The fourteenth issue of the Project Simplify newsletter The Weekly Simplifier is now archived on our newsletter archives page.

Here is a brief summary of the contents:

1. A Note From Shawn
Work smarter not harder, by concentrating on what’s essential to you
2. Quote of the Week
by Henri Frederic Amiel
3. Article: 13 Tips for Working Smarter, Not Harder
guest article by Jan Jasper
4. This Week’s Simplification Tip
The Mail Station
5. In the News & On the Web
In The News: Closet organizing, making a “kitchen command center”, and going clutterless — a little bit at a time
6. Featured at ProjectSimplify.com
The Search Feature
7. Keep Smiling
A Single Candle

Read the full issue here.
Subscribe to The Weekly Simplifier here.

[posted by Lance]

Fantastic yoga class this morning. Focus: hamstrings. Even after some 10 years of doing yoga, I don’t ever remember hearing that hamstrings correllate with control.

Rephrase: tight hamstrings can indicate control freak tendencies. hmmm, that hit home. I ask you this: what Organizer doesn’t have minor control tendencies? We go into other people’s spaces and tell them what to do, for goodness sake! (ha ha. uh, kind of)

The other theme of the class was Silence. Love it! “Protect silence like it’s an endangered species.” It is about that rare. Listen to the space between words, the space between thoughts.

This concept is great for loosening the brain. The brain gets tight always chattering away! Changing pace by listening to Silence is very calming and brain cooling.

Martha Beck, author of books such as The Joy Diet and Finding Your Own North Star, specializes in working with people who have been on auto-pilot for too long. They long for more satisfaction and fulfillment but don’t know what that means for them. The very first “ingredient” in The Joy Diet (Ten ingredients for joy) is “NOTHING”. Literally do Nothing for 15 minutes a day. Stop the mind-chatter and give yourself a chance to reconnect with your soul’s desires.

We had a club Toastmasters Board Meeting this morning. (Brief update: my term as Area 64 Governor has peacefully come to an end. Wanting to stay in the leadership loop of my club AND keep more time open for Project Simplify growth, I volunteered for the Treasurer position–easiest officer position available in my opinion.)

One of the issues that came up was the subject of announcements, which one board member felt was getting out of hand. “This is Toastmasters! Why are people making announcements about their yard sales and movies about Cuba?”

We tossed around some possibilities–one person suggested this, another person suggested that, some ideas were Totalitarian, some not–we were brainstorming! It was like the creative juices just started flowing at that early morning hour! Finally, one of the other board members asked, “Are these solutions appropriate for the situation?”

Brake! The entire discussion fell back to earth and rushed back to perspective. I found it funny how quickly we picked up the ball and RAN, and how quickly we went into solve-problem-in-any-manner-possible.

I so appreciate this wonderful group of people. One woman said, “Whoa, there!” and the others immediately switched gears. A simple solution popped right up, and we moved on.

Solution: it’s really less than a handful of people who are using “announcements” as an opportunity to share just about any subject. Talk with them individually, ask them to be monitor themselves (and then use the gavel if that doesn’t work–just kidding!!).

I was talking with a friend last night at Stitch n Bitch (weekly women’s gathering where we drink red wine, laugh a lot, and occassionally knit). She told me the horror story of the evening. Her many-year-old Powerbook screen blitzed out, kaput, gone! …and…. she doesn’t have her stuff backed up, what’s she to do while she saves up for a new computer?

Her, like many’s, work uses the computer as an essential tool. Working without it and the information in it for a month or so just is not an option.

I see this crazed fervor (us) running around like the sky is falling should we have to switch gears and figure out how to keep going-going-going!

Italian blogger Luca De Fino left a very simple message on his recent post: SLOW

My amateur translation of his bolded message, “un approccio olistico al pensiero creativo, al processo e ai suoi frutti” is:
an holistic approach to the creative thought, the process, and your fruits.

I see this as asking, “Are our actions, thoughts, and desired results sustainable, for ourselves? for the world?”

The post was the last before Luca heads off for vacation–italian style. They call it “ferie” and it is for the month of August. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

If you feel like slowing down for some gratuitous pondering, check out the downloadable pdf report in his post called, “slow-design.pdf” (It’s about the role of designers in the evolution of our economy. It’s in english). Go to page 5 of the report. My question is this: why is “The Intelligence Economy at the feet of the diagram?”

And if you want more ideas for slowing down even more, you can check out the Slow Movement.

Reading 43 Folders July 24th post entitled, Back to GTD: Do a fast “mind-sweep” stopped me short. [GTD being David Allen's Getting Things Done book.] Which I haven’t read. Haven’t actually seen one in person. Haven’t read a summary, just read a blogger’s post about it here and there.

Why the dramatics? Because I’m already on his band wagon! We’re talking (slightly different terminology) Mind Clearing, separating Planning Time from Doing Time, breaking up big projects into small manageable projects (called “small steps on the Key to Being Organized mind map in newsletter issue #13″. Clearly the universe is encouraging the human race on this path because it feels a little “100th-monkey-ish” to me.

You know, one monkey learns how to peel a banana, another learns the trick from him, then another and by the time the 100th monkey learns the trick, ALL the monkeys know about the peel-the-banana trick whether or not they’ve been “taught”. The trick has become part of the collective consciousness.

So this is fantastic! If David Allen is a monkey (well, you know what I mean, Mr. Allen, I don’t really think you are, you know, a real monkey) sharing the info to enjoy peace of mind and be productive, and I’ve (i.e. another monkey over here in this corner of the universe) been tapping into the same vein, it must be fast entrenching in our collective consciousness! I’m thrilled he’s already written the book so that it can spread even faster!

Consideration #1
One of the aspects I love about yoga class is being able to let go. I get to trust that I’m “safe”, I get to trust that the yoga teacher is going to lead me through class safely - physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Consideration #2
I’m of the camp who believes “failure” is an illusion. There are always lessons to learn in situations that don’t go as expected or as hoped. To me, these far outweigh the disappointment of not meeing those expectations. Things don’t “just happen”. There is always a series of events and decisions that led up to that moment at which I utter, “oh no”, and figuring out where I miscalculated or over-extended can be a very powerful realization.

Consideration #3
I’m also of the camp who believes that our thoughts create our reality. If I constantly think, “I’m overwhelmed and stressed,” I will continue to engage in situations that support this belief. Basically, to think about “failure” is to set myself up for “failure”.

Collision of considerations
So you can imagine my surprise at yoga class Friday morning when, during relaxation at the very beginning of class, our substitute teacher said, “today’s class is about redefining failure.”

Egads.

In order to “redefine failure”, one must first believe in failure. “Oh help!” I panic, “This class is being led by someone who not only believes in failure but is probably feeling failure, hence the desire to deal with it” (my projection).

Opening up class with “failure” immediately threw up my defenses. I didn’t trust my mental and spiritual well-being would make it through unscathed.

My whole body does this involuntary tweak and holds the tension. My mind, that had been letting go, fires up immediately, “what the? Nuh-uh.” I feel it taking a stance for warfare, “Show me what you got. I’ll debunk it. Bring it on!” I get the feeling a relaxing yoga session this will not be.

We move into a couple of minutes of seated meditation. Eyelids closed, my eyeballs dart back and forth mirroring my thoughts which have switched to desperate grabs at how to make a get-away without making waves. I did not want to spend the next hour and a half fending off “failure”.

After meditation she began to lead us in a pose on the floor. “Perfect!” As quietly as possible I rolled up my mat, walked silently to the teacher on the way to the door, “I’m not quite ready for yoga this morning.” Her understanding smile released me from guilt for not speaking totally straight with her. I left the room, hopped on my bicycle, and pedaled to freedom.

It was 8:40 a.m., already at least 85 degrees Fahrenheit and I felt exhilarant! Free, light, relieved. Ready for the day with a smile.

The thirteenth issue of the Project Simplify newsletter The Weekly Simplifier is now archived on our newsletter archives page.

Here is a brief summary of the contents:

1. A Note From Lance
A special multimedia Article, a personal Keep Smiling, and Lance points at various things
2. Quote of the Week
by Charles Wagner
3. Article: Key Elements of Being Organized
by PS Head Simplifier Shawn Tuttle
4. This Week’s Simplification Tip
Use the night before to open up your mornings
5. In the News & On the Web
In The News: Useful tips on: basement taming, de-workifyng your vacation, and finding “a place for everything”
6. Featured at ProjectSimplify.com
Newsletter Archives Page
7. Keep Smiling
Peababies

Read the full issue here.
Subscribe to The Weekly Simplifier here.

[posted by Lance]