Comments on: Issues of focus

By: the communicatrix

the communicatrix — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:36:32 +0000

LPC – And you are too kind.

Brooks – And THAT is why you are the only clutterbuster for me. Genius.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:55:40 +0000

Often the breakthroughs are quiet. The distractions seem loud. Or they point a big finger and say, “No, not here, look over there!” But the discoveries and insights are often at whisper volume, and they are a small amount of words. “I like this.” “This is what I want to do.” That’s why they often go unnoticed. We can’t blame ourselves, we’re encouraged to get and stay distracted. Distractions wear us out and make us numb. From here it’s near impossible to have the clarity to see what’s happening. But still a feeling can get through and say, “I want to enjoy my life. I want to create some space so I can do what fits me.” I think it’s a back and forth experience. Life tends to move in extremes. I love your courage to take honest looks at your life for the sake of seeing what works for you.

By: LPC

LPC — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:55:05 +0000

You are SO GOOD!

By: the communicatrix

the communicatrix — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:59:45 +0000

Thank you, all! This was another REALLY HARD TO WRITE episode in what is, confoundingly, a continuing series. Ah, well. So be it. And dammit.

Let’s all support Peggy and either call someone (as in, out loud) or label someone (as in, quietly, to oneself) a “new age spongecake”) today.

Hurrah! to all declutterers! I cannot wait to see what we all make in the spaces we are creating.

By: Debbe Hirata

Debbe Hirata — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:05:23 +0000

focus
eliminate
focus
pursue

i love it!

thank you

By: Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:15:06 +0000

Colleen, I am in the midst of my own serious wanderings and excavations and clutter busting. THANK YOU for writing about all of this with such clarity and courage and for helping keep me sane and hopeful in the midst of my own process. Found this quote that I find encouraging when I start to berate myself for not getting my personal growth “right.”

“If you could do it, I suppose, it would be a good idea to live your life in a straight line—starting, say, in the Dark Wood of Error, and proceeding by logical steps through Hell and Purgatory and into Heaven. Or you could take the King’s Highway past appropriately named dangers, toils, and snares, and finally cross the River of Death and enter the Celestial City. But that is not the way I have done it, so far. I am a pilgrim, but my pilgrimage has been wandering and unmarked. Often what has looked like a straight line to me has been a circle or a doubling back. I have been in the Dark Wood of Error any number of times. I have known something of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, but not always in that order. The names of many snares and dangers have been made known to me, but I have seen them only in looking back. Often I have not known where I was going until I was already there. I have had my share of desires and goals, but my life has come to me or I have gone to it mainly by way of mistakes and surprises. Often I have received better than I have deserved. Often my fairest hopes have rested on bad mistakes. I am an ignorant pilgrim, crossing a dark valley. And yet for a long time, looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I have been led—make of that what you will.”
—Wendell Berry

By: Alan Furth

Alan Furth — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:03:58 +0000

“The excavation process is subtractive: heaping more crap—even really well-written or beautifully-made crap—is going to hurt you more than it helps.”

Couldn’t agree more. Finding what I want was for me the result of a whole year of simply doing nothing. I eliminated a source of income that was more an obstacle for my realization than a means towards it. I got rid of the notion that accumulating physical stuff is necessary. I obliterated my prejudiced view about achievement as the way to happiness, and finally understood that it has more to do with being than doing. And I learned to allow myself to grow, rather than trying to.

Thank you!

By: Lynne Morrell

Lynne Morrell — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:01:13 +0000

Great post! I am in the middle of some pretty cool decluttering. First the hall closet, then the other little closet on the side over there. Next? World domination! Uh…not really…maybe next is the garage ;)

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:51:27 +0000

I am ashamed to say that I just shoved some papers behind my laptop so they don’t distract me (yeah, I stopped to file them). So today’s message rings (bongs) true.

Ah, a morning to embrace focus. Keep ‘em coming, Colleen!

By: peggy pirro

peggy pirro — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:34:37 +0000

Few things can make me laugh at 7:30 in the morning. The phrase “new age spongecake” is now officially one of them. Thanks for being so damned smart (and funny, too).