We’re on the cusp of Spring. The 1st day of September. It might be the gradual rise of the mercury but there’s something about Spring that makes me want to bound out of bed, throw open the curtains and windows to let the sunlight and fresh air in and get cracking on my merry way. Queue birds chirping and “Sound of Music” track. If “yeah right” is your immediate thought, allow me to hand you a clean slate, ready and waiting for you to add vibrant colour and interesting form as you please…an opportunity to leave the past on the platform and take a ride on the train, with change in your pocket, destination: Happytown. Work-life balance. Career advancement. Relationships with family, friends or significant other. Your financial situation. Your home environment. You, your attitude and the way the world sees you. If you want to move the slide closer to a 10 on the satisfaction scale for any or all of the above, as Nike would say: Just do it. “Yeah right”…easier said than done though, huh? The Father of Taoism, Lao Tzu, #nailedit with his famous theory that ”the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” and Dorothy from the “Wizard? Well, she would never have embarked on that yellow brick road to Oz if she allowed herself to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the journey or sat and surmised about the potential challenges ahead - at the very least, scuffing those ruby red heels on that cobblestone path. I’m not turning all Sigmund Freud on you or making this a psychoanalytical, heavy read. I’d just like to take a loudhailer and share with you the joy and benefits that my clients and I experience, as a result of simply organising and nurturing the physical space we live in first and foremost. It makes the subsequent task of defibrillating those more significant areas of our lives THAT much easier. That old chestnut of charity beginning in the home, has never been truer. Home is the first space you see and are inspired (or uninspired) by when you wake up in the morning – it sets the pace for the day. At the other end of the grind, it’s the space you unload stresses of the day and cultivate and enjoy relationships with those around you. In the case of your work space, it’s likely where you spend most of your waking hours, delivering on expectations of performance and is the centre of your financial livelihood. That said…
What is your space doing for you? Does it work for you (really)?
Is it open and welcoming? Is it cluttered and overwhelming?
Does everything have its place and can you locate something specific when you need it? Do you waste time or run late because you’re always looking for things?
Is it conducive to positive or creative thoughts? Does it get you down and cramp your style?
Are you welcoming of unexpected guests at your place? Do you cringe with a knock at the door and apologise for the state of your place as they come in?
Does it encourage healthy relationships with those you live and work with? Does it consume you and leave you little time for productivity or pursuit of passions?
If you relate more to the latter rather than the former of these questions, indulge in the luxury of feeling the former for a short moment. Go on, give yourself the shot in the arm… How good would it feel?
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