fbpx

Simplify Choices

by

Taking responsiblity for my choices takes courage.

The impetus of all human behavior is the yearning for freedom. Freedom is to be at-choice in every condition or circumstance.

Most of humanity is rearely at-choice: we simply repeat the old reaction patterns. This is not choice at all, this is unconciousness.

You see, choice implies awareness. Increasing our awareness imporves our choices, which in turn determines our freedom.

Otis Woodard | www.adept.global

Reclaim the power of personal choice. A simpler life begins with awareness of my power to choose. Do I acknowledge that my life today is my creation? Am I willing to be accountable for past choices and their affect on my life? By answering yes, I am set free! I am empowered to make a new choice, to make any choice. I come to know that my current choice will affect all things from this point forward. I get to choose the direction I wish to go. Simple, yet huge. It helps me understand why I distract myself or play the victim and want to make someone or something else responsible for my choices. Taking responsibility for my choices takes courage.

Years ago, I attended a weekend retreat, led by a modern-day warrior, Otis Woodard. Otis cuts through the layers of self deception to help others reclaim the power of choice. The retreat was entitled Clearing the Past and I went there with a specific intent. Within hours I created the perfect excuse to run or to face my old way. I was paralyzed knowing that I didn’t want to run, yet feeling the strong pull of my past pattern (my old choices) tugging at me. I chose to stay. I am grateful for this gift to myself. By being accountable for my choice I got to learn and change my direction. I learned I am not my emotions or my mind talk. I let them come up and move through me. I then chose to let them go and settle into my heart. My heart is wise. My heart is my center and can always guide me. I heard stay, listen and open. This one choice changed the direction of my life.

What choice lies in front of you today that you have been procrastinating or avoiding? Are you willing to look at the message the universe is offering you? All choices in your life become simpler when you take accountability for making them.

 

Guidelines for making clear choices.

  • Which choice is life supportive?
  • Which choice grows me?
  • Which choice feels right in my gut?
  • Which choice opens my heart?
  • Which choice brings me peace?
  • Which choice reflects my truth?
  • Which choice takes me to the next step?
  • Which choice deepens love and connection?

Choose to reclaim your power by embracing the choices in front of you. You can keep it simple by starting with one. What is a daily choice that would support the direction you want to grow? Today I choose to take my morning walk. Today I choose to call a friend. Today I choose to eat a healthy lunch. What will you choose to do?

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Simplify Your Life Homepage
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Life

Deepen the transformation with our Simplify Your Life eBook.

The Simple Life… ha! We get the absurdity of even uttering those words. With all of the roles, responsibilities, relationships, children, 4-legged children, tasks, events, emails, papers, belongings, needs, wants, and more, life is anything but simple. It is complex, multi-faceted, and ever-changing. So, is a simpler life even possible? Is there really hope? Yes, you can craft a different kind of life. Enjoy reading about simplifying change, choices, play, sharing, growth, and more.

By simplifying, you will be more present and available for what life puts in front of you. You will enjoy the small things. And you will live with grace and gratitude.

Welcome to Simplify Your Life. This eBook will set you at ease, inspire you to play, awaken your senses and open you to new ways of being. No matter how big, complicated or busy your life is, it can be simpler. Are you ready to love the life you already have?

Buy Now

Simplify Change

by

Change has the power to destroy us or transform us.

An old saying:

There is no pain in change. There is no pain in growth.

There is only pain in resistance to change and resistance to growth.

Unknown

We live in complicated times where change is happening faster than we can handle. Our bodies, minds and hearts are bombarded constantly. Simplifying the effects that changes bring can help us navigate the fast waters.

Why do I resist change? It is all around me. It is inside me. It is constant. It is life. But, my body doesn’t know what’s coming and anxiety takes over. So I cling to the old, the comfortable. I keep doing the same daily routine, using the same excuse or the old tool, long after the growth is gone. Would a plant resist pushing through the soil and reaching for the sun?  Would it struggle to make itself different than its makeup? Would it expect other plants to go against their nature? Would it say to the earth, stop growing me now, I’ve done enough? No, the plant would adjust to the elements and change. Am I different? Am I different from the rest of nature? Even with all my human intricacies, I am still a body on the earth plane. My body carries a genetic plan of growth. My soul carries its karmic plan of growth. I can resist this or surrender to the ecstasy of living it.

In my business, as a professional organizer, I am a guide for change. I see people struggle with it daily. I see the cost of resistance. I am there to support them in the new. My greatest joy is seeing them open up to change and then transform. The manage to make it through the muck and emerge. Yet in my personal life I have been stuck. I have carried a belief that change meant struggle. Years ago, a friend kept looking me in the eye and saying “change is good, change is good, change is good“. I spent many months saying this out loud as I let go of my old block. Today I can laugh at my resistance. Today I trust change. I embrace change. I can even enjoy it. I am grateful for this change in my belief. Remember, a miracle is simply a shift in perception.

Are you open to a simple shift in your understanding of change? Rather than focusing on the unknown, start with simple acceptance of what is. Let your body and your mind accept the present moment. Then simply be willing to change. You can trust in the natural process. Believe me, life will give you what you need next. You don’t have to figure it out first.

Acceptance, Release, Trust. Choose a mantra to help you today.

  • I accept myself, with that I accept my life as it is today.
  • I accept that I will change today. I accept one change today.
  • I accept that anything around me could change today.
  • I release the need to control what’s coming.
  • I release struggle and find joy in change today.
  • I release the old way or old stuff.
  • I trust change. I can start with a small one and build up.
  • I trust the gift that change brings. I trust life.

Now focus on the gift. Let the universe bring in something or someone new, something that has the power to grow you in this moment. Then accept the gift. Change will be simpler if you just let it unfold.

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Simplify Your Life Homepage
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Life

Deepen the transformation with our Simplify Your Life eBook.

The Simple Life… ha! We get the absurdity of even uttering those words. With all of the roles, responsibilities, relationships, children, 4-legged children, tasks, events, emails, papers, belongings, needs, wants, and more, life is anything but simple. It is complex, multi-faceted, and ever-changing. So, is a simpler life even possible? Is there really hope? Yes, you can craft a different kind of life. Enjoy reading about simplifying change, choices, play, sharing, growth, and more.

By simplifying, you will be more present and available for what life puts in front of you. You will enjoy the small things. And you will live with grace and gratitude.

Welcome to Simplify Your Life. This eBook will set you at ease, inspire you to play, awaken your senses and open you to new ways of being. No matter how big, complicated or busy your life is, it can be simpler. Are you ready to love the life you already have?

Buy Now

Organize Your Year

by

Organizing your year begins with organizing yourself!

Your life matters in this world – your gifts, your choices, your message, your love, your thoughts, your feelings, your struggles and your growth. You are worth spending time with. So before you dive into the actions of your year and day, take the time to get clear on what matters most to you!

Marla Dee

See it. Map it. Do it. is the 3 step organizing system that works for all the areas of your space and life. Let’s apply it to your year.

Learn how here

SEE IT – Take a look at where you’ve been. You begin with acknowledging and learning from your past. Answer one or more of the following questions as they relate to last year.

  • What worked? What did you accomplish?
  • What can you celebrate?
  • What didn’t work? What dissapointed you?
  • What did you learn about yourself, life and others?

MAP IT – Next it’s time to make a written plan for where you want to go. If you were taking a road trip, you would have a general idea of your destination and the stops along the way. Mapping out your year is similiar. Just get the big pieces in place.

  • Choose one word for the year. Make it visual so you see it often and get reminded of your focus.
  • Choose your three core values for this year. You can deepen this by adding a sentence of what meaning they have for you.
  • Write down your five most important roles. Most of us have many roles and it is vital to know which ones matter most when you are making decisions each day.
  • Write the most important goal, creation or change for each role.
  • Choose a tool to write all this down you can review it often. Choose one that works for your personality, It can be paper or digital. Get creative with this so you love it.
  • Get  your  ONE PAGE MASTER MAP FORM here.

DO IT – Take the steps to get there. Now that you have your map and tool for the year, it’s time for action. Here is the system to bring your goals into your daily life, to break down the big changes to smaller steps.

  • For each month – Take 30 minutes and begin with reviewing last month. What got done, what didn’t and why? Then look at your year map and write down the 3 most important actions for this month. Use your tool to make sure you see these easily for your weekly planning.
  • For the week – Take 30 minutes, look at your month and write down the 3 most important actions for the week. Use your tool to make sure you see these often. I strongly suggest a weekly accountability partner!
  • For each day – Take time every morning with yourself, time to center and listen to what is going on inside you! Choose ways to do this that are meaningful and attractive to you. Then write down the 3 most important actions for the day. Lastly, close your day with celebrating your day and yourself.
Organize Your Year See it. Map it. Do it. Clear & Simple Steps

Getting clear on your year and what you most want!

When you are surrounded with clutter, it can be tempting to dive into the piles or stay distracted by the chaos. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start making changes. The best place to start is with yourself. Only you can decide what is most important in your life. So, before you dive into the actions of this year, take the time to get clear on where you’ve been, discover who you are now and where you want to go. Take this time for yourself and use SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© to create what you are longing for.

This eBook will guide you through using SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© to get clear on your goals and support for the year. You will create two powerful master maps and get a system for bringing the goals into your daily life.

Getting your own PDF copy today for $20!

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.

by

The 3 step foundation system to get organized!

When we are confronted with all the stuff in our space, organizing can feel overwhelming! We don’t even know where to start. Marla Dee defines clutter as “delayed decision or holding onto the past.” The stuff seems to pile up because there are just too many decisions to make. So we need a simple place to start. Try this three step system for any project of any size. For more details get the C&S Steps card here.

Take the 3 steps in order

SEE IT – What’s working, what’s not working and why?

The first step is SEE IT.©, which stands for take a look at where you’ve been. Before you dive into touching the stuff, take 5 minutes to answer the questions what’s working, what’s not working and why?

MAP IT – How do I want my space to look, feel and function?

The second step is MAP IT.©, which stands for make a plan for what you want. This can seem overwhelming also. To make this step simple write how you want your space/project to look, feel and function when you’re done.

DO IT – STACKS. Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify

The third step is DO IT.©, which stands for take the steps to get it done. For this step, try out the Action System of STACKS. Now that you are touching the stuff, the project gets crazy. The power of STACKS is taking one step at a time.You do this by asking one question and making only one decision at a time. Go here for more on STACKS.

Get the Clear & SIMPLE STEPS CARD and more here

CS Steps Card, See It. Map It. Do It.

FREE Yourself with the Power of 3!

by

Write down the 3 MOST IMPORTANT to do’s of your day and let that be enough.

FREE is the word we hear the most when we ask our clients to share how they feel after getting organized! Getting free of the clutter and chaos allows you to have what you really want.

One of the most challenging areas to clear & organize is our calendar.  We tend to pile on way more then we can possibly handle. And technology has only added to the overload. The stress of this eats away at our health and happiness.

At C&S we love making things simpler. So here is our favorite, and our client’s favorite, tip for your time. This is the DO IT© step. (Check out SEE IT© and MAP IT© blogs.)

DO IT© – How can I possibly fit everything into my day, much less make it simple? Try out the power of 3.

Start by taking only 5 minutes at the start and end of each day to ask what are the 3 MOST IMPORTANT TASKS for your personal and work life – the ones that only you can do? Then write them done in a simple notebook, on a yellow pad, in your smart phone notebook or app (try Wunderlist), on a 3×5 card or even a Post-it note. At the end of the day, look back and celebrate getting those 3 things done! Or you will get to notice how you got distracted so you can practice again the next day.

This simple practice will help you discern what really needs your attention each day. Along with the sense of accomplishment for getting done what matters most to YOU!

Using the Clear & SIMPLE System of SEE IT© MAP IT© DO IT©, we can show you how to make time tangible and manageable!

Let us know what your experience is once you try this – Marla, Kate & Team

Our GIFTS to you!

by

A little package with powerful purpose.

The holiday season is in full swing and as much as we wish that everyone could move through this time joyfully and easily, we know it can also be challenging. We are here to help simplify this time with practical & meaningful tips. See below for our GIFT to you – all our top tips for home & holidays!!

Tip for your home: Simplify.

Start SMALL. Choose an easier project like your purse, junk drawer or top of the dresser to begin.

Pick ONE. Choose one tip, one home area or one project for each season of the year and let this be enough. Then enjoy your life and loved ones the rest of the time rather than stressing about the stuff.

Tip for your holidays: Make your own traditions.

It’s your life and your choice. Create your own meaningful traditions based on your family’s current values and desires, not just what has “always been done.” Why not set aside an evening in front of the christmas tree – go around and ask each person in the family what would mean the most to them? Then consciously choose and deepen your traditions.

Here are a few ideas from our lives –

  • Special one-on-one time
  • a sledding or skating outing
  • reading a chosen story before bed
  • giving to a family in need
  • a game night each week
  • choosing a theme for the year
  • making ornaments, cookies or candy
  • caroling with loved ones

people, motherhood, family, winter and adoption concept - happy mother and daughter cuddling at home

Wishing you a magical and soulful holiday season – Marla, Kate & Team

Get all of our TOP TEN TIPS for Home & Holidays in this eBook.
This is our GIFT to you during the holidays! Feel free to share this with others in your life.

Visit Our Shop where all of our downloadable are 50% off for the month of December!

Clear & SIMPLE, TOP TEN Tips for Home & Holidays