Harmony At Last, LLC

Are you more “Right Brained” or Left Brained?” Most of us, over the course of our lives, have probably heard someone refer to the different hemispheres of the brain as being right and left sided, but how many of us have stopped to think about how each side of the brain controls our every day actions and reactions to the world around us?

The left brain is linear and methodical. It keeps track of the past and the future with no concern for what is going on right now. It’s that little voice that reminds you what time your meeting is, or that your children need to be picked up from school at 2pm sharp! The left hemisphere of your brain is the master organizer of your life!

The right brain is observant and pensive. It knows only what is happening presently and revels in all 5 senses. The right brain has no worries and keeps no schedule while observing every detail of what is going on around us.

With this knowledge, the above question should actually be changed to, which hemisphere of your brain do you pay more attention to? In this fast paced world where technology reigns and free time seems to vanish into thin air, most of us would probably fall into the category of “left brainers.” How many of you are multi tasking at this very moment? (I know you are trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight, picking out clothes for you children to wear for class pictures, and trying to remember when your last vacation was all while trying to read this article!) A continuous reel of “to do’s” seems to run through our heads, with all of their subheadings and run-on sentences, while we systematically go through our days. The left brain is most certainly dominating the activities of our every day lives.

What would happen if we did start to pay more attention to the right hemisphere of our brains? Would the world be more peaceful? Would people be happier? More simply, would we enjoy our jobs more? Appreciate our families more? The great thing is that we are in control, and can choose, to be more observant and pensive. As Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor states in her presentation “My Stroke of Insight,” (Link to video: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229), “We have the power to choose, moment by moment, who and how we want to be in the world.”

Now, as Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, it is important to remember that you have the choice of whether or not you live in the moment or get lost in the planning. This time of year is a great time for each of us to practice incorporating our “right brains” into everyday activities. While it is important to make sure the turkey (or faux turkey) is completely cooked, (nothing like salmonella to bring you into the present!) It is equally, if not more, important to consciously appreciate every moment of being with your family and friends, even if the turkey burns.

Ideas for Living in the “Now:”

Keep a gratitude journal-

It’s easy! Get a spiral notebook, open up a word document on your computer, whatever works best for you. You can bullet the things you are grateful for or write sentences. No matter how you do it, you will start thinking about the parts of your day that mean the most!

Hug for at least 10 seconds!

How often do you actually use a hug to connect with someone? Make them count!

Focus! Yep, you’re still reading this article!

Concentrate on what you are doing each moment. If you are playing with your kids, don’t start thinking about what you need to buy Lucy for her birthday! To help; keep a notepad close where you can write down those random thoughts that run through your head. Once you write them down you can focus on the task at hand and refer back to your notepad when needed.

Kids can generate a lot of artwork. Mountains of it. Just give them a drawing instrument and some paper and off they go creating their next masterpiece. Once they reach preschool and beyond, more art projects continue to come home. After the art has spent an appropriate amount of time hanging on the wall or attached to the refrigerator, what do you do with it?

Here are a few ideas to help you deal with the artwork piles that buildup…

(1) If the artwork highlights the accomplishment of a new skill, it may be one that you assign to the memory book or box. Date the piece and write a brief note about what it was and why it’s important. It may be obvious now and yet years from now what was their first “rocket ship” looks more like scribble lines.

(2) Designate a zone for the artwork to be displayed. Choose an area that allows for a few pieces to be shown. This has three benefits… it honors the child’s work, corrals it into one place, and sets a physical boundary of how much can be kept.

(3) Involve the child in what stays and what goes. With the boundary identified in #2 above, let the child help choose what should be displayed and what should be recycled.

(4) Consider going through a parent sweep every so often. Depending on the age of the child, you may need to make some decisions independently in order to keep the artwork clutter at bay.

I get a lot of chuckles from my clients. Their sense of humor and insights always provides me with knowledge and inspiration.

The latest joke as told to me by a fabulous client…

“What do you get when you are doing too much and not spending enough time just being?”

Doo-Doo.

“What do you get when you have a good balance between doing and being?”

Do-Be-Do-Be-Do (spoken like “Scooby Dooby Doo”).

It was silly to hear it said like this and yet it really rings true. Too much doing and not enough being and you end up caught up in the busyness of life. Doing needs to be balanced by being in order to find your rhythm.

What “being” means will be personal for you. It may include meditation, a walk, listening to music, talking with a friend, or simply unscheduled time for you to just pause. You pick what “being” means and then actually follow through with it. Otherwise you’ll just end up with doo-doo.

If you’re looking for a non-toxic alternative to commercial cleaning products, we want to share a great free resource. Vermont’s Chittenden Solid Waste District has published a online resource for how to make simple, non-toxic cleaners at home. From all purpose cleaners to stain removers, this site has the information. Less costly and safer for the environment makes this an attractive solution.

If you’re already feeling very busy and the thought of taking the time to make your own seems overwhelming, read on. I decided to give this a try at home to see how long it would really take. With a husband, four kids (including newborn twins), two dogs, a cat, I’m a pretty good testcase.

Once I bought the basic ingredients (such as white vinegar, baking soda, and liquid soap) from my grocery store, it only took a few moments and an empty spray bottle to create my first cleaner. Very easy. Give it a try- you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Reviewing your credit report each year is a very important part of keeping your financial life in order, although it doesn’t always make it to the top of your to-do list.

There is no cost to getting your credit report as you are entitled one free credit report every year under the Fair and Accurate Transaction Act.

It takes about 5 minutes by phone to order the report from all three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). The hardest part was getting the computer to understand how to spell ‘cubino’. I guess ‘b’ sounds too similar to ‘v’ when a computer hears me say it!

Take the next step…

• Visit annualcreditreport.com OR
• Call 1-877-322-8228 OR
• Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:
  
  Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Vermont’s Senator Leahy has organized the Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference for 12 years. This amazing conference, to be held on Saturday October 25, 2008,  is free and registration is now open.  The focus is on business, life management, technology, and stress busters. There are many sessions to choose from. Julie Cubino will be a speaker for the following two sessions:

It’s About Time

We make time, save time, waste time, and spend time. And sometimes we feel that there is never enough time. At the end of all that, there is still 24 hours in the day. Learn the basics of time management and develop a framework for your own life that allows you to focus on what’s most important to you and still have time to pause.

Achieving Harmony in Our Lives

There are so many different roles that women have as part of their life. Whether working inside or outside of the home, women may also be partners, parents, chauffeurs, students, volunteers, caretakers, cooks… They are each also individual beings and their spirits long for more balance, more time, more sleep, and more fun. Be ready for inspiration in this seminar and begin to create a work/life balance that is all your own.

Register now!

Safety Central has created very detailed checklists for emergency preparedness. Whether you’re looking for checklists for the home, car, or office you can finf it in this great resource.

The National Association of Professional Organizers is proud to be participating in the 5th Annual National Preparedness Month in September. Sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign, NPM is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies.

To help its members and the community become better prepared, NAPO is helping to educate people about the importance of careful preparation and planning to effectively deal with emergencies and natural disasters.

“Ever since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and other natural disasters, Americans have been increasingly aware of the importance of being prepared for any kind of emergency,” said NAPO President Standolyn Robertson. “As professional organizers, we can help people prepare themselves at home and in the office for emergencies. By taking the time to get organized and plan ahead, they can more effectively deal with any kind of situation.”

Some tips for preparing an emergency plan:
o Speak to your children’s school about their shelter-in-place and/or evacuation plans
o Determine what types of disasters, both natural and man-made, are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified
o Know the evacuation plan at your job
o If your cell phone was inoperable, determine how you would you get in touch with family
o Devise a family meeting place and an out-of-town contact
o Prepare a small kit with emergency supplies that you keep at home, in your car, or at work in case of an evacuation

NAPO joins more than 1,200 national, regional, state and local businesses and organizations that
have pledged their support and joined the 2008 National Preparedness Month Coalition. National
Preparedness Month helps to raise awareness and promote action by Americans, businesses,
and communities on emergency preparedness.

“Individual preparedness is the cornerstone of emergency preparedness,” said Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Experience shows that if Americans take steps ahead of
time, they stand a much better chance of coming through an emergency unharmed and
recovering more quickly.”

If you would like assistance of a professional organizer to help you prepare, contact Julie Cubino, Certified Professional Organizer and NAPO member since 2004. For more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month, visit ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY.

Swimmer Michael Phelps, world recorder holder and Olympic gold medalist, was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. His mother, Deborah, recently was interviewed by the New York Times and discussed Michael’s challenges during childhood, his diagnosis, the period of time he used medication, and how swimming became an outlet for his energy.

My favorite part of the article was the statement “Too many adults looked at Ms. Phelps’s boy and saw what he couldn’t do. This week, the world will be tuned to the Beijing Olympics to see what he can do.”

This is a fabulous success story of Phelps embracing his gifts and getting support for his challenges. The loving role his mother played in advocating for him was also invaluable.

There is a great 20 minute video available to watch for free on the internet. It’s called The Story of Stuff and it takes viewers through the life cycle of how our stuff is created, marketed, sold, and disposed of.

Easy to watch and very eye opening- it’s a must see for anyone who participates in the consumerism of our modern life.

After watching this video, recognize that the good news is that each of us can contribute to changing this life cycle simply by making different choices. We vote with our wallet and we can choose a new path by “voting” for products that are gentle on the earth.