VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION

Hi there, I’m Carmen Coker, professional organizer and creator of The Clutter Cleanse®. Let me ask you…

Have you ever been at home, and yet thinking of something that needs to be done at work? Or the opposite – been at work, and yet thinking of something that needs to be done at home?

No matter if you try to separate them, your personal life and work life are intrinsically linked. That is to say, the parts and pieces of your life integrate less like this [straight rope line], and more like this [woven rope line].

So if you feel unbalanced personally, then that feeling can bleed into your work life and leave you feeling unbalanced professionally, or vice versa. That’s why it’s important to think of work-life balance in a holistic way.

With that in mind, work-life balance, in reality, can’t be separated into two distinct sides, where you are trying desperately to give equal attention and weight to both. It’s more like work-life harmony, where work and life have a symbiotic relationship.

Balance, harmony, integration – we’re getting into semantics here. Call it what you will, and there will be people who argue with you anyway, huh?

For our purposes here, I’m going to stick with work-life balance because, as it’s used in modern society, most people understand what I’m getting at.

More importantly, the question is not, what’s the right word to use or is work-life balance achievable, but rather…how can you stop being pulled in a million different directions? How can you stop experiencing guilt because you “should” be doing this or you “should” be doing that? How can you feel more well-rounded, fulfilled, happier? How can you experience more of these positives?

Well, here’s your starting point. When you are feeling unbalanced, in order to find relief, you must become aware of your clutter.

Now, you may be thinking: “I know where my clutter is! I trip over it every morning on the way to the closet.”

But that’s just the problem! We tend to think of clutter as “stuff” in our space: piles of paper on the desk, stacks of mail on the kitchen counter, and heaps of toys on the rug.

While this is true, there are other types of clutter that can creep into your life.

For example: Do you over-commit to people, organizations, or causes? Then you have something that clutters your schedule.

Do you have someone in your life that bleeds your energy and patience, so much so that the very mention of their name causes you great stress? Then you have something, or someone in this case, that clutters your spirit.

Do you look for a distraction, like a TV show or Facebook or a video game, whenever you know you have work to be done? Then you have something that clutters your habit patterns.

You see, clutter can permeate more than just your surroundings; clutter can permeate all or parts of you. And in the same respect, organizing is more than managing your belongings. Organizing is managing you – all parts of you – so that you feel balanced and fulfilled.

So the next time you seem discombobulated…stressed…overwhelmed…chaotic…unbalanced…then your Easy Organizing Challenge™ is this:

Examine the areas of your life – both at home and at work – that need to be decluttered. Remember: It’s not just about your space. Doing this will ultimately help you pinpoint the source, or sources, of the problem so that you can find relief fast.

If you want help accomplishing this Easy Organizing Challenge™, then let me turn your attention to a challenge of another kind. To start creating more work-life balance for yourself, follow the arrow [see below link] to take The 3-Day Simplify-Your-Life Challenge™. It’s free, and it will put you on the right path!

This is Carmen Coker, signing off, we’ll see you next time.

© 2007 – 2016 | Carmen Coker International | All Rights Reserved

Carmen Coker is a former US Air Force officer turned professional organizer. Thousands of busy people have benefited from her expertise featured by CBS, NBC, The Washington Post, and Real Simple magazine – now it’s your turn! Take the FREE 3-Day Simplify-Your-Life Challenge™, and get more organized, find more time, and enjoy more simplicity in your life…in just 3 days!

VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION

Hi there, I’m Carmen Coker, professional organizer and creator of The Clutter Cleanse®. And whether you have a little bit of clutter, a lot of clutter, or anywhere in between, you are in the right place! Because I’d like to share something with you that will challenge the way you think about clutter from this point forward.

There is a story about an old Cherokee who was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them: “A battle is raging inside me. It is a terrible fight between two wolves.

“One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

“The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The old man fixed the children with a firm stare. “This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win the battle?”

The old Cherokee replied: “The one you feed.”

Now, you may be thinking: “Nice story. But what does this have to do with getting organized, simplifying life, and finding time?” A lot, actually, if you look at the story this way…

I have a battle raging inside of me, and it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents clutter, and all the things that come with it like: chaos, stress, frustration, loss, pain, wastefulness, hassles, ineffectiveness, and overwhelm.

The other stands for order, and all the things that come with it like: clarity, peace, gain, pleasure, usefulness, waste-lessness, ease, efficiency, and simplicity.

This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.

Which wolf will win, you ask? The one you feed.

Your Easy Organizing Challenge™ is to think about how you can feed order in your life, so that you can enjoy all the goodness that comes with it. Then, put your thoughts into action by consciously choosing organization over clutter, simplicity over chaos, and finding time over wasting time.

If you want help accomplishing this Easy Organizing Challenge™, then let me turn your attention to a challenge of another kind. To start feeding the “right” wolf and start getting rid of clutter once and for all, follow the arrow [see below] to take The 3-Day Simplify-Your-Life Challenge™. It’s free, and it will put you on the right path!

This is Carmen Coker, signing off, we’ll see you next time.

© 2007 -2016 | Carmen Coker International | All Rights Reserved

Carmen Coker is a former US Air Force officer turned professional organizer. Thousands of busy people have benefited from her expertise featured by CBS, NBC, The Washington Post, and Real Simple magazine – now it’s your turn! Take the FREE 3-Day Simplify-Your-Life Challenge™, and get more organized, find more time, and enjoy more simplicity in your life…in just 3 days!

You can be an encouragement to others – share this on Facebook or share this on Twitter with your family and friends!

There is a story about an old Cherokee who was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them: “A battle is raging inside me … it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

“One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

“The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The old man fixed the children with a firm stare. “This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win the battle?”

The old Cherokee replied: “The one you feed.”

Now, you may be thinking – Nice story. But what does this have to do with organizing and finding balance?

Well, it got me thinking of a different take on this tale. And it goes something like this …

I have a battle raging inside of me, and it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents clutter, and all the things that come with it like chaos, stress, frustration, loss, pain, wastefulness, hassles, and ineffectiveness.

The other stands for order, and all the things that come with it like clarity, peace, gain, pleasure, usefulness, waste-lessness, ease, and efficiency.

This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.

Which wolf will win, you ask? The one that you feed.

© 2007-15 | Carmen Coker International | All Rights Reserved

Carmen Coker is a former US Air Force officer turned professional organizer. Thousands of busy people have benefited from her expertise featured by CBS, NBC, and Real Simple magazine – now it’s your turn! If you want to get organized and calm the chaos in your life, go to CarmenCoker.com for her free video how-to called the Secrets of the Super Organized™.

A Zen parable tells of a wanderer who happened upon a river. He wanted to cross it, but there was no bridge. Afraid to wade across the river on foot, he spent hours building his own raft from vines and trees, which ultimately carried him safely to the other side.

However, once across the river, he thought to himself: This is a good raft; I might need it again if I must forge another river.

So the wanderer carried the raft with him for the rest of his life.

Consider the moral of this story for just a moment. From the outside looking in, this decision might seem utterly ridiculous. Why would this obviously resourceful guy carry a heavy raft around when he didn’t need to? But, often times, we do this same thing in our own lives. In fact, you may be carrying around a lot of “rafts”!

It’s not uncommon for people to hang on to an item that was useful at one point but has since become irrelevant clutter, because … what if I need this later? … what if it would hurt someone’s feelings if I gave this away? … what if I regret my decision? There are lots of “what ifs” that can bubble to the surface when you are thinking about getting rid of your things.

In a very basic sense, this powerful Zen parable teaches all you need to know about learning how to be organized and letting go. To start your journey toward living clutter-free, your Easy Organizing Challenge™ is to purge five objects that no longer add value to your home, office, or life. Don’t carry these “rafts” when you don’t need to …

WARNING: It’s important not to allow yourself to get a mental block around five if it seems like a lot to you. You could toss five sticky notes, five pens that are out of ink, five pairs of holey socks, five magazines, five expired meds, five old emails. It really is that easy!

Declutter Bigger | Instead of trashing, recycling, or donating five items just this once, decide to do it once a week. You’ll be amazed at how much headway you make.

Declutter Smarter | When this strategy is applied wholeheartedly to your life, this Easy Organizing Challenge™ will help you declutter smarter by managing all of the six types of clutter: behavioral clutter, emotional clutter, mental clutter, physical clutter, temporal clutter, and virtual clutter. The type of clutter depends upon what exactly you decide to purge.

Declutter Faster | Get the kick-start you need to get organized and calm the chaos in your life.
(Psst – it’s FREE!) Discover the Secrets of the Super Organized™ today at CarmenCoker.com.

Declutter You | How will you use this Zen parable to declutter your home, life, and world? Please let me know your thoughts, experience, ideas, and other comments below.

When you are responsible for taking care of others – whether it is at work, at home, or both – then taking care of YOU can become a low, maybe even non-existent, priority.

Women, in particular, feel incredibly off-kilter when this occurs, but men are also not immune to self-neglect and its repercussions.

Here’s what I mean …

• You’re working more hours, so that’s less time for exercise. You gain a few pounds, and your pants are fitting tightly … and you feel blah.
• You’re juggling lots of responsibilities, so that’s less time for planning. You’ve put off your hair appointment three times, and your roots are scary-looking at best … and you feel blah.
• You’re on-the-go from morning to night, so that’s less time for your mind to rest. You keep forgetting things, most recently your best friend’s birthday … and you feel blah.

I could go on with examples, but the “blah” feeling is your gut telling you that you’re off-balance. In other words, something in your life is not quite right.

Avoiding self-care, for whatever reason, takes a huge toll on your mind, body, and soul. As Jack Kornfield once explained, “When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with … ourselves.” And that’s never a good thing!

It’s time to stop the self-neglect. This week, begin your journey back to balance by making an appointment that you really need. Whether it’s to see your health care provider or to see your hairdresser, masseuse, manicurist, chiropractor – do whatever you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and make you feel good, inside and out.

The bottom line is: The most important thing you can do to find balance and get organized is to take care of yourself.

© 2012 | Carmen Coker International | All Rights Reserved

Would you like to use this article in your e-zine or on your website or blog? No problem, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Carmen Coker, a former U.S. Air Force officer turned professional organizer, helps individuals clear the clutter that holds them back from living their best life. Claim your FREE copy of “33 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life TODAY” at CarmenCoker.com/free-organizing-gift

Once upon a time, there was a Grasshopper enjoying a beautiful summer day. He was hopping about, chirping and singing to his heart’s content. In the middle of the Grasshopper’s delightful afternoon, an Ant passed by, struggling to carry an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.

“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of working so hard?”

“I’m helping to lay up food for winter,” said the Ant, “and I recommend you to do the same.”

“Why bother about winter?!” said the Grasshopper, “It’s such a beautiful day! And we have got plenty of food right now.” But the Ant went on his way and continued his toil.

Several months later, a harsh winter fell. The Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while he saw the Ants distributing corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.

Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

You may have heard this famed Aesop’s fable before, probably from a parent or teacher when you were in kindergarten or elementary school. The wisdom of its lesson applies to several aspects of life, organization being one of them. If there is an area of your life that you need or want to organize, then start working on it immediately! If not, you may find yourself in a situation where you wished that you had made organizing a priority.

For example …

• Organize your files at work today, so that tomorrow when your boss calls on you in a crisis, the documents you need are readily at hand.
• Straighten up your car this weekend, so that next week when your crush asks you for a ride, there is no embarrassing mess to explain away.
• De-clutter the extra room this month, so that next month when your little brother suddenly needs a place to crash, there is a comfy spot ready.
• Put your estate in order this year, so that an unexpected tragedy in the next year does not leave your family in the lurch. (A special note on this one: I realize death is not the happiest of topics. In fact, you may feel by even bringing up the subject, you’re tempting fate. But if you care about those around you, especially if you’re a parent, you should be prepared.)

Do you want “finding balance” and “being prepared” to be priorities in your life? Then there is NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT to set and achieve your organizing goals! Each day provides all of us the opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to make our lives better than ever before.

© 2012 | Carmen Coker International | All Rights Reserved

Would you like to use this article in your e-zine or on your website or blog? No problem, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Carmen Coker, a former U.S. Air Force officer turned professional organizer, helps individuals clear the clutter that holds them back from living their best life. Claim your FREE copy of “33 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life TODAY” at CarmenCoker.com/free-organizing-gift

There is a story about an old Cherokee who was teaching his grandchildren about life.

He said to them: “A battle is raging inside me … it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

“One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

“The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The old man fixed the children with a firm stare. “This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win the battle?”

The old Cherokee replied: “The one you feed.”

Now, you may be thinking – Nice story. But what does this have to do with organizing and finding balance?

Well, it got me thinking of a different take on this tale. And it goes something like this …

I have a battle raging inside of me, and it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents clutter, and all the things that come with it like chaos, stress, frustration, loss, pain, wastefulness, hassles, and ineffectiveness.

The other stands for order, and all the things that come with it like clarity, peace, gain, pleasure, usefulness, waste-lessness, ease, and efficiency.

This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.

Which wolf will win, you ask? The one that you feed.

© 2012 | Carmen Coker International | All Rights Reserved

Would you like to use this article in your e-zine or on your website or blog? No problem, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Carmen Coker, a former U.S. Air Force officer turned professional organizer, helps individuals clear the clutter that holds them back from living their best life. Claim your FREE copy of “33 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life TODAY” at CarmenCoker.com/free-organizing-gift