I don’t know what your opinion is about the immigration debate going on in Arizona right now. However, regardless of your position, it does provide a great example for why you should deal with things the second they come up.  Okay, maybe not the second they come up, but as soon as possible.

The longer we wait to take care of something, the longer it usually takes to resolve.  This goes for something as simple as placing your keys on the hook when you arrive home, to more complex issues like enforcing immigration laws.  If you take the few seconds to hang up your keys when you arrive home (or put them in your purse… wherever your “place” is), you will spend no time looking for them the next morning when you are ready to leave.  On the flip side, if you toss them anywhere, you could waste precious time, and energy trying to find them. 

Now, the immigration law is a much more complicated issue than losing your keys.  However, I can’t help to wonder how different things would be had someone thought to take care of the issue years ago instead of leaving it for someone else. 

This same principal goes for many things in our lives.  I’m certain you can think of at least one task requiring your attention that you keep putting off because it has become such a large task.  And, the longer you wait, the larger the task gets. However, had taken care of it immediately, it may have only taken minutes of your time. 

What is your nemesis?  Digital pictures, unstored and unsorted.  A stack of unfiled papers sitting on your desk (or scattered throughout your house). 

Whatever the task…
-Vow to take care of it now.  It will take time and be more difficult than before, but far easier than if you wait even longer.
-Make a plan.  If you set goals, you are more likely to get the task completed. 
-Be realistic.  Depending on how long you have waited, your task could take months to complete.
-After you’ve dealt with the issue, keep up with it.  Whether it’s downloading pictures as you take them, or filing bills as they arrive, don’t let the situation compound again.

LOVE
YOUR
LIFE

That’s what I read on the t-shirt of a girl about 13 years old as she passed by me on the sidewalk today.  I thought; “Wow, that is wise beyond her years!” Then, immediately thought; “Maybe she just liked the color”.
But, really, what an amazing observation to wear around on a t-shirt!  It didn’t say “love life,” (which is important as well) and, “your” was in italics to make sure you read the emphasis correctly. 

Love your life.  Not your neighbor’s life.  Not the person in the magazine’s life.  Not the life you wish you had.  Your life, right now, love it!  Wow, what a HUGE idea for a teenager!  There are plenty of adults that never learn to appreciate that concept.  It’s easy to find things in our lives we wish to change, especially when we are having a particularly bad day.  However, it takes an intuitive and patient person to love every part of life, regardless of what it is. 

I don’t know if this young woman actually grasped the weight of the words she wore on her t-shirt.  I do hope, though, that she continues to wear it so the rest of us can be reminded to love what we have. 

Often when helping someone go thru their belongings I will hear things like.

“I know it’s faded, but…”
“There are buttons missing, but…”
“It might fit again….”
“Maybe my child/grandkids will use it…”

Something to keep in mind if you you find yourself saying these things; if you wouldn’t buy it, you shouldn’t keep it! 

That means the old cell phone you are hanging onto, the purse with the pinned-in-place strap, and the dried up nail polish are all out!  If it doesn’t fit, it’s broken or missing a part, or simply obselete, take it to be fixed or drop it off at the recycle shop.  Once your home only holds things that you would actually spend money on, you will find a new level of calm!

Going trash free for one year is dramatically different than my goal of one garbage bag a month.  Both take dedication and hard work!  However, going trash free for a year takes a greater level of planning and follow through. 
The only way this family succeeded was because they had a system in place that worked for everyone.  I am amazed by their accomplishment. 
What about you?  Do you have a system in place for recycling?  What goals could you set for this month/year?  Let us know on Facebook!
And…Happy Recycling!

I did something amazing this week. 
Really, you are not going to believe it! 
Want to hear?  Of course you do!
I actually created extra time in my day! 
I know what you are saying; “Impossible!”
But really, I did!

Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about this but it is important.  We leave our homepages set to sites like Yahoo! or Hotmail for easy access to our email (a love/hate relationship for sure!).  However, have you ever noticed how much time you waste getting to the task at hand when you open up your internet browser?  I was guilty of this until just recently.  I found myself sitting down to read email or do research but getting distracted and lost in “cyber-space.”  Anywhere from 5-20 minutes later I would wonder what I was doing, how I got so distracted, and regret wasting the precious time!  I was clicking on the news headlines that pop up on Yahoo!’s homepage.  While I do believe staying up with current events is important, it really was taking up the crucial quiet time I have during the evenings.  If you have Yahoo! set as your homepage, you are required to click on two different links before you get to your email.  Both pages have catchy news titles scattered with intriguing pictures to get your attention… and, it works!  Suddenly you are lost in the Chaos of the internet!
Simple solution: CHANGE YOUR HOMEPAGE!  I now have my homepage set as my electronic to-do list.  However, it would be just as effective to use the actual page that my email shows up on.  I can say with certainty that I am using my coveted quiet time far more productively.  And, I gave myself more time in the day!
So, I thought I would ask… What is your homepage?  Is it distracting you?  Is there a site/page that would help you use your time more productively?  Try it.  There really is no magic involved.  I promise!

So, I recently found this website, and after trying it out for a few weeks, I think you should take a look at it too.  It’s an electronic “Teux Deux” list.  It keeps things simple but effectively manages the revolving list of tasks you need to keep track of each day!

Now, it does have it quirks.  But, all in all, it is a great tool to have at my fingertips (on my phone that is!).

Try it out.  Tell me what you think!

We all love our children, our partner, our pets.  Most of us love our parents and siblings.  Those are not the things I am talking about.  What I want to know is; do you love your job?  Do you love what you do every day?  If you can not say a resounding YES, why? 
At a young age, American teenagers are expected to decide on a major.  We are asked “what do you want to do?  What do you want to be?”  But, at 17 do we really know all of our options, let alone ourselves well enough to make a decision that could dictate our entire lives?   While some end up making great decisions, others flounder and end up doing something that does not make them happy.  There are people in almost every profession that are there because it is what they learned not because it is what they love.  And, let’s face it; giving up what you know, and are comfortable with, can be scary.  
If you are in a job that does not bring you joy, it is most likely because you haven’t quite figured out what you really love to do.  This is not an easy process for most people.  We are not taught that getting up and going to work every day is something we are supposed to love doing.  But, I am here to tell you, it most certainly should be!  Most of us spend more time at work then we do anywhere else.  Why would you spend that time doing something you don’t like?
So, are you ready to figure out what you love to do?  Yes?  Great!  We can help!  Check out Harmony at Last’s newest product; Navigating Change.  Let it guide you through the scary parts of making a change and help you determine what it is you would love to be doing every day!

We have talked about prioritizing many times on this blog.   At times it may seem to many of us that making priorities is a great theory but an almost unattainable reality.  Even for those who seem to be pros at accomplishing things in a timely and efficient manor, it really can be difficult to get all that we want to do completed.  It is important for all of us to learn that what we want, and need, to get done is sometimes drastically different from what we are able to do at any given time. 
It is necessary for us to be realistic with what we can actually accomplish for several reasons.  First, it will eliminate the guilt you feel if you plan to do something and are unable to follow though.  Second, completing the things you set out to do, in the time frame you expected, boosts your confidence and keeps you energized. 
So, how can we create realistic priorities?  The first step is to determine how much you are capable of each day.  Your level of productivity changes daily and depends on many factors.  You will be more productive some days than you are others. A sick child, a friend in need, or a death in the family are some of many issues that can cause stress in our lives.  It is important to remember that these things need “space” in our days, but do not need to take them over. 
Second, to create priorities, we must first know what needs to get done.  This can work on a broad list of tasks or a to-do list for the week.  To establish priorities, start with a blank sheet of notebook paper.  Draw a line down the middle then label one column as “Need” and the other column as “Want.”  Take your To-Do list and separate it into these columns.  You may be surprised to see what actually goes into the “needs to get done” column.
One client was recently surprised that “Work” went into her “want” column.  Most people need to work because they have bills to pay.  However, while this woman is fantastic at what she does and loves to work, she does not need to because her husband makes enough to support them comfortably.  In her “Need” column “care for mom” and “prepare for move” were at the top of her list.  After taking a realistic look at what she needed to do, taking a short break from work was not a difficult decision.  And, it opened up time for her to accomplish the things she needed to do without feeling guilty about letting someone down. 
If you are feeling stressed about all the things on your to-do list, try separating it into a Need/Want list.  While something as big as work probably won’t make it onto most of our lists, you may find that the dry cleaning can really wait to be dropped off until next week when you have more time. 
Let me know how making your list goes on Facebook.  Did it change the way you are doing things? 

One year ago, on the Harmony at Last Blog, these 3 thoughts were posted.  Ironically enough, they all deal with change in some way or another.  I thought it would be a good reminder that change is constantly happening.  If you are dealing with a change, checkout out our new product Navigating Change. 

Happiness

Are you choosing unhappiness over uncertainty?

Embrace your Power!

As you may recall the Japanese word for friend is Tomodachi. Here is another post from my friend in Japan:

About one year ago I moved to Japan.  I did not do so because I wanted to, I did so because my husband was transferred for his job.  I put on a happy face and tried my hardest to make the best out of a situation that I wanted very little to do with.  Everyone who learned I was moving to Japan would tell me how wonderful an experience it would be and how lucky I was.  I knew they were right, but I was having a difficult time with what I was having to give up.  My job, my friends, my identity; I felt like I was leaving it all behind.  Who would I be in Japan?  What would define me?  Leaving a place and people you love is a difficult thing to do.  However, recreating your life in a new place is even more difficult. 

At first I found myself pulling away from social situations. I realize now that I was afraid to make new friends because I didn’t want to go thru the heartbreak of having to say goodbye again.  I found solace in doing daily tasks that felt normal; cleaning the house, making meals, going to the gym.  I was trying my hardest to be a supportive “housewife” but after a while I became very resentful.  I didn’t feel like I knew who I was anymore.   

In May we found out that my Mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer.  While everyone was worried, I was the only person with the “availability” to put everything on hold and go to help out.  (Who are we kidding? There was not much to put on hold!)  While the circumstances of my return to the States were unfortunate, I welcomed the feeling of purpose it brought me.  I felt useful; I could make a difference.  My Mother-in-law is now cancer free and I know going back to the States to help was what needed to be done.  What everyone (including me until just recently) probably doesn’t realize is that the time I spent ”helping” may have helped me as much as it helped her. 

Life is a constant process of learning who we are.  During my time in the States I learned that who I am is not defined by what I am doing or who I am with.  It’s actually quite the opposite; I am with those people, and doing those things, because of who I am.  My guess is that would hold true for most anyone.

One year ago I wrote the following in a journal; “I envy people who know exactly what they want all the time.”  I have learned that no one knows what they want all the time; it changes too often.  Not to mention, sometimes what we think we want is no longer an option and we only waste time if we can’t let it go.  Ironically, a good friend recently posted the almost exact thought about “knowing what we want” on Facebook.  To my friend; learning what you don’t want is just as important.  Figure that out, and what you want will eventually come to you.  

We all make our way through changes in our lives; sometimes more gracefully than others.  Harmony at Last’s newest product, Navigating Change, is truly a remarkable tool to assist in managing change.  I can only wish it was available when I went through my life changing experience.  However, I have it now so that I am prepared when the next big change comes along.  And, I know it will!  Check it out for yourself.  You will be so grateful that you did!

You can read other posts from Tomodachi:
Packing for a long trip.
Are you ready?