Change
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What makes you cranky?
The minutes ticked by. The “on-hold” music played on and on in an endless, repetitive loop. I waited patiently at first. However, the promised 2-minute wait time turned into 10 or 15. As the minutes ticked by, I gritted my teeth with impatience, irritated by the lack of customer service and the waste of my precious time. Finally, a representative answered, only to be told they needed to transfer me to another department. And so, the wait time and hold music began again. This particular call was to resolve an issue with a bank. Over and over again, I had to repeat the same story and explanation, only to be transferred…
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Is it time to come out of hiding?
Come out of hiding Tuesday! What did I do over the weekend? I let go of and donated my old life. Say what? Yes! The old Joan who hasn’t lived that life for years, decades even. Where was she hidden? In the back of a closet, a deep closet, hidden in the dark, out of the way. An old life that no longer existed. The life I lived well. In the dark, hidden were business suits, the outfit I wore to my daughter’s wedding, my college graduation gown from 1985, and a fancy cocktail dress. Three suits I couldn’t bear to part with … Expensive, beautifully tailored suits. Classic. Oh, they were…
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Are you ready to tidy up your diet?
Are you ready to tidy up your diet? I certainly was. And yet… Are you ready to give up cheese? She asked. Who me? Give up cheese. You’ve got to be kidding. Doesn’t she realize I’m a born and bred Wisconsin girl, the meat and dairy state? Cheese is like my lifeblood, a way of life; it was in almost everything I ate. Surely she was kidding. Hadn’t I already given up so many other things? I no longer ate gluten, drank milk, or ate ice cream or corn. I even gave up two of my favorite foods – bread and crackers. Two items I thought I’d never give up.…
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Are you still clinging to the old?
Is it time to unclench those fists and let go? Aren’t your hands tired by now? Isn’t it exhausting to hold on so tightly? Maintaining and holding onto stuff or a way of life that no longer serves you is exhausting. So is keeping up the façade and pretending you still need that thing, relationship, or the piles of memories you’ve accumulated. I’ve noticed how much stuff I had hung onto and no longer needed or wanted. So, slowly over the last few years, I have let go of things that no longer fit my lifestyle or were past their usefulness. Things I never thought I would release from my life. It got me thinking back…
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It always looks worse before it gets better
Wreak Havoc Wednesday! Why did I name Wednesday “wreak havoc”? Because we genuinely don’t realize when we begin to declutter that it always looks worse before it gets better. I know that can be discouraging, overwhelming, and maybe a show-stopper. It does help to remind yourself before you begin that, in most instances, it does look worse before it gets better. However, it will get better if you keep going! I hope you enjoy my wreak havoc story as I share my husband’s and my journey with wreaking havoc before it got better! You might be entertained by what my husband calls his “hell box.” I share what it is about halfway through the video. Just so you…
- Change, Cherished Items, Decluttering, Journey, Letting go, Musings, Self-Care, Simplifying, Tidying, Triggers
Do you display or use your keepsakes?
Do you display or use your keepsakes? I have a beautiful keepsake that I cherish and have kept. It is one of the few meaningful things I intentionally have hung onto. Having curated and let go of so many other keepsake items over the years. This cherished keepsake is a voicemail message from my Mom singing Happy Birthday to You. Less than a month later, in October 2020, she passed away. Her voice was rough and scratchy as she sang, yet it was music to my ears, especially now that she’s gone. I listened to that beautiful message on my birthday in 2021 and will do so again this year.…
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Why do we insist on making life complicated?
Ever wonder why we prefer complicated to simple? Crazy, isn’t it that given the option of simple or complex, we pick the more complicated option. If it’s too simple, we believe it’ll never work, and we end up favoring the complex. We give undue credence to complex concepts versus simple ones. I have seen this in action over the years in my money counseling practice as I’ve counseled individuals, couples, and business owners in simple ways to tidy up and manage their money. I have helped thousands of people unpack and make simple how they manage their funds. Yet, as soon as it becomes simpler, never fail; they find a…
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The Super Full Moon says Time to Tidy Up!
What’s the message from the super full buck moon? Are you fascinated by the moon’s cycles and how they affect us human souls walking on this planet? How the planets’ movement and the universe’s energy make a difference in our daily energy! It is incredible and miraculous, yet, we often do not realize this impact. How is this helpful, you may wonder? Only you know for sure, that is, if you are attentive to and aware of the life energy that pulses through you. And what affects your life energy and what does not. For those who wish to tune in more, here’s the message the Super Full Buck Moon has…
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Do I have more debt because I have clutter?
Do you have more debt because you have clutter? Does clearing one really make a difference in the other? I have been counseling people on money matters for almost twenty-five years, and over those years, I have noticed a common thread that flows through them all. It is not hidden or even a secret. In fact, it is clearly obvious, especially to those who stop a moment and look around. It hides in our struggles with money. It keeps us awake at night and causes us to do self-defeating behaviors. It gets our attention when we have unfulfilled wants or needs, an inability to save, an unexpected expense with no…
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Is there a connection between diet, health, & clutter?
Did you know there is a connection between your diet, your health, and your clutter? Most folks think of one thing, and one thing only, when I say the word clutter. They think of their stuff. All their piles, jammed up closets, chock-full garages, unfiled papers, and excess stuff! Their minds and emotions swirl when just the word “clutter” is uttered. Up comes every emotion possible, from guilt, shame, overwhelm, and anger to denial, justification, excuses, and protestation. Sometimes those emotions motivate us to clean it up and clear it out. Most times, it shuts us down, and we avoid it. We tell ourselves we’ll do it another day. Or that it’s not that bad,…