Quick life makeover

Think about it this way. If your favorite sports team just went onto the field without practicing, without working out and without a game plan, how would they do?

by Kathy Gates — 

You can try to chalk it up to “they have less to do than I do.” But let us face it, anybody who has an organized, smooth-flowing life has to work at it. I even heard one client try to pass it off as good genes, saying that organized people have a different kind of brain.

And yes, I will concede that different types of people relate better to different situations, just as different bodies are easier to keep lean than others. But, please, let us just face it, people: organization and flow take some work.

Think about it this way. If your favorite sports team just went onto the field without practicing, without working out and without a game plan, how would they do? Does your son or daughter go to school and just play? No, they work to develop skills.

To do anything well, it takes making (sometimes tough) choices. It takes concentration, dedication, persistence.

And I know, with all you have packed into your life, it can seem overwhelming to even get the garage cleaned out, much less create an easier lifestyle. So here are some tips to help you “rush up” some behaviors that will help make your life easier.

1. Get consistent. Pick something — whether it is big, like going over the budget, or small, like doing the dishes every single night. Choose just one thing that you absolutely know you can do, and teach yourself to do it consistently. When you have accomplished that for a straight 30 days, set another goal.

2. Get backup. Reserves are the “extra something” that back you up when things get tough. I am a baseball fan and I do not know how many times I have seen a guy come off the bench in the last innings to get a game-winning hit. Sports teams cannot do without reserves, and you cannot either. Everything from extra keys to a prepared dinner in the freezer. Include some extra love, extra support. Add a dash of extra time, extra fun. You will have a life filled with abundance, not lack.

3. Set boundaries. Learning to say “no” is the best thing you can do for yourself and teach to those you love. Say no, not only to people/things who want to steal your time, energy and spirit, but also learn to say no to yourself when something’s not in your own best interest. Try saying no 100 times today — and then take a look at all the things you said “yes” to, instead.

There are no quick fixes, because life is not about getting fixed. Life is a process of managing what is in front of you, and setting up systems to create the happiest, healthiest and easiest life you can.

Kathy Gates is a professional life coach in Scottsdale, Ariz., who helps people deal with the stress of everyday living in a more organized and efficient manner. She is the author of several e-books and e-courses. 480-998-5843 or www.reallifecoach.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 24, Number 4, August/September 2005.