24 Seven January 2021

A
“And the day came when the
risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the
risk it took to blossom.” - Anaïs Nin
Is being disorganized affecting your daily life? Are you
ready to make a change? Are you really sure you’re ready?
Maybe you are and maybe you aren’t.
When it comes to getting organized, change is essential.
What once worked isn’t working any longer, and that
requires a different way of thinking and doing.
Change is a process. It isn’t always a straight path, and
it isn’t always easy. Most people resist change because it
brings in the unfamiliar; you feel scared, you don’t know
what to expect, and you can feel very alone.
According to the Institute for Challenging
Disorganization, people may experience five phases of
change. They are not always linear, and people can go
back and forth between phases.
Phase 1: Initial rumblings. The feeling that being
disorganized no longer serves you. You aren’t yet ready
to make any changes, but you know you’re uncomfortable
with your current situation and you’re getting emotionally
prepared.
Phase 2: Identifying possibilities. You feel dissatisfied
and anxious yet paralyzed to change anything on your
own. You start to at least think about enlisting outside help
from a professional organizer, but you feel apprehensive
about actually doing it.
Phase 3: Reaching out. The pain and overwhelm are
enough to make you pick up the phone and make the call.
You realize you can’t do it alone, and you begin to feel
hopeful that things will change with the right support.
Phase 4: Beyond talking. Now you are ready for
action. You have committed the physical, emotional,
and financial resources needed to create your desired
change. You’ve hired an organizer and are starting to
do the work. Big feelings may arise at this stage, like
guilt, grief, nostalgia, love, elation, relief that someone
is helping you, and frustration and impatience with how
challenging, and slow, the process can be. In this phase,
there may be forward progress as well as “backsliding,”
reverting to old habits and thought processes because
they are familiar and comfortable. This phase may last
quite a while. If you stick with doing the work, the
results make the emotional roller coaster worth riding.
Phase 5: Life jolts. Significant life events, like marriage,
the birth of a baby, divorce, relocation, job change, or a
world crisis can jumpstart the process of change. You
can see much more clearly what you really want to keep
in or release from your life, whether physical items, time
commitments, or toxic relationships. You are highly
motivated to make changes, and progress can be rapid at
this stage. Your organizing goals are in sight!
About The Author
GAYLE M. GRUENBERG
Gayle M. Gruenberg, CPO-CD ® , CVO, is the chief executive
organizer of Let’s Get Organized, LLC, an organizer coach, and
the creator of the Make Space for Blessings system.
To Learn More Visit:
www.LGOrganized.com