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

Search the past to enjoy the present!

December 10, 2008

I have noticed that the current financial crisis is causing everyone to think more sensibly and creatively about how to celebrate the holiday season. In the glory days of excess, most people had no idea what the holiday cost them until the credit card bills started rolling in. Today the air waves and the newspapers are filled with creative ways to save and still participate. With a wealth of creative gift giving and holiday party ideas out there, my thoughts today turn to holidays past. What about you?

Do you find that no matter how 'flush with bucks' you are at this time of year, there is a feeling of lack deep in your Soul? Why not take a few minutes (a nice hot bath would be the ideal place) to think about the celebrations of your childhood. Were they always happy? Did your mother decorate the house to excess? Did your dad complain all month about the money being spent? Or was it your Uncle Bert who ruined everything with his wicked tongue on Christmas Eve? I had a dear friend whose mother meant well but her caustic tongue cut everyone to shreds on Christmas Day. Whether it was in the distant past or resides in the present, is there something about the season that makes you sad?

When I ask people to check the past for clues, some think I am suggesting they assume guilt over the current set of circumstances. This is never my intention. Guilt, fear and shame have no place in zen organizing. What surrounds us are the effects or results of causes we have set in motion. If we understand where we have been wounded or how we made less than great choices, we are empowering ourselves to set new causes in motion...and this will lead to a new set of physical, mental and emotional results. As one of my favorite teachers once said: 'There are no victims, only volunteers.'

This blog applies to our lives whether at work or at home. As you become acquainted with what I call 'zen organizing,' you will see that the basics apply to everything. What changes are the items we deal with...today we are concerned with how we celebrate this busy, beautiful time of year. Tomorrow you might turn your attention to your files and the next day be concerned with how your kitchen cupboards are arranged. We will apply the same tools to all of our physical challenges. And in zen organizing the first step is a nod to the past.

At the end of "One Year to an Organized Life," I tell the story of my best friend who, in the darkest hour of my life, showed me how to apply my organizing techniques to the battle against cancer that was before me. I can never repay her. What I try to do in my work is 'pay it forard.' What worked in my life will work for you! It's now 6 1/2 years since the diagnosis. A survivor at the time said to me: 'Right now you feel like cancer is doing things to you. One day you will see that it's doing things through you and for you.' No kidding!

My wish for you this evening is that you free yourself from the sorrows of the past. Today is a gift. It's rich and beautiful no matter what challenges you face. Let's do it together. I've got your hand. Are you ready to try?