This is my first attempt at blogging. I have no background in writing and the process is very intimidating to me. I have been procrastinating at getting started. As a professional stager and lifelong "do it when it needs to get done" person, it is unlike me to put off completion of a task. My attitude and advice to others has always been that the best way to relieve stress over doing something is just to go ahead and do it.
Performing the act we dread is no where near as painful as the anticipation of performing the act. So, it is with the realization that I should take my own advice that I take on this writing experience.
I had a client who needed assistance bringing her home in order. She didn't know where to begin. Since most of her day is spent working from a home office, I decided to start there. The room is small and was extremely cluttered. She hated the lack of organization, but she was overwhelmed at the idea of attempting to organize this room. I suggested we take one step at a time and that we start with her filing cabinet. She was convinced that everything in the cabinet was important, but reluctantly agreed to see if she could purge anything. She was very surprised at just how much she was storing there that she no longer needed. As the trash bags filled, she got more and more excited. After reclaiming seventy-five percent of the cabinet space, she became motivated and inspired to tackle the closet. Using the newly found storage space, we were able to organize and declutter the room. Next, we removed all the pictures and miscellaneous items she had tacked and taped to the walls and replaced them with inspirational art work. We rearranged the furniture and replaced the dead plants with fresh flowers. The room was transformed from a crowded, cluttered and depressing space to one of organization and tranquility. Days later she called to let me know how much her life had improved. The sense of accomplishment and pride she felt from improving that room motivated her to take on other rooms that she had neglected. She only wished she had acted sooner and hadn't allowed anxiety to steal so much of her valuable time.
We all have unpleasant or daunting things on our to-do list that we avoid. Unfortunately, avoidance gives them power over us. Every time we pass by the cluttered room, or the stack of paperwork or the incomplete home improvement project we feel anxious.
Next time you find yourself worrying or complaining over something you don't want to do or worse yet, fear to do....consider action as the solution.
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Sharon..... WARNING WARNING ..... Blogging is more addictive than Crack Cocaine. Before you know it you will be Blogging all hours of the day.
Sean Allen
Great Post Sharon,
Congratulations on your first attempt it was awesome - a very wise man I listened to this week made the statement that " anxiety chokes the ability to distinguish the incidental from the essential..." Thanks for the post.
Sharon,
Good to have you join AR and start blogging. As you said it, by just getting to it will erase the anxiety. To find more info about blogging, or anything for that matter, here at AR, click on the Search tab and type in what you like to do. Happy blogging.
Uh... as someone who deals with this on a daily basis let me just say, HOW RIGHT YOU ARE! I share my home office with my husband and I won't even work in there anymore. He will never throw anything away and it just piles higher and higher. Because I'm not in there I find I have begun making piles around the house.... we began tackling this last weekend and purged 2 shelves worth of stuff....
My goal is to take small steps of clearing out a closet or drawer here and there when I have the opportunity and work my way through the house... less is more has always been my motto for work.... now I need to continue my already begun task of bringing my work home with me.
Welcome to AR, Sharon & good post! Yes, taking on projects one at a time and experiencing success will create the confidence to persevere.
Kathy
First effort? ...O.K. ,,,now I'm back to fearing the blog ...maybe I should just read ...Seriously, it was fabulous and so insightful...
NOW I will go back to the task I started about 8:00 this morning and keep finding other things to do...such a procrastinator I am...
I too , think you did a good job in your first posting. You should relax, be consistant, be honest, write from the heart, and never plagerize. Don't worry about the points, as they will come. Enjoy, and write about how you feel. You will find yourself learning something new everyday, and also, your business will grow as a result
Don
WOW! This is exciting, getting all this support and positive reinforcement!
SEAN and PILAR; I am already addicted to AR. The writing, I don't know...but the community, absolutely!
Thank you all for the kind words and support...I think I'm gonna like it here!
Sharon, what a great first post, and now I'm intimidated! I am a bit stressed with the clutter in my office/family room. I love the day before my book keeper comes, because I get my desk cleaned up! I just need to be more consistent with keeping it clean. Some day.
Anxiety is the thief of many things in our lives...
This is a great post! Anxiety can definitely kill my day, and you are absolutely right - the minute you do whatever you are anxious about...it goes away, making you wonder why you ever waited in the first place!
Cindy, Bevin and Terrylynn: Thanks so much for commenting. I visited your websites and I am excited to be in such great company!
Bevin: I am very impressed at what you have accomplished in such a short time in business!
Sharon-I would never have guessed that this was your first post! Good job!
A few years ago, when I ended a twenty four year marriage, I came to realize that I didn't need "things" in my life, like I thought I did! I may have gone overboard (I was thinking I only wanted to own what would fit in my car), but I was amazed at how good it felt to purge so much of the past. It's fun to be instrumental in changing and improving people's lives, like we do!!!
Great post with a great lesson, Sharon!
Darren; fantastic saying....so true.
Julia
Thank you Marla, Elaine and Julia for your support of my first attempt, it is exciting when someone comments.
Marla: I wish I had photos, but I don't. It's funny how many people have commented on their own offices needing work...
Elaine; You obviously gave up the notion of only owning what you could keep in a car if you are a stager! My favorite part is the happiness it brings the clients!
Sharon:
Your post was great and well timed. Two weeks ago I cleaned out an old file cabinet and found some wonderful treasures. Old drawings my daughter had given me when she was a child, a small book she wrote about her cat when she was in first grade. I filed all those sweet things back so I can find them again some day.
Maureen: Thanks for the comment. How sweet you found those treasures! Don't you wish you could go back for a day?
Yes Sharon:
I loved those days, they flew so fast. I do need say what struck me the most about your posting is that you seemed to love your job. How lucky for you that you have a career you have a passion for.
Hi Sharon,
I think your first post was AWESOME! You certainly helped your client and inspired her at the same time. You are right...the dreading is worse than the doing! Thanks for visiting my post. Hope you have a great day!
John: I was scared when I hit the button to post it. I remember how nervous I was and how excited at the same time. Thank you for taking the time to actually read it and then comment. I really appreciate it!