by Erin Owen | Mar 5, 2013 | Ezine
The Bottom Line: Decluttering can save your sanity, your well-being and your bank account. Read on to learn how I did it and how you can do the same for yourself!
It’s true. I am my own best client.
Whatever I’m working on in my own life informs how I support my clients.
If there’s a challenge I’m struggling with, I try a bunch of different approaches to see what works best. Then, implement, refine, implement, refine over time until I’ve created a habit and added it to my list of Platinum Practices.
After the holidays, I started to get behind on putting things away. And, I have some new activities in my life that involved new materials and folders that did not yet have a home. One thing led to another and voila: my messy desk.
It’s happened before, and it will probably happen again.
But, the impact this time was even more destructive.
The Ugly Truth of What I Discovered Amidst the Piles and Chaos:
Not only could I not find the business card of the prospect I was supposed to follow up with, I misplaced an invoice I needed to pay. That translated into potential lost revenue and potentially harming my credit rating.
In the process of re-applying my tried and true strategies for getting organized and staying organized, I found a rebate check that had expired. Lost money. It was only worth $4, but still – every dollar adds up!
I also discovered (thankfully) a reminder to cancel my business insurance policy before the end of the month, since I had found a more appropriate and more affordable replacement. And, not only did I find that prospect’s business card, but I also found the cards of three others I want to follow up with in my network.
The FANTASTIC Results of Investing JUST 3 hours of my time:
In just 3 hours, I re-organized my desk, my shelves, and my filing cabinet. What kind of return did I get on this investment?
- Relaxed shoulders, open mind, and more free-flowing creative energy when I look at or sit down at my desk to work – PRICELESS!
- Ease of work and being able to find what I need when I need it – PRICELESS!
- Prevented loss of the monthly rate I was paying for that redundant insurance – $50/month
- Future income from the prospect who wants to work with me (and the income from the referrals she will give me in the future) – $$$$ (thousands!)
So, how did I tackle my desk and get it done in such a short amount of time with such great results?All my easy-to-follow tips, simple strategies, and inspiring (and often humorous) ideas are included in my new Clutter-Clearing, Performance Boosting Home Study Guide.
And right here, right now, I’m going to share 7 Simple Steps for Re-discovering your Joy, your Freedom, and your Money — at home or in the office.
Why Bother to Declutter?
Decluttering your physical environment helps to:
- Melt away stress
- Increase our productivity
- Boost your happiness
- Save you real money (see my story above)
- Improve relations with your officemates/housemates
- Free-up your mental and physical energy and creative flow
- and much more!
Nothing is better than that ahhhhhhhhh feeling that comes from feeling good in your body, performing at your optimum level, and receiving the resulting prosperity that flows freely into your life and business.And when there is room for free air flow, to see the surfaces and for light to shine through, there is room for new abundance to rush in. Welcome the new, positive energy that will come from investing a few hours (or less) in clutter-clearing.
Step 1: NAME IT! Pick a small decluttering project you can tackle in half a day or less AND potentially have a big impact on your well-being and effectiveness.
Consider what is draining your energy the most AND impeding your forward progress on the work that inspires you in this world and brings meaning to your life.
It could be your email In Box, or your work area (especially if it’s a disaster like mine was), or your car, or your bedroom (especially if it’s affecting the quality of your sleep). It might be your refrigerator, a oft-used pantry closet, or your living room. Anything goes!
Step 2: BLOCK IT! Block time in your calendar and create an appointment with yourself to tackle the project.
Step 3: PREP IT! Consider what you’ll be doing and what supplies you might need. For example, I knew that I would need some additional file folders and labels, a permanent ink pen, an empty container beneath my shredder, and a storage box or two.
Step 4: DO IT! Protect that time in your schedule and follow through. Think of it as an appointment with your most important client or customer.
Step 5: DOCUMENT IT! Take before, during, and after pictures, to track our progress – it’s so incredibly satisfying. Trust me!
Step 6: LAUGH AND DANCE THROUGH IT! Make yourself a cup of tea or another special beverage, put on some great music to keep up your spirits and laugh at yourself with each new discovery you make.
Step 7: CELEBRATE IT! Savor the moment of completion by sharing your success. Show it off to your co-workers, your spouse, your friends, and others. Post your photos on Facebook or Instagram. Ask them to pat you on the back. Or, do what I did: I scheduled a massage for 2 PM that same day after I spent the morning re-organizing. That was a fantastic reward for the hard work I put in!
So, what project will you tackle? And, when will you do it? Send me an email and let me know so I can help hold you accountable!
Need more support?
For a limited time, before the official release of my new home study course, you can reserve your copy of the Clutter-Clearing, Performance Boosting Home Study Guide at a special pre-release price.
Here’s an Overview of What’s Included:
Week 1: “Retrain Your Brain for Maximum Peace and Productivity” Get ready to say goodbye to middle-of-the-night wake-ups full of anxiety, forgetfulness, impatience, headaches, and mental exhaustion. In this week, you’ll choose one of the three simple strategies that will bring you greater peace of mind, improve your ability to focus, and reclaim control of your over-active mind. And no, it doesn’t require overhauling your life, your office or your home.
Week 2: “Increase Your Energy without Exercise or Health Food” Before you even consider changing your exercise or eating habits, try my less-is-more approach to feeling more alive and ready to receive opportunities. I’ll share three of my Eastern-inspired secrets for revving up your metabolism, energy and improving your sense of well-being that don’t require hitting the gym or eating super foods. You’ll choose just one of three simple strategies and you will be amazed at how quickly you’ll see results in your weight, your focus, and your drive.
Week 3: “Ward Off Those Time-Sucking Vampires and Discover Hidden Pockets of Time You Didn’t Know You Had” Take a deep sigh of relief, because after this week’s call you’ll have a fist full of garlic to ward off those people and dreaded tasks that suck away at your time like a thirsty vampire. Think of this week as the opposite of a Franklin Covey Time Management course. In fact, I’ll introduce you to Eastern cultural perceptions of time. Choose one of three simple tips to wipe clean hours of wasted time each day and re-inspire a more youthful buoyancy in your every day routines.
Week 4: “Feel Totally Together and Organized By Decluttering Your Everyday Routines” Do you sometimes wish you could press pause on your mail and email delivery so that you could get on top of all this stuff once and for all and finally have some peace and quiet? Well, you don’t have to! The simple strategies I’ll share with you will streamline how you experience your work day, how you go about achieving your goals and will make you feel sane in a relentless world of constant requests of your time. You’ll choose one tip to implement for maximum impact!
Week 5: “Lighten Your Load to Feel In Charge Of Your Life and Keep More of What You Make” Did you know your work and home environments can either propel you forward or weigh you down and hold you back? In this fifth week, I’ll show you how decluttering your office and embracing conscious consumerism can actually increase your bottom line, improve your relationships and fuel you with unlimited energy. You choose just one of the three ideas I share and the pay-off to your performance (and your wallet!) will be huge.
Week 6: “Discover My Secrets for Staying On Track No Matter What Comes Your Way” Want to learn the number one secret that keeps my clients on track for successfully walking their talk and living the life they dreamed? Listen in to learn how the minor set-backs, major detours, and energy-draining failures of everyday life and business can be leveraged to create a gold mine of guideposts to fuel your on-going and upward-evolving optimum performance.
And the special bonus is a free Q&A call with me!
More details here.
Here’s to you feeling lighter, more inspired, and more in control of your time and energy!
by Erin Owen | Feb 26, 2013 | Ezine
We all want to feel good in our bodies,
Free of stress and full of energy.
With a positive outlook and the sense that all is well.
This is what it feels like to live a juicy, creative life.
A life where your passion for your work is irresistibly attractive to others,
And generates the creative flow and prosperity you deserve.
But what gets in the way of feeling this way every day?
And how can you cultivate your own juicy, creative life?
When you’re overwhelmed by your responsibilities and time commitments,
Running from one thing to another without awareness of the big picture,
You lose perspective.
And when you forget to take care of yourself,
Not eating enough healthy foods, or taking enough time to breathe and move your body,
Failing to connect with yourself and the important people in your life,
Then you feel disconnected from life and what’s most important.
When you are disconnected and stuck in this rut of modern busy living,
You lack vision and creativity, you lose focus & productivity, your health and relationships suffer, and you under-perform at work.
And if you own your own business or run your own organization, then you see your financial metrics and customer/client retention factors under-performing.
So, how do you turn things around?
It begins with a clear, inspired idea of who you are
And the positive impact you want to have on the world.
Then, using that clarity about what you want,
Align each feeling, each thought, each spoken and written word, each decision, to support the immediate and exciting creation of your ideal life.
But, if you haven’t paused to look ahead,
If you’re not sure exactly who you are,
Or what you really want out of life,
Then it’s time to examine what is muddying your waters.
Most likely what’s getting in the way of this clarity is the disease of “TOO MUCH”
How do you know if you have the “TOO MUCH” disease?
- If your mind is busy, full of thoughts without end, and waking you with anxiety in the wee hours, then you have TOO MUCH going on.
- If you are feeling sluggish, carrying extra weight, and wishing you felt better in your body, then your body is holding on to TOO MUCH.
- If your calendar is jam-packed, with meeting after meeting, and no room between commitments to pause and reflect, then there is TOO MUCH in your schedule.
- If your desk is full of disorganized, scattered papers; if your bedroom is full of piles of laundry and odds & ends that need to be put away; if your house is generally in dis-array, then you have TOO MUCH stuff
Your busy schedule, your go-getter lifestyle, the fast pace at which you’re living life, leaves you no room to treat the “TOO MUCH” disease.
That means it’s time to clean house at every level. And this is THE best time of year to do so. Why?
Less than a month remains until Spring officially begins,
And as the hibernating “yin” quality of energy comes to an abrupt end,
As the powerful, uprising “yang” energy of new Spring life begins,
This time of year is THE time to dust out the cobwebs,
Weed the garden of your mind,
And clear away the sluggish congestion in your body.
It begins with your mind, then extends to your eating habits and your time commitments, and even your relationships. Then, of course, your home, your office, your computer files and email in-box, and even your car.
But, where to begin? What to do first? How to build on initial successes? And how to stay on track?
With my new home study course for decluttering your life, you can follow my lead through the 6 primary lessons – or go at your own faster or slower pace.
You can listen to the audio recordings as I guide you with humor and practical tips to lighten your load mentally, physically, and in your home/work environment.
Or you can use the detailed workbook to read (or skim through) all the same written ideas that are shared in the audio recordings PLUS space for taking notes and setting goals and staying aware of priorities and keeping track of your successes.
EXTRA: If you’re the “let’s get to the point now” kind of guy or gal, you can skip straight to the quick guide to get the top 3 tips for each lesson and decide straight-away where you’re going to focus each week.
Any way you decide to make use of the rich resources of the Clutter-Clearing, Performance Boosting Home Study Guide, you’ll make immediate, tangible progress toward your goals of lightening your load, refueling your energy, getting back in control of your calendar, and more – all by following by simple, easy-to-follow steps for decluttering mind, body, and physical environment.
Click here to RESERVE your copy of the home study guide at my special PRE-RELEASE PRICE. More details here.
In the meantime, keep breathing, dreaming of what you want out of a juicy, creative life, and take note of what is getting in the way.
Here’s to your optimal performance and living an inspired, conscious life!
by Erin Owen | Jan 28, 2013 | Ezine
Earlier this month, I attended a professional development workshop hosted by the Philadelphia chapter of NAWBO (the National Association of Women Business Owners). There were two compelling presenters there: Lena West of Influence Expansion and Gary Fedor of Capstone Training and Development (part of Sandler Training).
Among the many valuable “ah-ha” moments I experienced, was the realization that I still have a lot of head trash floating around in my mind that is getting in the way of me positively transforming more people’s lives and businesses.
What’s head trash?
While teaching us that up to 80% of our business can come from client referrals, Gary said the hesitancy we experience when reaching out to clients to ASK for referrals is rooted in head trash.
Ha!
It got me thinking about chitta vritti, the yogic term for the turnings of the mind. These can be distracting thoughts, busy activity that prevents us from focusing, really anything false that gets in the way of us realizing our true nature.
Head trash! You won’t find that term in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras or any of the Vedas.
Gary challenged us to clear out that head trash and practice asking for referrals.
So, here I go. Big and bold. Doing it right here in public format.
[And if you’re in a business where you too could benefit from getting more referrals, then follow along to learn how this goes…]
STEP ONE: Bring in the garbage truck to remove the trash. [Note: I added this step to Gary’s approach, as it’s a critical first step in starting any new endeavor!]
Head Trash Item #1: “You [my readers, my clients] don’t know anyone who is stressed out, feeling overwhelmed by their obligations at work and home, or who complains about feeling derailed from their original hopes and dreams. “
Of course you do!
GONE – cross that one out and throw it in the back of the garbage truck!
Head Trash Item #2: “You are too busy to think about who in your circle of influence would benefit from working with me.”
Really? It only takes about 5 to 10 seconds at most.
GONE – tossed into the dumpster, ready to be loaded into that truck!
Head Trash Item #3: “Even though you know the value of my support far exceeds the monetary investment, you feel it’s not your place to suggest other people should invest in themselves the way you have so successfully done for yourself.”
Of course you want to see other people loving themselves and life even more and enjoying the success that comes from performing at their optimum level and living in alignment with their dreams.
GONE – hog wash! Wiped clean and presently being crushed by the powerful jaws of the trash compactor.
STEP TWO: Thank you for the positive feedback you’ve given me.
I truly and deeply appreciate that you have taken the time to tell me in such detail about the positive impact I’ve had on your personal life and your professional life.
Seeing you experience such an incredibly positive and meaningful transformation is exactly why I get up every day and do this work!
STEP THREE: Let you know that referrals help me to continually improve my offerings to you.
You may not know this, but client referrals are not only some of the most enjoyable new clients to work with, but also…
When a majority of my new business comes through referrals, my time gets freed up to focus on ways to be a better coach, a more creative writer and communicator, and continually improve the ways in which I help you create breakthrough results.
Instead of spending time marketing myself and my business, I can focus more time on providing better support to my existing clients.
And with more free time, I invest even more in my own professional development and studies of ancient Eastern practices that help us live and work in a way that is simpler, more effective, more enjoyable, more meaningful—and ultimately more prosperous.
I am then able to share these ideas with you: in my writings and audio/video recordings, and in my coaching programs.
STEP FOUR: Ask for a referral.
A great referral for me is someone who is still living under the illusion that working harder and working more hours is the way out of feeling overwhelmed, overworked and exhausted.
Or someone who you’ve noticed complains a lot about being stressed, who is continually late, missing deadlines, getting sick a lot. Someone who has trouble drawing or managing boundaries and is continually getting sucked into doing more and more for others.
Someone who could really benefit from taking a breather and getting some perspective on what’s most important and how to achieve goals by simplifying and doing less – not only for themselves, but for those who count on them – their colleagues, family members, clients or customers, even people in their community.
Who in your personal or professional circles of influence might benefit from a call from me?
STEP FIVE: Thank you for the referral.
I’m sorry to hear how much he is struggling, but you’re right: it does sound like he could really benefit from my support.
I very much appreciate your trust in me. When I reach out to him, I will take care to be as present and warm and supportive of him as I have always been with you.
Thank you!
Wrapping It Up
Whew! I did it! I cleared out my head trash and asked YOU for a referral!
It feels great to lighten the load of false beliefs and limiting thoughts, and I hope you too benefit from using this approach in your own work life.
I look forward to receiving more of your referrals AND I look forward to hearing how you do trying this approach and asking for your own referrals.
Remember: The secret to performing at your optimal level and achieving success is learning how to do less in such a way that you generate better results—for your overall life and for your business!
And when you do so, we ALL benefit.
Erin
P.S. Stay tuned, as I’ll soon be announcing a new offering designed to not only clear out your head trash but free-up your energy to get better results in your work life and more enjoyment in your overall life…
by Erin Owen | Dec 31, 2012 | Ezine
One of the best things I’m going to be celebrating tonight for New Year’s Eve, is just how awesome my clients are!
I raise my glass to the following clients* and their accomplishments in 2012:
JANET
She wrote this to me in her holiday card:
“Thanks for all your support over the year and especially this past year that was so difficult for me. You helped me figure out how to deal with my new life situation with my aging mother and you helped me make my dream come true; to be a professor at Penn. It’s going great and I just love it!”
DAN
In spite of an incredibly challenging schedule, he successfully integrated several mindset, breathing, yoga, and meditation practices, resulting in a lower average golf score, finishing his work projects ahead of schedule and under budget, and generally enjoying life more.
MIMI
During our work together, she realized she wanted to sell her business earlier than planned so she could pursue a new career path in her 60s. She identified and groomed a successor, and in her holiday card she shared “I am moving closer to my goals each day and am halfway through my [certification] program.”
KATHERINE
Prior to working with me, Katherine had no new business revenue and was doubting her decision to leave the corporate world and start her own business. Now she is in discussions with one of the largest television networks in the U.S. about doing her own show! An amazing shift in less than a year.
ALAN
On the verge of shutting down the business he had spent 6 years building, he worked with me to clarify the overall vision he had for his life and realized he neither wanted to continue in his business “as is” or go work for someone else. After laying out the terms for what he wanted, and letting go of his fears, he successfully secured a large investor in his business, along with an equity partner to handle all the operational details that caused him stress.
MARVA
Marva had dedicated 25 years of her life to her children’s healthy growth and development, and began working with me to turn much of that energy inward to her own personal evolution. In just 6 months, she cultivated and consistently practiced an inspiring set of platinum practices that resulted in her losing 25 lbs, boosting her mental & physical energy, negotiating a better equity deal in her business partnership and shifting her role to focus more on her passions and strengths, traveling domestically and internationally to places she’d always wanted to visit, and more.
ELLEN
Over the course of our work together, Ellen has consistently impressed me with her ability to fully embrace the ideas of “letting go of the shoulds” and “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Within 10 months, she quit her day job and started her own company, moved her primary residence from the suburbs into the heart of the city, started a new romantic relationship, and started challenging herself in amateur martial arts competitions.
To my dear readers:
Not all of my clients experience such awesome results. There are no guarantees. And there have been some spectacular duds over the past 9 years of coaching private clients. But, this past 18 month stretch has seen some pretty extraordinary shifts among the clients in my practice. I sincerely hope it continues for everyone in my tribe!
Dearest clients:
It is my honor to witness your transformations and to be a part of your path. When you breakthrough to perform at a higher level, I know the benefits you experience have a ripple effect that positively influence us all. Thank you for your trust, your willingness to experiment and try new practices, and for believing in yourself!
And don’t miss out on my New Year’s Resolution Strategy Session special. This is your opportunity to receive my warm & wise guidance and undivided attention for a full hour for just $66. During our time together on the phone, you will create and successfully move forward with your New Year’s Resolution. Sign up now and get started on the right foot in 2013, focused and with a clear path to bring your dream to life.
Only $66 if you Sign-up and Pay by Friday, January 4, 2013
(A savings of more than $70!)
NOTE: All strategy sessions must be scheduled between January 1 and January 31, 2013.
Happy New Year to All!
Erin Owen
Performance Breakthrough Coach
*Note: Some of the names and identifying characteristics have been changed to protect my clients’ privacy – that is, until they decide to shout their excitement to the world and toot their own horn!
by Erin Owen | Dec 11, 2012 | Events, Ezine
My gift to you this holiday season is the opportunity to receive my warm & wise guidance and undivided attention for a full hour for as little as $36. During our time together on the phone, you will create and successfully move forward with your New Year’s Resolution.
“What is a New Year’s Resolution Strategy Session?”
During this hour-long phone call, you will:
(1) Clarify your resolution so it’s Clear, Meaningful, Achievable, Exciting, and Beneficial for You and Others in your life!
* Getting the wording just right can make a powerful difference in your ability to be successful in realizing your goals and dreams!
(2) Identify AND Cultivate Support from a Team of Personal Cheerleaders (not Naysayers!)
*Having the right people on your side, supporting you along the way, can make or break your ability to move forward consistently with joy in your heart!
(3) Create a Mini- and Manageable Action Plan that includes 3 Supportive Actions you can Move Forward on Right Away
*These specific, tangible next steps will show you the way to manifesting your goal!
“What Kind of Resolution Can I Create?”
What has been calling to you?
Where in your imagination wandering off to these days?
Follow your intuition and schedule a New Year’s Resolution Strategy Session to receive my support in one of the following areas:
- Health, Weight, and Fitness
- Relationships and Love
- Time Management, Getting Organized, and De-cluttering
- Money Management and Financial Prosperity
- Career Direction or Business Growth
- Spiritual Growth and Connection
- And more…
Know this would be the perfect gift for yourself (or someone you know) to get started on the right foot in 2013, focused and with a clear path to bring your dream to life?
Only $66 if you Sign-up and Pay by Friday, January 4, 2013
(A savings of more than $70!)
NOTE: All strategy sessions must be scheduled between January 1 and January 31, 2013.
