Just as easily as one can get caught up in the moment of have nots, in the next breath is the capacity to wish oneself well. Judgement and the minds’ agenda can be a really tricky construct when trying to stay organized. It leads us to the next “right” decision that can bring us freedom and expansion or sometimes lack, worry & overwhelm.

Witnessing, is the most powerful first step to getting out of the patterns that keep us feeling powerless over our piles. The second is giving our cyclical minds something constructive, rather than destructive, to do. Stepping outside of the realm of papers for a minute, my best example of how to explain getting unstuck from repetitive loops of the mind is centered horseback riding.

One of the key lessons I received from my riding lessons back in Vermont years ago, was to keep my eyes out in front of me and with soft eyes and to see 360 degrees around me. I learned to take in my surroundings as I rode. The second part of my training was to know where I wanted to end up. Wether it was at the end of the lane or the corner of the next field, my destination was essential in learning how to steer the horse and I successfully. How I wanted to feel at the end of my trip was equally as important. How did I see myself feeling at the end of the ride? Refreshed? Satisfied with myself? Proud of my steps? Joyful? At that time in my life I was very focused on getting it “right” so those two exercises were more important for me, then knowing how to handle the reins.

I see staying organized in the same way. We can all get tunnel vision, leaning to heavily on our own constraints, of how to manage our to do lists correctly, or judging ourselves for not being able to ever find anything we need. Catching oneself reflection in the act, followed by wishing oneself well, whatever the destination looks and feels like for you, will work wonders in bringing greener pastures.

  Have you ever routinely rounded a corner in your home only to catch yourself pausing with labored breath as your peripheral vision targets a dust collecting pile of books or papers? Overcoming or dealing with feelings of anxiety in relation to one’s clutter can tie us up in knots for sure. An alarm is going off inside our mind and body. If you can, watch yourself. Where does that knot go? Does it travel up the length of your spine and burrow its nose in between your shoulder blades? Is it accompanied by panic? A hot flash? Sudden irritability.

  All signs that anxiety is running the show. Your electrical circuit is saying you better “hold on tight” or “run!”. There is a great article I happened upon last year summarizing how stress effects the brain and the body from The Franklin Institute. Learning to observe one’s reactions from a neutral distance is all we sometimes need to release and relax into a more prepared even stance when approaching our piles.