As you gather with family and friends this holiday, why not take a few minutes to interview everyone present? Ask your mother and father to tell the story of how they met. Does your sibling have a favorite holiday memory? Perhaps Uncle Harry would like to share the story of how he and your mom celebrated Christmas when they were children? We always think there will be time to record these memories but life passes quickly and very often the moment is lost. Just about every cell phone has a few minutes of video recording available so you don't even have to purchase a fancy new camera.
This Thanksgiving I decided to make a cookie that I remembered from my childhood. My Aunt Marie made it every year. You could not resist it. One year I gained five pounds in a week! There was just one problem: I not only didn't have her recipe, I had no idea what these cookies were called. My friends at Facebook came to my rescue. After some trial and error, I figured out that these are 'Snowball Cookies.' I made a few batches and happily delivered them to friends. I wish I could ask Aunt Marie what her secret ingredient or technique was because mine were not nearly as good as hers. Unfortunately Aunt Marie is alive but in late stages of Alzheimer's. If only I had thought to interview her her a few years ago!
May you be blessed with a month of rich experiences!
Regina
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thanksgiving, here we come!
'When I wrote "One Year to an Organized Life" I called Thanksgiving, the 'Mother of all Dinner Parties!' It is, isn't it? If you can host this holiday, every other gathering is a piece of cake. It isn't just the enormity of the dinner (and all those expectations about the food), it's the large number of family members, including those we're sure must have been adopted because we have nothing in common with them! In the book, Chapter 11 / November has detailed instructions including information from my favorite caterer, Tanya Russell founder of In Good Taste here in Los Angeles. Today I'd like to chat about something that's a key ingredient albeit not found in the grocery store: your budget!
We become so caught up in the emotions of the holiday, we forget how much it can cost. The December holidays frequently find us counting our pennies with lists and careful planning but Thanksgiving? Not so much! Remember to take into account the price of the food, any decorations you plan to purchase and of course the beverages to be served. It's cheaper to feed 5 than 25 so make up your guest list and check it twice to see who has been naughty (and can be eliminated this year) and who has been nice (and deserves a repeat invite). And don't hesitate to involve your guests: ask them to contribute a dish...or bring a bottle of wine or... I am the 'Dessert Queen' in my circle of friends. Why? Because I live near an extraordinary French bakery and I let their chef do all the work.
Take a few minutes to make two lists: one is of things/elements you remember from past happy celebrations and the other is--you guessed it--some things you'd dearly like to avoid. This holiday is about companionship, great food and gratitude. Enjoy it...every minute of it.
Blessings,
Regina
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Fourth of July: more than a day for hot dogs and fire works
Are you holding on to something that drags you down?
Perhaps you delight in 'saving the day' and carry every object known to man in your purse or brief case? Whether it's a flashlight or a nail file, you take care of the requests of friends and strangers. It's breaking your back but the moment of rescue makes you feel too important to change.
Or maybe you refuse to toss anything out of your environment because 'someday' you might need it? This usually hides behind the pseudo mantra: 'I'm not a person who wastes things.' 'If you wait long enough everything comes back into style.' 'The minute I toss something, I need it!' Do these sound like the things you say as you move about your impacted space?
Sometimes what we hold on to are the pains of the past like the time your second grade teacher humiliated you in front of your class mates. Or maybe it's the last relationship that haunts you. He or she 'did you wrong' and you can't move forward because you cared so deeply.
Take a few minutes before this wonderful holiday and see if you are keeping yourself a prisoner. Are you hiding behind words that deflect responsibility? Whatever happened to you is in the past. It can't be re-done. It can serve as a wise teacher.
Declare your personal freedom this holiday.
Set new goals and intentions. Let them float into the night sky with the fireworks display in your neighborhood or on the TV. Embrace your ability to start over.
Blessings,
Regina
Perhaps you delight in 'saving the day' and carry every object known to man in your purse or brief case? Whether it's a flashlight or a nail file, you take care of the requests of friends and strangers. It's breaking your back but the moment of rescue makes you feel too important to change.
Or maybe you refuse to toss anything out of your environment because 'someday' you might need it? This usually hides behind the pseudo mantra: 'I'm not a person who wastes things.' 'If you wait long enough everything comes back into style.' 'The minute I toss something, I need it!' Do these sound like the things you say as you move about your impacted space?
Sometimes what we hold on to are the pains of the past like the time your second grade teacher humiliated you in front of your class mates. Or maybe it's the last relationship that haunts you. He or she 'did you wrong' and you can't move forward because you cared so deeply.
Take a few minutes before this wonderful holiday and see if you are keeping yourself a prisoner. Are you hiding behind words that deflect responsibility? Whatever happened to you is in the past. It can't be re-done. It can serve as a wise teacher.
Declare your personal freedom this holiday.
Set new goals and intentions. Let them float into the night sky with the fireworks display in your neighborhood or on the TV. Embrace your ability to start over.
Blessings,
Regina
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Multi-tasking: Friend or Foe
Very few subjects in the world of organizing are such hot button issues as 'multi- tasking.' However it certainly has its devotees! While I never like to waste time, I am not a fan. Let me explain.
If you are in a doctor's waiting room, why sit idle? This is a great time to get caught up on your paper work or even better give yourself an opportunity to start that novel you have been longing to read. If dinner is in the oven, why not toss in a load of laundry to fill the time before dinner is served? Maybe you can set the table while the food cooks and the laundry spins! These are examples of getting things done.
But if you are in the habit of working on the computer, talking on the phone and writing all at the same time, I have to ask how you feel at the end of the day? Exhausted, depleted and weary would be the responses I would expect. The first set of activities were each getting your full focus even though they seemed to be happening at the same time. The second set will fry your nerves as you direct your attention in multiple areas at once. Or at least attempt to...
If you are suddenly angry with me and feel I am making you wrong or trying to take something away from you that works, don't fret. I'm simply sharing what works for me, my readers and my clients. Give it a try. Examine how you multi-task and, most importantly, how you feel when you are done. It's fun to experiment with different ways of thinking, doing and being, isn't it?
I am a long time practitioner of yoga, both the physical postures and the ancient philosophy that the postures are a part of. I am writing this post on Wednesday, June 24th. In just two days I'll be leaving for the second of four yoga retreats I am honored to enjoy each year. I will write again next week with the renewed sense of peace being on a mountain top always brings to my Soul. I hope your week is productive and your weekend brings you a time of renewal. It's summer after all, you deserve a break.
My system of organizing, by the way, is called 'Zen Organizing" and is expressed in all (soon to be seven) of my books. The new 'One Year to...' series best captures this system. I invite you to read more about it. If the home is your area of challenge "One Year to an Organized Life" is for you. If you languish is a sea of chaos at work, you will enjoy "One Year to an Organized Work Life." Late this year "One Year to an Organized Financial Life" will be out. We're all concerned about our finances, aren't we? And yet so few of us receive an adequate education in this area. My new book is written with Russell Wild, a financial planner who makes the arcane world of finance accessible. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did writing it with Russ!
What have you got to lose by embracing 'Zen Organizing' except perhaps tension and turbulence? What you'll gain is peace, calm and oh yes, productivity.
If you are in a doctor's waiting room, why sit idle? This is a great time to get caught up on your paper work or even better give yourself an opportunity to start that novel you have been longing to read. If dinner is in the oven, why not toss in a load of laundry to fill the time before dinner is served? Maybe you can set the table while the food cooks and the laundry spins! These are examples of getting things done.
But if you are in the habit of working on the computer, talking on the phone and writing all at the same time, I have to ask how you feel at the end of the day? Exhausted, depleted and weary would be the responses I would expect. The first set of activities were each getting your full focus even though they seemed to be happening at the same time. The second set will fry your nerves as you direct your attention in multiple areas at once. Or at least attempt to...
If you are suddenly angry with me and feel I am making you wrong or trying to take something away from you that works, don't fret. I'm simply sharing what works for me, my readers and my clients. Give it a try. Examine how you multi-task and, most importantly, how you feel when you are done. It's fun to experiment with different ways of thinking, doing and being, isn't it?
I am a long time practitioner of yoga, both the physical postures and the ancient philosophy that the postures are a part of. I am writing this post on Wednesday, June 24th. In just two days I'll be leaving for the second of four yoga retreats I am honored to enjoy each year. I will write again next week with the renewed sense of peace being on a mountain top always brings to my Soul. I hope your week is productive and your weekend brings you a time of renewal. It's summer after all, you deserve a break.
My system of organizing, by the way, is called 'Zen Organizing" and is expressed in all (soon to be seven) of my books. The new 'One Year to...' series best captures this system. I invite you to read more about it. If the home is your area of challenge "One Year to an Organized Life" is for you. If you languish is a sea of chaos at work, you will enjoy "One Year to an Organized Work Life." Late this year "One Year to an Organized Financial Life" will be out. We're all concerned about our finances, aren't we? And yet so few of us receive an adequate education in this area. My new book is written with Russell Wild, a financial planner who makes the arcane world of finance accessible. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did writing it with Russ!
What have you got to lose by embracing 'Zen Organizing' except perhaps tension and turbulence? What you'll gain is peace, calm and oh yes, productivity.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Vacations, packing and time...
June 22, 2009
Earlier this month I returned to China for a second visit. I love history and Beijing has centuries of tales to tell. Shanghai is 'only' about 100 years old but its mix of traditional Chinese culture and the China of tomorrow is heady. My internal time clock is still getting adjusted. I tend to get sleepy around 5 pm and be flooded with energy around 1 am. An amazing turn of events for a woman who dubs herself the 'Queen of Sleep.'
For the past 11 years I have been traveling the world with a small suitcase that blissfully fits in any overhead compartment. This trip I took just what I needed and restrained myself from buying things I didn't need. The day before we were due to return to the U.S., however, the shopping gods struck a blow: I stumbled upon something I didn't purchase last time: a silk comforter. They are as light as a feather and yet warm in winter and cool in summer. I had to have one.
Here's a little packing tip that isn't in any of my books: very often the manufacturer will pack an item with unnecessary padding. If you remove it from its factory material, you can tuck it into a corner of your suitcase. Somehow we squeezed my new queen size comforter into a postage stamp size suitcase. I remember the challenge each night as I crawl under the cover of my sweet silk comforter.
Happy travels everyone!
Regina Leeds
Earlier this month I returned to China for a second visit. I love history and Beijing has centuries of tales to tell. Shanghai is 'only' about 100 years old but its mix of traditional Chinese culture and the China of tomorrow is heady. My internal time clock is still getting adjusted. I tend to get sleepy around 5 pm and be flooded with energy around 1 am. An amazing turn of events for a woman who dubs herself the 'Queen of Sleep.'
For the past 11 years I have been traveling the world with a small suitcase that blissfully fits in any overhead compartment. This trip I took just what I needed and restrained myself from buying things I didn't need. The day before we were due to return to the U.S., however, the shopping gods struck a blow: I stumbled upon something I didn't purchase last time: a silk comforter. They are as light as a feather and yet warm in winter and cool in summer. I had to have one.
Here's a little packing tip that isn't in any of my books: very often the manufacturer will pack an item with unnecessary padding. If you remove it from its factory material, you can tuck it into a corner of your suitcase. Somehow we squeezed my new queen size comforter into a postage stamp size suitcase. I remember the challenge each night as I crawl under the cover of my sweet silk comforter.
Happy travels everyone!
Regina Leeds
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
What's on your horizon?
Are you back at work this week dreaming about your vacation?
Are you busy planning the summer for your kids now that school days are counting down to the end of the academic year?
Did you just graduate? How are your job prospects?
Is retirement on your horizon?
Will the current economy force you to downsize?
No matter what is on your personal horizon, facing it with a plan of action will enable you to feel more in control. I am off to China next week for 8 days. Whether it's an over night stay at a hotel or a week in another part of the world, travel like all aspects of our lives, requires an organized approach. I took one day last week and tried to cover all of my bases. Nothing is worse than being up late the night before your plane, train or automobile leaves your home city wondering why you left everything to the last minute! My flight to Beijing alone is over 12 hours and I don't want to arrive exhausted before I start my journey.
Whatever you face in the coming months, craft a plan. I can't say it often enough! Remember: the whole of anything is overwhelming. When we break a project down into its parts, we gain mastery. In "One Year to an Organized Life" I've written about all the common organizing challenges we face from a messy bedroom to a move. In "One Year to an Organized Work Life" I apply the basic concepts of Zen Organizing to the world of the office. Whatever your challenge this month, I've got your back! One of the airlines urges you to 'Come fly with me.' I'd say: 'Come organize your life with me!'
Blessings,
Regina
Are you busy planning the summer for your kids now that school days are counting down to the end of the academic year?
Did you just graduate? How are your job prospects?
Is retirement on your horizon?
Will the current economy force you to downsize?
No matter what is on your personal horizon, facing it with a plan of action will enable you to feel more in control. I am off to China next week for 8 days. Whether it's an over night stay at a hotel or a week in another part of the world, travel like all aspects of our lives, requires an organized approach. I took one day last week and tried to cover all of my bases. Nothing is worse than being up late the night before your plane, train or automobile leaves your home city wondering why you left everything to the last minute! My flight to Beijing alone is over 12 hours and I don't want to arrive exhausted before I start my journey.
Whatever you face in the coming months, craft a plan. I can't say it often enough! Remember: the whole of anything is overwhelming. When we break a project down into its parts, we gain mastery. In "One Year to an Organized Life" I've written about all the common organizing challenges we face from a messy bedroom to a move. In "One Year to an Organized Work Life" I apply the basic concepts of Zen Organizing to the world of the office. Whatever your challenge this month, I've got your back! One of the airlines urges you to 'Come fly with me.' I'd say: 'Come organize your life with me!'
Blessings,
Regina
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A long holiday weekend...
...is a truly delicious experience. Your home city empties and you can get places more quickly...well, at least in Los Angeles.
If you are a hard working person Monday through Friday, be sure you have some fun over Memorial Day. Don't forget to give a nod of respect and thanks to all those brave men and women who have ever given their lives to keep all of us free.
If you wish to tackle an organizing project, be sure you follow the Zen organizing protocol. To wit:
Get a good night's sleep. The heart of organizing is making decisions and a rested brain does a better job!
Eat a good meal and have healthy snacks available and oh yes, lots of fresh water. Again we want to honor the needs of our bodies.
Have everyone in the family on alert that you need at least 5 uninterrupted hours for your project: no phone chats, no e-mail checks, no checking voice mail....have a sitter for your children etc. Your project will succeed in direct proportion to the respect you pay it.
Have sturdy garbage bags or some boxes handy for trash and donation.
There are journal prompts in all of my books to help you understand why this area in your home or office has posed a challenge in the past. And there are guidelines to help you create something new as of today.
Take a step toward creating the future you desire. Plant those seeds today...along with your tomatoes and herbs!
Blessings,
Regina
If you are a hard working person Monday through Friday, be sure you have some fun over Memorial Day. Don't forget to give a nod of respect and thanks to all those brave men and women who have ever given their lives to keep all of us free.
If you wish to tackle an organizing project, be sure you follow the Zen organizing protocol. To wit:
Get a good night's sleep. The heart of organizing is making decisions and a rested brain does a better job!
Eat a good meal and have healthy snacks available and oh yes, lots of fresh water. Again we want to honor the needs of our bodies.
Have everyone in the family on alert that you need at least 5 uninterrupted hours for your project: no phone chats, no e-mail checks, no checking voice mail....have a sitter for your children etc. Your project will succeed in direct proportion to the respect you pay it.
Have sturdy garbage bags or some boxes handy for trash and donation.
There are journal prompts in all of my books to help you understand why this area in your home or office has posed a challenge in the past. And there are guidelines to help you create something new as of today.
Take a step toward creating the future you desire. Plant those seeds today...along with your tomatoes and herbs!
Blessings,
Regina
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June 2009, in China
At the Summer Palace outside Beijing