As you go through these steps, you’ll see what really works for you. You’ll get to know yourself better and you’ll take more effective action. You will change. You’ll find it easier to get things done. And on the nightmarish days, you’ll still find ways to keep your energy moving. You’ll also see that in this path is a powerful way to improve the quality of your life.

What It Feels Like Along the Way

Using this method you will become aware of your current thoughts and choices about possessions, time, agreements, and focus. You’ll begin to see trade-offs that you hadn’t seen before. You’ll see small changes that you can make. You’ll work differently with your fear and anxiety. You will cultivate new habits slowly, one at a time, so that you can adjust to a new way of living. You will delve more deeply into the meaning of your mess, and you’ll start to understand your own brain—how you think and what distracts you.

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Step by step you create some order, then a little more . . . until you establish a substantially clearer space. This learning process takes time and repetition. For example, I had to tackle my desk as if it were Mount Everest. I made thirty or forty attempts. I know this sounds exaggerated, but I had to get my figurative hiking boots, pack, and ice ax, and go after my desk with determination. The “mountain” defeated me many times, but eventually I did conquer it. (I have a little flag waving at the top.)

Determination to change must be mixed with a healthy dose of compassion. You weave will and kindness together as you undertake this transformational journey. You develop self-acceptance and let go of the shaming inner voice. You see that you can’t force yourself to change just by bossing yourself around. You develop a much deeper motivation to change and grow and, in so doing, you find the strength to go after more of what you want in life.

As you begin to get organized, you feel more and more confident in your ability to incorporate order into your life. You also experience a stronger sense of professional effectiveness and “presence,” because you aren’t wrestling with time and objects as much. This sense of presence—sometimes called “mindfulness”—signals the ability to be fully available for life and its challenges, and is a guiding principle in this method. It’s hard to be “present” when you can’t find your keys or when you’re running half an hour late. It’s also hard to be present—and connected to others—when you’re spending another Sunday cleaning up the office or you’re too embarrassed to welcome people into your home.

You will begin to have a sense of homecoming. When you come “home,” whether to your house, your office, or even your car, you will become energized and engaged rather than depressed. Home enhances your sense of belonging. You might begin to feel that there is actually a place for you. You may experience a sense of grace and peacefulness because you are not struggling so hard to get to a place on time or to meet deadlines. Your blood pressure may go down. You will wrestle less with bills, receipts, phone calls, and e-mails. You can find a deeper sense of the sacred. For example, your office can become a sanctuary for meaningful work, and you also might find a space in your home that allows for contemplation and reverence. You might start to sense that life is short and you don’t want to scatter it to the winds, doing everything and seeing everyone. Finally, as you clear a place for yourself by becoming organized, you may well begin sensing your true aspiration. It’s easier to hear your calling when there is less pandemonium.

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