Christmas is, to utilize the commonplace words of Charles Dickens, “the best of times and the worst of times.” For some people, Christmas is a difficult time, for others, it is a joyful occasion, but for most of us, it falls somewhere in between.
I always have more goals than I can execute, which frequently transforms into clutter! “Clutter is postponed decisions.®” as you’ve probably heard me say dozens, if not hundreds, of times if you’ve known me for a long time. This year I have resolved that there is one vital action for me during this Christmas season.
When I began my profession as a residential organizing consultant more than 40+ years ago, I infrequently mentioned the name of Jesus. Even though I seldom stated God’s name in front of my clients for fear of upsetting them, I would always pray that they would feel His love from me as I entered their houses. After coming full circle in my devotion to Jesus and interest in Bible study, I am of the belief that the most crucial decision one can make is answering the question, “Who is Jesus?” and my goal this Christmas is to confidently share His name.
While growing older brings certain outcomes that I don’t always appreciate (which I won’t mention here! ), one positive outcome for me is my increased willingness to speak up for what I believe in, no matter the consequences.
As a professional organizer, my goal is not to convince others to take action but to give them the opportunity to make the decision for themselves. From my experience, I have noticed that the longer someone waits to get organized, the harder it becomes. In recent presentations, I have started to focus on a 7-step process that participants can use to effectively organize one specific area of their lives, which can be repeated for other areas as well. The end result will be what we call a “productive environment” — a deliberate setting in which everyone can complete their work and enjoy their lives while enabling others to do the same!
At a conference, I overheard a woman express her disappointment about her upcoming 50th birthday. I turned to her and said, “I’m 75 years old, and I can tell you that my years from 50-75 have been infinitely more pleasant than they were from 25-50!” My growing friendship with Jesus, who was sent by God to this planet and is the real reason we celebrate Christmas, is one of the key factors in this result.
Perry Marshall, one of my business teachers, describes marketing as “the art and science of helping people who need each other find each other.” The definition gives me the courage to provide individuals with the chance to declutter their lives, as well as to spread the message of Jesus’ love.
