Show Your Garage a Lil' Love

How have you all fared with your garage project? I have been asked by many how mine is coming along and alas, I have the same response. Not very well. Life really doesn't leave alot of room for undesirable tasks such as this, does it? What with the long to do list of other items that get pushed aside in the rat race, who wants to dedicate an entire day to the garage? Or who even has an entire day to dedicate to the garage? I fantasized a "perfect world" scenario when I penned my last Organize This column. So with the garage clean up one of my purposed goals this spring I have delegated small assignments that don't really seem insurmountable on their own but ultimately, once complete, should leave us with a relatively tidy garage...we'll see. This week we tackled the shoe rack, the bike/skateboard/scooter storage area and I believe my husband actually did some organizing of his motorcycle paraphernalia. We are making progress but the ultimate end result will stand for themselves. Slow and steady wins the race as they say and I suppose this approach is better than none. We shall see... Let me know how you are progressing with this task and please, feel free to share any of your good ideas! Thanks for reading! Miriam

Pulling Out One's Hair Won't Solve Anything!

Who has not, at least once, attempted to render themselves hairless in frustration? I sure have! Could be that my hair in itself makes me absolutely batty at times! Generally speaking, it's our schedule that causes my reaction. Every springtime I stress that it will be different, but somehow, it's not to be. I rob from Peter to pay Paul time and again and end up so backed up with reschedules because of schedule changes that I could just scream! There is no one to blame, really, so venting is my only choice. Staying organized and on task are the best tools I can implement for myself to get through my week. I did mention a couple of my tried and trues in my Organize This column this month. The link will follow if you'd like to revisit those ideas. One of my favorite tools for getting through the overscheduled days is meditation. Truthfully speaking, there really isn't a whole lot of time left for that at days' end, but taking a moment for myself and breathing, regrouping and resting my mind can do wonders, creating a gentle shift in my mood and any anxiety I may be feeling from my day. Stillness of body and stillness of mind. It is sometimes not very easy to accomplish but if you have been able to go there once, you can do it again. Short little respites throughout the day are just as useful and very effective in helping us take pause in the day, reprioritize and remind ourselves of the purpose of our day. Even if you are sitting in a car line waiting for practice to end so you can rush off to the next, close your eyes, take a gentle breath and focus your mind on your breathing. Do not let thoughts of nonsense enter your mind. Clear your thoughts purposefully. Focus on the gentle flow of breath, in and out and relax. Do not allow yourself to drift off into sleep but stay focused and aware of your breathing. Do not breath deliberately and laboriously, just natural, gentle breath. I recognize the place when I am at ease and calm and can recognize it quickly when I take a minute for myself. It is refreshing, calming and a great tool for refocusing my mind and shifting my life towards a more manageable pace. This practice may not ease the time constraints on my calendar but it surely helps me to move through the schedule in a more restful way. Something necessary when I spend as much time in my car as I do. Try it yourself. If you find yourself enjoying this minute of thoughtfulness, download some meditations to your ipod, a treat for yourself! Thanks for reading! Miriam