly leave things unfinished, your poor brain never gets a break. It’s continually holding room for “that thing I still need to do.”

You can free up acres of emotional and mental energy

by only opening circles you can close by the end of the day.

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Implementing this new way of thinking about my to-do list has been truly transformative in my life and I am so excited to invite you to try it as well.

This week I challenge you to pay more attention to how many circles you have open at one time.

In the comments below I would love to know: 

– Does “closing the circle” change the way you relate to completing tasks and/or projects?

– Do you have any tips or tricks of your own to share?

Sending Love,
Rebecca

P.S.  If “closing circles” is particularly hard for you, you are not alone and I can help.  A little lovin and some focused support from me might be just the thing to help increase your productive and get your brain organized.  Contact me and we will get you scheduled for a Discovery Session today!

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Since this past February when I brought my interior coaching work online I can’t tell you the amount of times I have been in a new friend or clients home when they repeatedly say something to the sort of…

“Oh my gosh please don’t judge our home. I am sooo embarrassed. There are so many things I want to change. I bet your home is beautiful all the time right? No mess or clutter ever?”

My response is always the same….“Ha!….Umm not at all!”….  I’m human too!”  And then I usually go on to tell this story every time…

So there I was at home, on the eve of my website launch. I had just put the final touches on my sparkly new ebook, The 5 Keys to Wake Up and Love Where You Live, and was anxiously waiting for Sean (my sweet husband) to come home so I could share it with him.

In my dreams, I knew exactly what he would say when he saw it.

“Wow! This is amazing! People are going to love this. I am so proud of you. ”

Well … this is not exactly what happened.

Instead, he opened to the first page of the book, where I tell my own story about creating a relationship with my space. He read the line, “Truth … I used to be a slob.”

He gave me a familiar smirk and said, “‘Used to?’ Hmmmm…”

Now, this kind of playful banter is a loving part of our relationship… but I’d be lying if it didn’t freak me out just a little bit — especially in my vulnerable, just-about-to-launch-my-biz state of mind!

“Honey!!!  I am NOT a slob anymore! How could you say that? I’m about to launch a business helping people connect with and edit their spaces … how could you be poking fun of me like that right now?!”

You see, that little voice of self-doubt had reared its familiar head. It whispered, “You’re a fraud. You don’t know who you are or what you’re talking about. You don’t have your own life put together, and everyone will see right through you.”

Thankfully, before I got too swept away on the self-bashing train, Sean pulled me close and said “You’re right…you’re not a slob… you are a work in progress and thank goodness you’re not perfect…. that would be worse than being a slob.”

Later that evening, I grabbed my journal (something I do when I am feeling particularly anxious) and reflected to the root of what beautiful living means to me and why I believe creating a relationship to our space is so important.  (Ever notice that loved ones can say the most annoying but perfectly timed things that help you grow?)

This is what I remembered that night…

The truth is, life is messy.

Sometimes on the inside and sometimes on the outside.

We are all constantly growing and shifting.

Transitioning from one thing to the next.

 Losing our way and finding it again.

Over and over.

Rendition after rendition.

I have come to know this process as beautiful. The fabric that makes each of us whole and human.

You see to me…(and yes, sometimes I forget.)

Beautiful living a wild ride. But one so worth taking.

Now, I invite you to do your own reflection…What does beautiful living mean to you? Share in the comments below! 

Sending Love,                                                                                                                         Rebecca

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Since I was a little girl I’ve been fascinated with May Day.

The joyful celebration of springtime and the coming of sweet summer with flowers and random acts of kindness has always made me smile. (If you are not familiar with May Day you can learn more about the history across different cultures here.)

For years I have fantasized about having my own May Day adventure but never made it happen.

This year, in celebration of my own “Making Room to Bloom” process and a desire to create more space for what (and who) I love, I decided to celebrate May Day exactly the way I have always wanted.

The result was a day more magical and nourishing than I ever imagined.

Here is what happened….

I secretly blocked off the whole day – when my friends tried to schedule coffee dates, I smugly announced that I was busy.

I did a little work the night before, visiting my favorite florist and bringing home a bounty of gorgeous florals that met three requirements: beautiful, bright, and fragrant (the lilac in and of itself checks all those boxes!)

I made cryptic name tags that would leave my girlfriends guessing.

I jumped out of bed on May 1st at 6am and started arranging bouquets in my kitchen. I was worried it might take forever and that I’d be short on time for my deliveries. Turns out, when you’re doing what you love (and yes, I LOVE arranging flowers!) things go pretty quickly! I was out the door by 8am.

With 20 vases piled into the back of my car, Parisian tunes lilting through the speakers and GPS leading the way, I was off!

Oh and I forgot to mention… it was an 80 degree day in San Francisco! If you know San Francisco, heat like this IS EXTREMELY rare…but it allowed my to fully manifest my vision of frolicking around in a sundress. Loved it!

I drove all around town visiting the doorsteps of my dear ladyfriends.

Now, this tradition was developed in the days of tiny mountain villages – not limited downtown parking and condo buildings with locked entrances. I had to get a little crafty. I made friends with security guards, jumped a fence and even had to disguise my voice (I used my best British accent, of course!) and said “Delivery for you. Could you come down and sign for it?”

To say that my day was fun, playful, and full of beauty is an understatement. I had the best day ever!

Plus the realizations I had when I got home were amazing and are what brought the whole experience come full circle.  My day of floral-filled shenanigans truly reflected my decision to make room for what I love.

Here’s what I learned:

1.  Busy-ness can be a form of hiding – from ourselves, from our loved ones, from the world

After all the fun I had, I couldn’t believe it had taken me so many years to do something so simple and joyful. Each year, as April wound down, I’d tell myself that I was too busy to make my silly, sweet May Day plan happen. But if I’m really being honest with myself (and you) I was afraid to be my big, bold, generous, loving self. Would people reject me? See me as being too much? Too “over the top”?  Would they question my motives? So many of us shy away from who we truly are and what we truly want for fear that others won’t understand or love us anymore.

2.  Celebration is important (and there’s always a reason for it!)

The act of celebrating is such an amazing gift.  Celebration is deeply rooted in acknowledgment, validation, honor, tribute – something so many of us are starved for in our day-to-day lives. We’re  constantly moving from one thing to the next, never pausing to shine light on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going.

Celebration helps us see, reflect, and connect. – Click to Tweet

It gives us permission to fully express our love. If you look long enough there is almost always a reason to celebrate. Try it. What and who needs celebrating in your life? (Don’t forget yourself!)

3. Generosity from a place of self love ripples out in amazing ways

My May Day adventure was as much about me as it was about the women I love.  It was a day about nourishing myself with my love of flowers and clearing space in my schedule to create a beautiful experience for everyone involved. It was a practice of being generous from a self-loving place.

What amazed me most, was how inspired and touched my friends were and how their inspiration went on to touch so many other people. It still gives me goosebumps!  Check out some of the sweet Instagram posts my friends posted as they were trying to solve the mystery of the “May Day fairy”:

One of my favorite reflections was a friend who said ”I was so energized when I found the flowers on my door step. It was such an interesting thing to receive but not know who it was from. Naturally, I wanted to say thank you but because I couldn’t, it just sparked this sense of pure joy in me and from this place of self joy I was moved to give to others.” Amazing!

All in all my May Day adventure filled my heart with more love then I ever imagined. It’s a day I will always remember and I’m already inspired, planning and potting for the future.

My Challenge for you!

How can you make room for what you love and take action around it? I challenge you to block off a whole day, make a plan to do something that you’ve been longing for – something that will light you up on the inside.  It can include other people or be solely for yourself. It doesn’t matter!

Just take action and in the comments below I would love to hear what you are planning to do!

Sending Love,                                                                                                                         Rebecca

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For the whole month of April I shared my best practices + insights to help you harness the energy of spring, release what’s holding you back, and make room for beautiful new things, in your home and in your life.

Feel free to use the quick links below to catch a post you missed and/or continue to refer back to and use throughout the entire year!

Also if you know someone who would benefit from this series be sure to share it with your Family and Friends!

Sending Love,                                                                                                                                                    Rebecca

It’s Springtime and I have something fun for you… 

Want your Spring Clean to Stick? 3 Questions to Ask  Before You Dive In

4 Types of Clutter and the Non Obvious Places it Loves to Lurk

My New Word for “De-Cluttering” and Why It Changes Everything

Love It or Leave It? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself When Editing Your Space

11 Tips to Make Your Spring Clean a Gorgeous Success (and Headache-Free) 

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Well here we are at the final post in the “Making Room to Bloom Series!”

Over the last several weeks so many of you have written in sharing your hopes and visions for a big Spring Clean this year. It seems that “Making Room To Bloom” has truly struck a chord!  You’ve set clear intentions, shifted from a de-cluttering mindset to a multi-dimensional editing process, and committed to making your space support you and your dreams.

Creating a space that supports you + your dreams takes deep, heart-based inner work AND practical, make-it-real action steps.

I’m so proud of you! If I were there with you on your Big Day, we’d be clinking glasses and toasting to all that you have made room for! (P.S. We can totally make this happen if you’re interested…Here’s how.)  But assuming I won’t be there, I’d like to round out this  series with a hodgepodge of my favorite practical tips.

These tips will  not only help you to clear your own space with greater ease and enthusiasm but will also motivate those of you who may be of the “hesitating type,” to dive in and get started today!

Here’s to making your Spring Clean end in spaciousness + success + inspiration. (And bu-bye, dusty piles, overwhelm, and headaches.)

My Top 11 Tips for Making a Big, House-Wide Edit a Raging Success:

1. Get trash bags. Lots and lots of trash bags.

Seriously: more than you think you need. Trash bags are so handy — and not just for throwing things away! Use ‘em to help organize as you go. Make ready-to-go groups of bags for what you decide to toss, store, and donate.

And don’t get cheapo trash bags! Do a teensy-tinsy splurge and get the ones that stretch and are nearly unrippable. You’ll thank me — I promise!

2. Focus on one area at a time

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re attempting to edit all of your worldly belongings. Slow down and dissolve the overwhelm by choosing to focus on one area at a time. First your bedroom closet.  Then under your bed.  Then your dresser.  Work your way around the room and then work your way around the house.

3. Remove everything from the area

I am a huge believer in this. Remove EVERYTHING from the closet, off the shelf or out of filing cabinet into a different location for editing. (Preferable a clean and clear one.)  For example you might take all of the contents from your dresser and place them on your bed or move the stacks of papers out of your office and work on your dining room table just for the day. Removing all items from a particular area helps reset the energy of the space which is very important.

 4. Make a pile for trash and a pile for donate.

So you’ve decided you don’t want that sweater.  Is that because of the huge stain or because it reminds you of a rough time in your life?  If an item is still useable, put it in a different pile to be donated to a thrift store.

5. Stay on task. Finish one area before skipping to the next.

It can be tempting to hop from one area to another.  You break for lunch, and suddenly cleaning out the fridge becomes way more interesting than finishing your bedroom.  But there is a magic to completing things — and this is one of the best ways to build momentum.  So head back to the bedroom closet, finish it, and then move on the kitchen.

6. Have your cleaning supplies handy.

When you start shifting things around and clearing things out you are bound to find so dust and grim living in the corners of your home (and your heart.)  It is really important to not overlook this part though.  Putting your clean and organized things back into a dirty space really defeats the purpose.  Take a few minutes to wipe everything down, clean out the bottom of that drawer, and vacuum corners in the back of the closet.

 7. Think about how you function.

It’s incredibly easy to fall into a routine with your space.  You put the knives in the top drawer because that’s where your mom put them and you put the files in the closet because that’s where your husband put them when you first moved in.  Take some time to really think about how you use your space.  Put things that you use regularly in easy to access places; put things you rarely use up high or in an additional storage option.

8. Make it look pretty!

I can’t stress this tip enough.  When my shampoo bottles are in a tidy row, my day starts off better. Really! Put you decant things on a beautiful tray to display, buy cute boxes for your shoes, arrange your dishes in a colorful way.  I promise these seemingly tiny details truly make a difference.

Make your home and everything in it and artistic expression of you.

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9. If it’s going…. move it out, stat.

So you’ve loaded up those awesome trash bags with donations.  It’s ever-so-tempting to let them sit there “just ‘till the weekend,” I know.  But a week can so easily turn into a month — and then you have a whole new clutter problem to deal with.  So resist the urge to let ‘em sit.  Take 15 minutes to drive to your nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army and drop off your bags.  You will feel so, so glad that you took this final step. And often it is not until the “stuff” is gone for good, that you will experience the full underlying emotional release as well.

10. Give yourself permission to bring in something new.

Remember: we’re not simply de-cluttering, we’re editing. This is a multi-dimensional process that goes way beyond getting rid of things. It’s about creating a space that reflects who you are and where you’re going. So don’t get caught in a restriction-only mindset. It is totally ok to bring in something new and beautiful. Something that reminds you of the beauty in your life and calls to your highest self.  Whether it’s a mini Buddha, a bunch of roses, or simply a gorgeous new whisk, treat yourself! It can be something you need or something you want.

11. If you are struggling or getting stuck, bring in friendly reinforcements.

You really don’t have to do this alone! Bring in friends or hire professionals to make it easier.  Of course, I’d be thrilled to work with you…but otherwise, invite a dear friend or two or moral and practical support. (Offer to return the favor the following weekend!) It really does make a difference having someone there not only keeping you focused but cheering you on along the way.

Now after all that hard work, put your feet up and pour yourself a glass of something bubbly (again!)  Look around at your amazing space.  This is who you truly are.  Take pride in this major accomplishment and make a plan to celebrate or do something you love! (More on this next week!)

Now I would love to hear from you…

In the comments below, tell me where you are at with your next big edit.  Have you started it yet?  Is it on your calendar?  What do you hope to accomplish?  Did your last Spring Cleaning turn into a disaster?  If so, why — and what will you do differently this time?

Until next week!

Sending you lots of love,

Rebecca

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