These past two weeks, my house has been in upheaval as we replace some flooring and paint our main living area. Hanna said to me as she crawled over Rubbermaid totes to get to her doll house, “Mom, I just want our house back.”

She took the words right out of my mouth. It’s affected everything – my spirits, my eating, my productivity and the flow of our lives.

But, like all challenges, it has also highlighted something beautiful. The room where the painting is happening is empty. The front half of the house is crammed with all the stuff from the empty room plus its own. There is SUCH a difference in how I feel when I walk between the two areas of the house – one crammed to the max, the other spacious and freeing.

One morning last week, I got up early and sat on the floor in the empty room for my morning quiet time. Aaaaaaahhhhh…. I can breathe. I LOVE open space. I LOVE simplicity. I don’t need more stuff. We have enough. We have more than enough.

The sage voice inside said, “So why don’t you set up your life to have less?”

Hmmm… I’ve been making progress here and there in decluttering my house. But clearly I have more work to do here. I’m just becoming so acutely aware of all the stuff we have and how I’d be just as happy (if not more) with half of it GONE!

Why am I sharing this with you?
Most of us have enough… more than enough. And as we enter the holiday season, we will acquire more stuff. But ask yourself, what makes me happiest? When do I feel most alive? Do I really need to get more, eat more, make more, have more? When is enough, enough?

This is so true of goal setting as well.
I think goals are wonderful. Yet we need to be careful we are not setting them from a place of self-lack. As in… “I will become love-able once I achieve this goal.” No, you are loveable. Now. Period.

A goal gives the mind and body something to stretch for. And that can be exciting, rewarding and expansive. But it’s not a replacement or cure for feelings of ‘not-enough-ness’.

This week, take a stand for your ‘enough-ness’. Because right now, just as you are, you are enough. You are more than enough.

Heck, you sparkle girl! I love that about you.

It’s been a few days since we ended the 30-Day Creating Space journey. What’s interesting for me is I feel myself to be in withdrawal. I purposefully gave myself a few days off from the habit but feel clutter creeping back in already. How does that happen so quickly?

Just when I was realizing how much I miss my daily habit, I received on an email notification that a new comment was on my site. Bless you Laura for arriving and beginning the 30 day journey now. I’m so excited to follow along with you and continue my daily habit of creating space. I’m working off of my Freedom List.

For those of you interested we are on Day 7 today. I’m going to do my updates in the comment section of this completed journey because I’m starting another journey March 1 and don’t want to add confusion to the blog.

Come join along and report your little win. It’s much more fun to travel together!

Have a sparkling day!
Love, Paula

Today brings to an end our 30-day Creating Space Journey. I ceremoniously dumped a pile of papers I’d been collecting over the last two days into the recycling bin. Swoosh…

I feel the need to keep peeling back the layers of my life, one by one. Every ending is a new beginning. This I know. As I end, I begin.

Thanks to all those who traveled alongside me. The path is so much richer when shared. I’d love to hear how the journey went for you.

With love and appreciation,
Paula

photo by ChiaraLily

Did you read about my Freedom List? Want to create one for yourself? It really helps to get things out of your head and onto paper — capturing everything that you are tolerating and that needs completing.

While I was continuing to make my list today, Hanna was playing the piano. It was one of those divine pairings. Her music was strikingly playful, and there I was, madly pouring out all the things I want to bring to completion.

I found myself not stopping at things that needed completing, but rather continuing on to capture things that were bothering me — situations that felt unsettling, things I’d said, states of being, sabotaging thoughts I’d had, parenting moments that weren’t my best. It was all encompassing.

Wow, this really isn’t just about physical clutter. Is it?

It turned into a ‘What’s Bothering Me List?’ I split the page into four columns. For each niggly, I answered the following:

1. What’s bothering me?
2. Why?
3. What can I do about it?
4. What am I ready to release?

Question #1 is critical to get clarity. Spell it out. What’s really bothering you? (We can’t change what we won’t acknowledge, so this step is important!)

Question #2 connects us with the feeling inside. How do you really feel about this issue? No censoring.

Question #3 reveals our point of power. What’s in your power to change? What can you reframe about the situation to instantly feel better? 

And #4 is to release the uncontrollables – like changing the past or fixing other people. Impossible. Own what is yours and let the rest go. With love.

After filling a page, I re-read my scribbles and thought, nothing on here is a big deal in the big picture. But wow, do I feel better getting this outside of myself. Light and free.

If ever you feel like something is bothering you but you’re not even sure what, try this little exercise. It can lift your mood and instantly make your day more spacious.

Tomorrow, my friends, we finish this journey. YAY!

Today I began making a list, fondly named my Freedom List, to guide me in creating space long after this 30-day journey is over. It’s more than a to-do list, in fact, I think you can build your to-do list off this master List. Rather a Freedom List is meant to capture all these things undone or unfinished in your life — from the button that needs sewing, to the appointment that needs booking, to the closet that needs organizing, to the obligation that needs releasing, to the relationship that needs ending. View it as a snapshot of all that you are tolerating in your life. And so it can extend to people, jobs, projects and activities too.

When you first create this list, don’t be surprised if it is long. Most of us have a lot of things we are processing in our mind at any one time. Keep the list handy. As you go about the next week, add whatever shows up as another toleration or unfinished item. Be sure to mark down beside each item how long it will take to complete it.

Why is it called the Freedom List?
Because every element on this list is taxing you, weighing you down and stealing your energy. You are paying a price, whether you realize it or not. Your precious life force is being tied up in miniscule details, which in the big scheme of life, aren’t worth it.

As you address each item on the list, you gain a piece of your freedom back. You address the item by finishing it, discarding it or lovingly declaring it done. However you bring it to a close, you cut the energetic cord so that it no longer has power over you.

And then, you have more space and energy to direct as you choose — toward those things you are most passionate about. You free your creativity, your spirit, your body, and your mind to focus on what matters most to YOU.  ♥

photo by shallowend

Four more days. Four little projects. My excitement is growing. This journey has taught me so much, but most dear to me today is the significance of completing what I started.  I’m the creative type and I’ll admit, I’m easily distracted. I have what I call the shiny button syndrome. I can be working on something but when my eye catches that shiny button (whatever it might be), I’ll jump to that instead of finishing what I’m working on. While this has many benefits and fuels many creative ideas, its drawback is the disappointment of incomplete projects. Can you relate? 

With my consulting work it’s a different story. I’m incredibly focused. It’s just my personal creative projects, which ironically are those most dear to me. But, 2011, is the year to change that.

For creative artists, it’s so important to see things through to the end — to have the satisfaction of seeing our art in tangible form. To step back in admiration and say, “Wow, I did that! Look, that’s a part of me!”

It’s also an honouring of the Divine that works its magic through us, and an invitation for more. We are all mere vessels of a larger creative force. In completing, you are saying, “Thank you Universe. Thank you for choosing me to BE this divine expression! I am ready for more.”

It helps to partner with people who will help us stay the course, even when shiny buttons flash in the corner of our eyes.  That’s part of the reason I’m doing these journeys. I have more planned for 2011 and will share my journey topics very soon!

Now, on to creating more space for today! 

Lots of love,
Paula

I woke up today ready to say, “I’m good thanks. I’m done with this little decluttering journey. Next…”

And the wiser sage within said, “Not so fast sparkles. We’re so close. And it’s just getting juicy.”

(… off to that pile of papers I go!)

Ready to give up? Maybe it’s time to give in. Give in fully to that which you say is important to you. It’s really the greatest gift you can give yourself and others.

My decluttering task for today is a simple one. Unpack the small box from my office floor. It will take me all of 5 minutes, yet it has been sitting there for two weeks. So, here we go….

DONE. As my daughter would say “Easy peasy lemon squeezy.” And in my hands, beautiful new material on Attracting Abundance Using EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). Why wouldn’t I want to open that box, hmmm?

Remember, this journey was not designed to be difficult. One thing a day. The obvious things. The things that can take as little as 5 or 10 minutes. Yet the 5 or 10 minutes, that done consistently, can change the course of your life.

What’s your easy peasy lemon squeezy win for today?

P.S. You shall hear me talk more about EFT or as it’s commonly called, tapping. In ways I can’t explain, I’m being strongly guided to use and master this technique in my life.  Jack Canfield talks about his experience with it in this video.

February 1st today! I greet this new month with eager anticipation.

Today’s win was facilitating a hand-off of a consulting project to a very competent writer who I know will do a fabulous job in my place. It’s so amazing to sit down with another writer and effortlessly create a document outline in minutes. It’s such a win-win situation and has taught me a valuable lesson.

I don’t need to do it all. I can say no. The world doesn’t fall apart. In fact, the Universe rallies behind me when I say yes to something else really, really important to me.

Is there something you need to say no to in order to say YES to something else? Can you take that action this week?

With love,
Paula