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I don’t know about you, but I love a good motivational quote…
With a variety to choose from, such as ‘You’ve got this!’, ‘Believe it to Achieve it’ or ‘Keep Shining’, each of these simple statements are designed to affirm and motivate us, much like a friend who champions you to keep striving for your dreams whilst letting you know, everything is going to be ok.
Whether they sporadically pop up on your feed, beam down from the bright pink light of a neon sign in an ‘Insta worthy’ photo spot or you have them hanging within frames around your home; those little quotes are everywhere.
Although these words can have a positive impact on how we feel, no matter how hard we try, there are also times that they can feel exceptionally hard to live up to.
Unfortunately I found this out the hard way when at the start of 2022 I suddenly found myself with barely a slither of light left in me, let alone the capacity to ‘keep shining’.
After ten years of working within the education sector, a rocky couple of months and my self esteem taking a complete battering, the world as I knew it came to an end when I experienced a complete motional breakdown.
The only decision I was capable of making at this time was ultimately the one that would change the cause of everything that was to come. I stepped down from the company I co-owned and over night went from being a business woman to jobless for the first time in my life.
The shame I felt following this was intangible.
Even with the incredible support of my family and friends, the days seemed endless, nights felt lonely and my future appeared desolate. I couldn’t bare the thought of anyone knowing that my mental health was suffering and causing me such crippling shame, so I shut the world out.
My bright, bubbly nature had splintered, leaving me scared to leave my house, unsure of what to say to people and feeling more and more like a failure with every day that passed.
As I did not know how to navigate the day ahead of me, let alone plan for my future professionally, I could only hold onto the two things I knew for certain; I didn’t want to go back and I desperately needed help.
Of all the quotes out there, ‘Time is the greatest healer’ resonated most during this time and with the right help and care, I started to heal. Still unsure of what the future held, I found myself in conversation with my oldest, closest friend discussing the big question ‘what now?’. As I tentatively leaned into various suggestions, she casually asked ‘if you could do a job that made you truly happy, what would that be?’. With no preplanning or even pausing for breath I replied ‘organising things’. I have always felt most balanced and at my happiest within an organised environment. The joy I found in creating systems and structures that made day to day life easier or ways of making a room ‘make sense’ had served me well throughout my life; in the workplace or my own home.
Although I had no idea at this stage whether or not my passion for organising could be turned into a career, what I did know was that for the first time in a very long time, just the thought of it being a possibility was enough to spark something in me.
The darkest days suddenly become slightly brighter and I felt instinctively that this was the path I was meant to be on.
From this small spark, a fire began to grow. I enrolled on an accredited Professional Organising course, relentlessly researched, rallied round looking for anyone who would let me organise even the smallest of spaces for them and began reinventing myself. After twelve weeks and many long nights of pouring my heart and soul into this new venture, I had gained my accreditation, set up a new company and had my first booking; I was officially a Professional Organiser.
I found myself waking ahead of my alarm each morning, excited for the day to begin. Setting up any new business has it’s challenges but I embraced every single moment of it. I knew parts of me were still heeling yet I found such solace in doing a job I absolutely adored, that the day to day commitments of being a Professional Organiser became it’s own form of therapy.
Each day became so much more than simply organising peoples homes. I nurtured the importance of how each clients physical space was so closely linked to their mental space and regardless of why they required my help, committed myself to creating outcomes that supported both of these elements. From studio apartments to mansions, rented or owned, I built my business on the belief that every person and every home deserves to shine.
Two years on, I still have ’pinch me moments’ on a daily basis. Although I have had the privilege of organising countless homes, meeting some incredible people, making memories that will last a life time and building my amazing team, I know that the most important part of my journey happened right at the beginning, when I asked for help.
One of the most valuable lessons that came from the help I received was learning that, when shame is blocking your shine asking for help is not only the right thing, but the bravest thing you can do.
Remember that life is never linear but ‘even in the darkest spaces, the thing that makes you shine will always show you the light'.
Although it may feel impossible at times, there is no shame in asking for help or talking to someone about how you are feeling. How you feel in your physical space has a huge impact on what’s happening in your mental space so if things are starting to become overwhelming or feel heavier than you can manage alone, reach out.
We all have our own skills sets, but no one can be a master of everything! Whether you clean your own house or have someone to help, organise alone or need a hand getting started, every home deserves to shine, regardless of how that happens. From home improvement accounts online to a friend sharing their favourite cleaning hack, there’s a huge array of platforms and people out there offering tips and tricks that can simplifying the most daunting of tasks.
When shame is taking up more space than shine, it can be difficult to see the good things about ourselves or our environments. At times this can manifest into worrying over how others perceive you or feeling anxious about what someone may think of your home. Remember, nothing can be perfect at all times (especially our homes!) so it is important to recognise any negative thoughts you may be experiencing and try to balance them by being kind to your mind. Make a note of the things you love about yourself or your home to help you focus on the positives and shift those negative thoughts.
A useful way to tackle those larger or more daunting tasks is to remember the saying “There is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time”. When a situation or space feels hugely overwhelming or maybe even completely impossible, remind yourself that you can do this, you just need to take things one bite at a time.
Find out more about dot. Professional Organisers by visiting our website, www.dotsorts.com or on Instagram @decant.organise.time
I don’t know about you, but I love a good motivational quote…
With a variety to choose from, such as ‘You’ve got this!’, ‘Believe it to Achieve it’ or ‘Keep Shining’, each of these simple statements are designed to affirm and motivate us, much like a friend who champions you to keep striving for your dreams whilst letting you know, everything is going to be ok.
Whether they sporadically pop up on your feed, beam down from the bright pink light of a neon sign in an ‘Insta worthy’ photo spot or you have them hanging within frames around your home; those little quotes are everywhere.
Although these words can have a positive impact on how we feel, no matter how hard we try, there are also times that they can feel exceptionally hard to live up to.
Unfortunately I found this out the hard way when at the start of 2022 I suddenly found myself with barely a slither of light left in me, let alone the capacity to ‘keep shining’.
After ten years of working within the education sector, a rocky couple of months and my self esteem taking a complete battering, the world as I knew it came to an end when I experienced a complete motional breakdown.
The only decision I was capable of making at this time was ultimately the one that would change the cause of everything that was to come. I stepped down from the company I co-owned and over night went from being a business woman to jobless for the first time in my life.
The shame I felt following this was intangible.
Even with the incredible support of my family and friends, the days seemed endless, nights felt lonely and my future appeared desolate. I couldn’t bare the thought of anyone knowing that my mental health was suffering and causing me such crippling shame, so I shut the world out.
My bright, bubbly nature had splintered, leaving me scared to leave my house, unsure of what to say to people and feeling more and more like a failure with every day that passed.
As I did not know how to navigate the day ahead of me, let alone plan for my future professionally, I could only hold onto the two things I knew for certain; I didn’t want to go back and I desperately needed help.
Of all the quotes out there, ‘Time is the greatest healer’ resonated most during this time and with the right help and care, I started to heal. Still unsure of what the future held, I found myself in conversation with my oldest, closest friend discussing the big question ‘what now?’. As I tentatively leaned into various suggestions, she casually asked ‘if you could do a job that made you truly happy, what would that be?’. With no preplanning or even pausing for breath I replied ‘organising things’. I have always felt most balanced and at my happiest within an organised environment. The joy I found in creating systems and structures that made day to day life easier or ways of making a room ‘make sense’ had served me well throughout my life; in the workplace or my own home.
Although I had no idea at this stage whether or not my passion for organising could be turned into a career, what I did know was that for the first time in a very long time, just the thought of it being a possibility was enough to spark something in me.
The darkest days suddenly become slightly brighter and I felt instinctively that this was the path I was meant to be on.
From this small spark, a fire began to grow. I enrolled on an accredited Professional Organising course, relentlessly researched, rallied round looking for anyone who would let me organise even the smallest of spaces for them and began reinventing myself. After twelve weeks and many long nights of pouring my heart and soul into this new venture, I had gained my accreditation, set up a new company and had my first booking; I was officially a Professional Organiser.
I found myself waking ahead of my alarm each morning, excited for the day to begin. Setting up any new business has it’s challenges but I embraced every single moment of it. I knew parts of me were still heeling yet I found such solace in doing a job I absolutely adored, that the day to day commitments of being a Professional Organiser became it’s own form of therapy.
Each day became so much more than simply organising peoples homes. I nurtured the importance of how each clients physical space was so closely linked to their mental space and regardless of why they required my help, committed myself to creating outcomes that supported both of these elements. From studio apartments to mansions, rented or owned, I built my business on the belief that every person and every home deserves to shine.
Two years on, I still have ’pinch me moments’ on a daily basis. Although I have had the privilege of organising countless homes, meeting some incredible people, making memories that will last a life time and building my amazing team, I know that the most important part of my journey happened right at the beginning, when I asked for help.
One of the most valuable lessons that came from the help I received was learning that, when shame is blocking your shine asking for help is not only the right thing, but the bravest thing you can do.
Remember that life is never linear but ‘even in the darkest spaces, the thing that makes you shine will always show you the light'.
Although it may feel impossible at times, there is no shame in asking for help or talking to someone about how you are feeling. How you feel in your physical space has a huge impact on what’s happening in your mental space so if things are starting to become overwhelming or feel heavier than you can manage alone, reach out.
We all have our own skills sets, but no one can be a master of everything! Whether you clean your own house or have someone to help, organise alone or need a hand getting started, every home deserves to shine, regardless of how that happens. From home improvement accounts online to a friend sharing their favourite cleaning hack, there’s a huge array of platforms and people out there offering tips and tricks that can simplifying the most daunting of tasks.
When shame is taking up more space than shine, it can be difficult to see the good things about ourselves or our environments. At times this can manifest into worrying over how others perceive you or feeling anxious about what someone may think of your home. Remember, nothing can be perfect at all times (especially our homes!) so it is important to recognise any negative thoughts you may be experiencing and try to balance them by being kind to your mind. Make a note of the things you love about yourself or your home to help you focus on the positives and shift those negative thoughts.
A useful way to tackle those larger or more daunting tasks is to remember the saying “There is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time”. When a situation or space feels hugely overwhelming or maybe even completely impossible, remind yourself that you can do this, you just need to take things one bite at a time.
Find out more about dot. Professional Organisers by visiting our website, www.dotsorts.com or on Instagram @decant.organise.time
