so much of what prevents us moving from forward with anything that we want to accomplish is based in fear.
monday i met a perspective new client who wanted to declutter her home office. now the rest of the house was immaculate to the point of feeling non-lived in. the glass cabinets in the dining room and living room had some household items but not much. there was no feeling that a family with two children under the age of three lived here. i suspect the mom came from a cluttered home and so she wanted the opposite effect. but then she showed me the office...also known as the dumping room. it looked like this room had been swallowing up the items of the rest of the house. my suggestion was to first purge...the three item check list of don't want, need or use. then the second session is the reorganization process. it was a pretty straight forward job and i knew it would have big results. the mom seemed pretty excited. she said that she constantly feels like she is cleaning the house and moving items around the house. nothing had a set place. this is a job i could handle.
fast forward one day to voice mail message from the mom. she decided to cancel. she was afraid. now when i looked at what needed to be done it could not seem easier. two day gig of about six hours total and the end result...a nice warm, user friendly home. the fear was stopping her. we all have some kind of fear and many times it can really get in our way. yes, i have them too.
mine? fear of not making this business work. fear of not having regular pay checks. fear what other people think of me. fear of "failure". what to do?
first, acknowledge the fear. second ask is this a rational fear. are the fears emotionally based? now we don't want to have our head in the sand. we also need to look at facts based on those fears. if any of them have validity then i must look at that and make decisions. then i ask myself what kind of help do i need. one of the best things that works for this is to just talk with my husband about anything else besides my business. taking my mind away from the intense focus usually gives me some clarity. and occasionally in that time a new thought will come to me that will be a solution. help can be such a great solution to our fears.
so today notice if there are things that you would like to do accomplish but your fear is holding you back. now ask yourself what is the fear? congrats, you have completed step one.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
another aha
yesterday, i asked my readers to share what their project challenges are? this is where my husband john's brilliance comes in. he commented to my blog that he promised to put away his clean clothes. funny thing is, i wasn't referencing this is in my blog about completing tasks. you see success comes when you complete your own task. when i think of his laundry, i think of getting the clothes cleaned and folded. not putting them away. task complete! john's comment reminded me that yes, it is important to complete what you start and...that project has to be on your list of things to do.
finish what i start
recently i was listening to an interview about people's success stories. one person shared that he was told as a young person that he never finished anything he started. that really struck a cord with him and after that it was his mission to compete anything he started. he believes this is what led to his ultimate success. i think this definitely applies to organization.
how many of us do the laundry, fold it and then don't put it away? or come home from work, undress and just create a pile of clothes on a chair? it is just too much to take that extra step and put them away? today i met a perspective client and on first glance her house looked neat and organized. then i saw...the ROOM...if you could call it that. i would call it the dumping ground. we seem to go only so far with tasks and then just stop. typically there are components of projects we just don't like to do and therefore it doesn't get done.
so this is my new goal. finish everything i start. last night my husband john prepared a nice dinner for me and another couple. normally i would wash the dishes and then leave them in the dish rack to dry over. this time i washed, dried and put them away. then i wiped down the counters, dumped the garbage and lastly prepared coffee maker for the next day. strangely, i felt an uplifting, accomplished, positive feeling.
do you have a task that you just can't complete? do you think it is holding you back? please share. thank you.
how many of us do the laundry, fold it and then don't put it away? or come home from work, undress and just create a pile of clothes on a chair? it is just too much to take that extra step and put them away? today i met a perspective client and on first glance her house looked neat and organized. then i saw...the ROOM...if you could call it that. i would call it the dumping ground. we seem to go only so far with tasks and then just stop. typically there are components of projects we just don't like to do and therefore it doesn't get done.
so this is my new goal. finish everything i start. last night my husband john prepared a nice dinner for me and another couple. normally i would wash the dishes and then leave them in the dish rack to dry over. this time i washed, dried and put them away. then i wiped down the counters, dumped the garbage and lastly prepared coffee maker for the next day. strangely, i felt an uplifting, accomplished, positive feeling.
do you have a task that you just can't complete? do you think it is holding you back? please share. thank you.
Friday, February 17, 2012
you love the container store
i have found that once you start buying bins you fill them all up with stuff. less bins equals less stuff. i know you will say to me "but andrea, the bins look so pretty. yes, but a house with less stuff where the things you love are on display and you can find whatever you are look for right when you look for it. and you begin to buy less. the end result is always saved time, money and headaches. so instead look around you and figure out how to rework what you already have to organize stuff.
when i work with my client i like to first edit out all that is not needed, used or wanted first. very rarely do i find myself needing to buy things. i work with the lay out of the room and the space to organize what you have. i am also a big believer in displaying what you have. you are more apt to use it if you see it. now for some that is too difficult a task and so additional help is needed...aka hiring a professional organizer. recently i redid a closet for two expectant moms. they had a pretty house, pretty clothes and a closet stuffed and messy. as a gift, i asked to organize their closet. not only did it look pretty but you could see what their patterns were for shopping....no more black shirts ladies. not only did it look good but it made easier for them to pick out their outfits for the day. and as new moms, time with the baby is way more important then tying to find something to wear.
now for some this step can be challenging. you have lived in a home for so long that you can't see it differently than how you have had it all those years. and that is the beauty of being a professional organizer. we can come and help get you started. once that spark sets, the clients start to look at their entire living situation and begin to change that up as well. in time, it can be quire an inspiring/motivating process.
when i work with my client i like to first edit out all that is not needed, used or wanted first. very rarely do i find myself needing to buy things. i work with the lay out of the room and the space to organize what you have. i am also a big believer in displaying what you have. you are more apt to use it if you see it. now for some that is too difficult a task and so additional help is needed...aka hiring a professional organizer. recently i redid a closet for two expectant moms. they had a pretty house, pretty clothes and a closet stuffed and messy. as a gift, i asked to organize their closet. not only did it look pretty but you could see what their patterns were for shopping....no more black shirts ladies. not only did it look good but it made easier for them to pick out their outfits for the day. and as new moms, time with the baby is way more important then tying to find something to wear.
now for some this step can be challenging. you have lived in a home for so long that you can't see it differently than how you have had it all those years. and that is the beauty of being a professional organizer. we can come and help get you started. once that spark sets, the clients start to look at their entire living situation and begin to change that up as well. in time, it can be quire an inspiring/motivating process.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
no. 2 - start with the first thing you see
occasionally in life we come across a block that seems impossible to get through. but you know the other side will reap you many benefits. this definitely can happen with a cluttered space.
my very first clients were a successful couple living in sf.they hired to help with some accounting work and to occasionally babysit their pets. two of my favorite things...numbers and dogs. before long they asked if i would be willing to organize something in their home. well actually it wasn't in the home. it was the garage. i had never seen anything like it. when they opened the garage door my first thought was that confused me with oprah winfrey who could hire a team to declutter the space. nope it was just me. from top to bottom, front to back their was stuff! i went home in a panic. to say the space was full is an understatement. i had such a feeling of anxiety that i wasn't sure what i would or could do. my husband asked me..."how do you know where to start"? good question. and that was the first thing i thought went to take this project on. the answer...start with the first thing you see.
i reach my hand into the giant wall of goods and just grabbed the first thing i touched. and then i grabbed the next item and the next item and so on. days later after grabbing and sorting, i had reached the back of the garage!
don't let the fear of seeing all your stuff block you. as the the saying goes...every journey starts with the first step.
my very first clients were a successful couple living in sf.they hired to help with some accounting work and to occasionally babysit their pets. two of my favorite things...numbers and dogs. before long they asked if i would be willing to organize something in their home. well actually it wasn't in the home. it was the garage. i had never seen anything like it. when they opened the garage door my first thought was that confused me with oprah winfrey who could hire a team to declutter the space. nope it was just me. from top to bottom, front to back their was stuff! i went home in a panic. to say the space was full is an understatement. i had such a feeling of anxiety that i wasn't sure what i would or could do. my husband asked me..."how do you know where to start"? good question. and that was the first thing i thought went to take this project on. the answer...start with the first thing you see.
i reach my hand into the giant wall of goods and just grabbed the first thing i touched. and then i grabbed the next item and the next item and so on. days later after grabbing and sorting, i had reached the back of the garage!
don't let the fear of seeing all your stuff block you. as the the saying goes...every journey starts with the first step.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
instead of killing this i will just have more than one location
i know i was advised to kill this blog but instead i can be in more than one place.
so to find my blog, you can find me here or at www.andreawait.wordpress.com or at www.andreawait.com.
but for the loyal few who still read me here, thank you.
over the course of my career i have picked up some good rules to live by that apply perfectly to organization. i would like to share them with you.
1. to do list - do what you don't want to do first
most of us have some kind of to do list. there are always the items that we check off with no problem. those are the easy things. and there's the rest. i learned from my old boss Terry that it's best to complete the item you least want to do first.
when i worked in sales, the one thing i hated to do the MOST was cold calling. "hi, my name is andrea wait and i am calling from citysearch and would love to talk to you about your business' on-line presence". response...what is "on-line". yes, i was selling advertising during a time that people thought advertising meant something tangible like a magazine ad or it was a commercial on tv. your computer was certainly not a place to check out a local restaurant. the cold call process was could be painful or at least the pain i thought before i made the call made it seem that way. but on the days i tackled the call first and actually set up appointments well that just made me feel great. so nice to pass your boss in the hall and share that you had a meeting with macy's on tuesday. on those days i felt there was nothing i couldn't do.
this happens with organizing as well. we all have that one closet we don't want to look at. thank god for the invention of the door, right? you will be amazed at what happens when you open the door, pull out the stuff, toss the junk and sort the rest. my most recent client told me she feels physically "lighter" fro9m the work we did. mentally the process seem a lot worse than what it actually.i did that with sales calls. the end result was always worth my awkward moment of panic before placing a call. it often led to...making an appointment, which led to making a sale, which led to money in my pocket. the domino effect happens exponentially. by conquering the worst first, everything after that is easy. and in some situations it becomes enjoyable. and the outcome is tremendous relief.
sure some people need help with that first step of tackling the worst organizational mess...typically a garage. and that is what i am here for. but after i do my magic, i can't tell you how many times i get a call from a happy customer wanting to share how after our session they were able to then work on another part of their life. this can be anything from physical clutter to emotional clutter to mental clutter. i can feel their smile through the phone about their self-pride for what has been accomplished.
yes, there are a lot of things we don't want to do. pick one and do it.tomorrow i will share how i can help you tackle that garage!
so to find my blog, you can find me here or at www.andreawait.wordpress.com or at www.andreawait.com.
but for the loyal few who still read me here, thank you.
over the course of my career i have picked up some good rules to live by that apply perfectly to organization. i would like to share them with you.
1. to do list - do what you don't want to do first
most of us have some kind of to do list. there are always the items that we check off with no problem. those are the easy things. and there's the rest. i learned from my old boss Terry that it's best to complete the item you least want to do first.
when i worked in sales, the one thing i hated to do the MOST was cold calling. "hi, my name is andrea wait and i am calling from citysearch and would love to talk to you about your business' on-line presence". response...what is "on-line". yes, i was selling advertising during a time that people thought advertising meant something tangible like a magazine ad or it was a commercial on tv. your computer was certainly not a place to check out a local restaurant. the cold call process was could be painful or at least the pain i thought before i made the call made it seem that way. but on the days i tackled the call first and actually set up appointments well that just made me feel great. so nice to pass your boss in the hall and share that you had a meeting with macy's on tuesday. on those days i felt there was nothing i couldn't do.
this happens with organizing as well. we all have that one closet we don't want to look at. thank god for the invention of the door, right? you will be amazed at what happens when you open the door, pull out the stuff, toss the junk and sort the rest. my most recent client told me she feels physically "lighter" fro9m the work we did. mentally the process seem a lot worse than what it actually.i did that with sales calls. the end result was always worth my awkward moment of panic before placing a call. it often led to...making an appointment, which led to making a sale, which led to money in my pocket. the domino effect happens exponentially. by conquering the worst first, everything after that is easy. and in some situations it becomes enjoyable. and the outcome is tremendous relief.
sure some people need help with that first step of tackling the worst organizational mess...typically a garage. and that is what i am here for. but after i do my magic, i can't tell you how many times i get a call from a happy customer wanting to share how after our session they were able to then work on another part of their life. this can be anything from physical clutter to emotional clutter to mental clutter. i can feel their smile through the phone about their self-pride for what has been accomplished.
yes, there are a lot of things we don't want to do. pick one and do it.tomorrow i will share how i can help you tackle that garage!
Monday, February 13, 2012
blogspot RIP
when i ventured out into blog land it was with the hope of incorporating ideas about my organizing business. i had many questions...the content (organizing tips or how to start a business), audience (who is my reader, my ability to write.
writing does not come naturally to me so i was paralyzed. but i knew two things. one, i knew in order to get this off the ground i would need any easy topic that would give me focus. two, the key to learning to do something requires doing it over and over again. i think thing i have accomplished both. but i have not achieved my original goal which was to write about my business. the time has come for me to make the change.
what does this mean? well according to my blog advisor i need to in his words "kill your blog. start fresh. get off blogspot". he has also told me to lose my hotmail account but let's not get crazy.
and with that i am moving to a new location...supposedly wordpress is where it's at. don't worry i will leave a forwarding address. i hope you follow me on this continued journey.
writing does not come naturally to me so i was paralyzed. but i knew two things. one, i knew in order to get this off the ground i would need any easy topic that would give me focus. two, the key to learning to do something requires doing it over and over again. i think thing i have accomplished both. but i have not achieved my original goal which was to write about my business. the time has come for me to make the change.
what does this mean? well according to my blog advisor i need to in his words "kill your blog. start fresh. get off blogspot". he has also told me to lose my hotmail account but let's not get crazy.
and with that i am moving to a new location...supposedly wordpress is where it's at. don't worry i will leave a forwarding address. i hope you follow me on this continued journey.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
secret
want to know a secret about me? it is not big but it is still a secret. typically during the weekend i start plan out my week on my android calendar. I like to have a set agenda and feel the need to be accountable for my responsibilities. being my own boss i am only accountable to myself. that is the toughest boss. one of the daily resposibilites is to blog. one of the items that is on my calendar daily is the word blog. being the type a person that i am, i feel the pressure daily to have something to write. so now...yes, i blog a day early. i like knowing my goals are accomplished early. isn't that funny? rather than just posting a second blog for the day, i hold it until the next day. rediculous. thankfully neurosies have their payoffs. every once in a while there might be a writer's block, or a "just don't feel like writing day", and voila...i have a blog in the bank. the behavior may seem strange but i'm ok with that. there you have it. that's my little secret.
by the way i wrote this satuday at 9:27!
by the way i wrote this satuday at 9:27!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
aha
oprah has some kind of saying that god/universe first whispers to you, then talks to you and then screams to you whatever is the message that you need to know/do in life. for me, it has always been that i am at my best when i am out and about meeting people. and from that i will be living my authentic life and will reap the benefits from it. the past two days have proved that for me.
each day i try to get out and take out. i start out from my house with no set plan and see where i end up. on wednesday i found myself walking by my friends' home. they recently had a baby girl and i was wondering how they were. as the baby is literally weeks old i normally would just walk by and think good thoughts for their new family. on wednesday i was imagining running into them and sure enough not a minute later the two moms and baby were right in front of me. exactly what i saw in my mind was presented to me live. amazing.
then yesterday i decided to head out and find a place where i can write on my computer and see my friends at the local peets coffee. along the way i ran into one my favorite dogs and with that started chatting with the owner. before i knew it he told me that he has been talking about me to a couple of friends who need a professional organizer! this is such a reminder to me on those days when i am unsure what path to go down to find new business. i just need to keep being myself and going out into the community talking to people. sure there are many just light conversations with people curious about what i do but from anyone of those there is a potential to meet a new client.
i knew it. thank you universe for the reminder.
each day i try to get out and take out. i start out from my house with no set plan and see where i end up. on wednesday i found myself walking by my friends' home. they recently had a baby girl and i was wondering how they were. as the baby is literally weeks old i normally would just walk by and think good thoughts for their new family. on wednesday i was imagining running into them and sure enough not a minute later the two moms and baby were right in front of me. exactly what i saw in my mind was presented to me live. amazing.
then yesterday i decided to head out and find a place where i can write on my computer and see my friends at the local peets coffee. along the way i ran into one my favorite dogs and with that started chatting with the owner. before i knew it he told me that he has been talking about me to a couple of friends who need a professional organizer! this is such a reminder to me on those days when i am unsure what path to go down to find new business. i just need to keep being myself and going out into the community talking to people. sure there are many just light conversations with people curious about what i do but from anyone of those there is a potential to meet a new client.
i knew it. thank you universe for the reminder.
Friday, February 10, 2012
problem solver...solution finder
when i first became a professional organizer i would think to myself what is that one product that everyone needs. you know, what would be that one thing that instantly everyone would be able to keep their stuff together with little effort? basically in a nut shell, i am learning to be a problem solver. in my last yoga teaching gig, i wasn't able to utilize this quality in myself. in fact it was dettered. for instance, the area behind the check in desk was a total nightmare. besides being dirty, it just looked like a mess. now the so called reasoning behind that was to deter anyone from theft and/or getting in the owner's personal business. after mych thought, i realize that was just a deterrent becuase she was just a disorganized mess in so many senses of the word. but i am not going down that road. instead am bringing this back to what i am interested in...that is identifying a problem and then coming up with a solution. i love that.
for instance the peets coffee that i like to frequent doesn't have the best set ups for their condiments bar. it is awkward for people using it as well as those waiting to get coffee. now today when i went in to purchase more coffee beans (i am home brweing now.) the condiments bar was moved up against the wall. my coffee friends shared with me that this was a sign of a new manager. every time someone new is hired to manage the store, the first thing they do is move the bar. yes, they are identifying there is a problem...like any good new manager would however their solution is incorrect. you see this particular peets is not very large so their is only so many places it can go. so anytime someone new now comes in they move it to a place where it has been before...just a few managers before. the soltion is the bar itself. so for the last ten minutes i drew up a design for the perfect solution. hmmm..think i should send it to peet's. maybe that is my calling. creating not just one item to fit all but instead identifying on problem and then identifying the solution. hmmmm....that feels right.
for instance the peets coffee that i like to frequent doesn't have the best set ups for their condiments bar. it is awkward for people using it as well as those waiting to get coffee. now today when i went in to purchase more coffee beans (i am home brweing now.) the condiments bar was moved up against the wall. my coffee friends shared with me that this was a sign of a new manager. every time someone new is hired to manage the store, the first thing they do is move the bar. yes, they are identifying there is a problem...like any good new manager would however their solution is incorrect. you see this particular peets is not very large so their is only so many places it can go. so anytime someone new now comes in they move it to a place where it has been before...just a few managers before. the soltion is the bar itself. so for the last ten minutes i drew up a design for the perfect solution. hmmm..think i should send it to peet's. maybe that is my calling. creating not just one item to fit all but instead identifying on problem and then identifying the solution. hmmmm....that feels right.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
is it a day off?
the most challenging part of having your own business are the workdays when i don't have "work". by that i mean, the days i am not working for a client. i have this feeling of not knowing exactly what to do with myself. i re post to craigslist. i contact my current clients to motivate them to schedule a new appointment. i think the hardest part is being at home. there is something about being here that puts me into some kind of freeze. yes, i should be working on my business plan as well as my book but the freeze sets in. i think i need to figure out a place i can go to that will give me a work feeling to set up my computer and work. i would like it to be a place where i don't have to buy coffee or food. i gotta think about that.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
the yoga
i think i have had a similar post to this but hey i am 46 going on 47 so i am bound to repeat myself.
so much has come to because of practicing yoga. here goes.
i started practicing this yoga right after my amazing husband and i got married in 1999. at the time, i was working for mass mutual as the business manager and was overcome by piercing back pain. i went to the doctor and was told i had herniated discs in lower spine l4, l5, s1.
i went down many roads to heal my spine. first stop was talking to a doctor who suggested surgery - 50 percent success rate,
physical therapy - told i was a slouch, pain management - needles of narcotics that made me high as a kite.
chiropractor - instant relief in the adjustments but not long term, frozen pees to numb the pain before sleeping. and then someone said go try this yoga...
bikram yoga...good for the spine. i checked it out. hated it. it worked. healing my spine is just the first thing that happened. here are some of the other things in no particular order.
my diet. this has been a big one. i drank soda regularly. i drank alcohol on a more frequent basis and of course that went hand in hand with smoking. i ate whenever i felt like it and had no thought about what it was that i consumed. i often ate out. that has all change. i eat a vegetarian diet. i plan my meals and most of them are eaten at home. i drink alcohol on occasion but rarely. i still like to have a drag of a cigarette when that happens but i never feel good after it. i rarely drink soda. i did add coffee to the mix. hey, we can't be perfect.
my fashion style. i think i had a habit of being influenced by my friends wardrobe. now i have a better sense of who i am, what i like and what works for me. all of the clothes i have fit me and reflect who i am.
my career choices. first thing...quit job, go to yoga school and became a teacher. then added my current business as a professional organizer. prior to becoming a yoga teacher, i think i followed the path of one job leading into the next. i am lucky to have the ability to pick up skills to do a variety of jobs but that didn't necessarily mean it was something i wanted to do. now i am clearer about what it is that that motivates me and what i am passionate about.
my relationship. i am so clear about who is important to me. first and foremost is my husband. we are each others family. and in my friendships, i used to have so many relationships that i worked to keep going, regardless of whether or not that person seemed invested into it. now i am connected to the people that matter to me and i matter to them. it is that second part of the statement that i used to not take notice of...that i am important to them. some may think it is harsh but if you i am the only participating in the relationship there is a point that it just doesn't work.
my free time. i think i had a habit of doing what everybody else wanted so i was never clear about what worked for me. i like to take walks, practice yoga, hang out with friends, go to the movies, take dance class, travel. i do all these things.
there are so many more things but i think is a pretty good summary.
when i look at this, i think there is a common thread in all of it...i have learned who i am, what i want and was important to me. and i do it.
thank you yoga.
so much has come to because of practicing yoga. here goes.
i started practicing this yoga right after my amazing husband and i got married in 1999. at the time, i was working for mass mutual as the business manager and was overcome by piercing back pain. i went to the doctor and was told i had herniated discs in lower spine l4, l5, s1.
i went down many roads to heal my spine. first stop was talking to a doctor who suggested surgery - 50 percent success rate,
physical therapy - told i was a slouch, pain management - needles of narcotics that made me high as a kite.
chiropractor - instant relief in the adjustments but not long term, frozen pees to numb the pain before sleeping. and then someone said go try this yoga...
bikram yoga...good for the spine. i checked it out. hated it. it worked. healing my spine is just the first thing that happened. here are some of the other things in no particular order.
my diet. this has been a big one. i drank soda regularly. i drank alcohol on a more frequent basis and of course that went hand in hand with smoking. i ate whenever i felt like it and had no thought about what it was that i consumed. i often ate out. that has all change. i eat a vegetarian diet. i plan my meals and most of them are eaten at home. i drink alcohol on occasion but rarely. i still like to have a drag of a cigarette when that happens but i never feel good after it. i rarely drink soda. i did add coffee to the mix. hey, we can't be perfect.
my fashion style. i think i had a habit of being influenced by my friends wardrobe. now i have a better sense of who i am, what i like and what works for me. all of the clothes i have fit me and reflect who i am.
my career choices. first thing...quit job, go to yoga school and became a teacher. then added my current business as a professional organizer. prior to becoming a yoga teacher, i think i followed the path of one job leading into the next. i am lucky to have the ability to pick up skills to do a variety of jobs but that didn't necessarily mean it was something i wanted to do. now i am clearer about what it is that that motivates me and what i am passionate about.
my relationship. i am so clear about who is important to me. first and foremost is my husband. we are each others family. and in my friendships, i used to have so many relationships that i worked to keep going, regardless of whether or not that person seemed invested into it. now i am connected to the people that matter to me and i matter to them. it is that second part of the statement that i used to not take notice of...that i am important to them. some may think it is harsh but if you i am the only participating in the relationship there is a point that it just doesn't work.
my free time. i think i had a habit of doing what everybody else wanted so i was never clear about what worked for me. i like to take walks, practice yoga, hang out with friends, go to the movies, take dance class, travel. i do all these things.
there are so many more things but i think is a pretty good summary.
when i look at this, i think there is a common thread in all of it...i have learned who i am, what i want and was important to me. and i do it.
thank you yoga.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
food is the topic
i was thinking yesterday that i am eating all the time. but as my friend samantha would say "i am rediculous". why? well, i reviewed in my mind everything i ate.
breakfast - banana and handful of almonds, one cup coffee
snack - yogurt, apple, strawberries
lunch - chopped tuna with celery, onion
dinner - fried egg
people say that when they diet they feel like they are eating all the time and i feel that way too. that is until i recollect what i ate. yes, sam you are right. i am rediculous. that is a list of good, healthy food and normal amounts of it.
happy eating people.
breakfast - banana and handful of almonds, one cup coffee
snack - yogurt, apple, strawberries
lunch - chopped tuna with celery, onion
dinner - fried egg
people say that when they diet they feel like they are eating all the time and i feel that way too. that is until i recollect what i ate. yes, sam you are right. i am rediculous. that is a list of good, healthy food and normal amounts of it.
happy eating people.
Monday, February 6, 2012
what to say on this monday morning?
typically on a monday we are off and running with gaols and plans. i am changing it up. today is my monday list day to say what i am grateful for in my life. or at least what has happened in the last week. this may not be so exciting for you so feel free to skip it and i will be back tuesday. here goes...
thinks i am grateful for and this is in no exact order...just what comes to me
my husband who took care of me last night when i felt pretty darn lousy
having friends that live near me so that i can just walk over to their house to say hi - this is something i have always wanted
my buddies wiley and raj - my dog friends
finding a new hairstylist who has created a hip polished look and is ok with my decision to let my hair go grey
the incredible variety of fresh organic delicious food we have in super markets and restaurants in sf
my mom
my clients who trust me to create something awesome for them
bikram yoga that has provided so many opportunities and one of those is that i have been invited to hawaii next month to teach for a week. awesome.
rebecca and samantha
saskia's pursuit of consecutive yoga days
the endless opportunities to keep pursuing my dreams
i think that is pretty good for a monday. hope you find your gratefulness today as well.
thinks i am grateful for and this is in no exact order...just what comes to me
my husband who took care of me last night when i felt pretty darn lousy
having friends that live near me so that i can just walk over to their house to say hi - this is something i have always wanted
my buddies wiley and raj - my dog friends
finding a new hairstylist who has created a hip polished look and is ok with my decision to let my hair go grey
the incredible variety of fresh organic delicious food we have in super markets and restaurants in sf
my mom
my clients who trust me to create something awesome for them
bikram yoga that has provided so many opportunities and one of those is that i have been invited to hawaii next month to teach for a week. awesome.
rebecca and samantha
saskia's pursuit of consecutive yoga days
the endless opportunities to keep pursuing my dreams
i think that is pretty good for a monday. hope you find your gratefulness today as well.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
i have to learn to turn it off
recently i was at a friend's house and was getting the grand tour. pretty home i thought...but stuffed in all the corners with "stuff". i had so many ideas how i could transform the place but thankfully my filter was on. i didn't say a word and just smiled. when i saw even more of the stuff i just tried to focus my attention on my friend. but boy oh boy is it ever hard.
i wonder if that is true with all professions. the hair dresser that looks around the room and thinks..."honey stop dying your own hair". or the dentist...can you imagine the crazy teeth out there? that has to be something. thankfully i am learning some things to help me navigate this path.
happy Superbowl sunday.
i wonder if that is true with all professions. the hair dresser that looks around the room and thinks..."honey stop dying your own hair". or the dentist...can you imagine the crazy teeth out there? that has to be something. thankfully i am learning some things to help me navigate this path.
happy Superbowl sunday.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
I LOVE WHAT I DO
amazing. i didn't know the cap lock was on but i agree...I LOVE WHAT I DO.
yesterday, i reorganized my client's garage. for six hours i was focused on creating a good flow that makes sense...storing everything - holiday stuff, children's school work, baby clothes, sports equipment, house supplies, arts and crafts supplies, luggage...the list goes on and on. at the end...everything had a place and everything was in it's place. i turned a giant mess into something that is functional and looks good.
i love the entire process of trying things out. "does this work in this area", i ask myself. hmmm. a shelf can get changed three/four times before i decide what makes sense and looks right. sometimes it feels like i'm putting a rubix cube back together. and in the end, i get it right and all the colors to match up.
if you know me, you will understand this next declaration. there were boxes of photographs that my client want scanned. i found scanning person and got her business card. i decided i would tape the business card to the box. sure enough the photos had pieces of tape already stuck to them. and to my surprise they had numbers on the tape. the first piece of tape i saw...yep, the number was 222.
i was in the right place doing the right thing and i need to keep doing it. love it.
yesterday, i reorganized my client's garage. for six hours i was focused on creating a good flow that makes sense...storing everything - holiday stuff, children's school work, baby clothes, sports equipment, house supplies, arts and crafts supplies, luggage...the list goes on and on. at the end...everything had a place and everything was in it's place. i turned a giant mess into something that is functional and looks good.
i love the entire process of trying things out. "does this work in this area", i ask myself. hmmm. a shelf can get changed three/four times before i decide what makes sense and looks right. sometimes it feels like i'm putting a rubix cube back together. and in the end, i get it right and all the colors to match up.
if you know me, you will understand this next declaration. there were boxes of photographs that my client want scanned. i found scanning person and got her business card. i decided i would tape the business card to the box. sure enough the photos had pieces of tape already stuck to them. and to my surprise they had numbers on the tape. the first piece of tape i saw...yep, the number was 222.
i was in the right place doing the right thing and i need to keep doing it. love it.
Friday, February 3, 2012
staying youthful
ok, got that lovely hair cut i was hoping for. the hairstylist did tell me all i need to do is just dry the front of my hair a little bit. i told her i would try. so now the hair looks good. next stop...get rid of those sun spots and wrinkles.
yep, after the haircut i headed to a medical spa to get a chemical peel. the doctor who treated me called it a medical spa. so right now i type with a bright red face. after today i can expect three more days of shedding layers of skin.
i'll keep you posted.
yep, after the haircut i headed to a medical spa to get a chemical peel. the doctor who treated me called it a medical spa. so right now i type with a bright red face. after today i can expect three more days of shedding layers of skin.
i'll keep you posted.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
i am excited for my day
why am i excited? hair cut day!
as my friend samantha tells me "we just imagine the perfect hair cut that makes us look great but requires no effort". that is so true. she said this after i shared my requirements for today's do. but let me back up.
first, i haven't had a hair cut in probably six months. as a result, i have decided it is time to start with someone new. i went on to yelp and typed in "best hair cut" and the salon i am going to today came up. i read all the reviews from customers and made a call. they had 8 revies and all were five stars. one worry...price. i have paid everything from ten dollars to three hundred dollars...and the latter required cash! thankfully, the receptionist told me the cut would be $45 and that my stylist is "great". awesome price and confirmation of my choice...phew!
ok, now my requirements. i am growing my grey hair out and i want the style to be young-ish. i had bangs which looked good but like sam said, they require me to dry them to accommodate for widows peak. that's out (at least for now). i like that right now all of my hair can be put up into a ponytail. so it has to stay on the longish side but i want a style. oh did i say, it has to look good with out effort? i will bring in pictures as well to show what i am hoping for...neat, pollished, pretty and again no effort. of course these peoplehave their hair-dos done professionally but i am hopeful/delusional. i sense it's like believing in santa claus.
most important...pretty style with out effort. did i mentioned that the only time my hair is combed/brushed it is after a shower? hairstyle has to work with that feature too!
you can say it..."wow, andrea must believe in santa claus."
as my friend samantha tells me "we just imagine the perfect hair cut that makes us look great but requires no effort". that is so true. she said this after i shared my requirements for today's do. but let me back up.
first, i haven't had a hair cut in probably six months. as a result, i have decided it is time to start with someone new. i went on to yelp and typed in "best hair cut" and the salon i am going to today came up. i read all the reviews from customers and made a call. they had 8 revies and all were five stars. one worry...price. i have paid everything from ten dollars to three hundred dollars...and the latter required cash! thankfully, the receptionist told me the cut would be $45 and that my stylist is "great". awesome price and confirmation of my choice...phew!
ok, now my requirements. i am growing my grey hair out and i want the style to be young-ish. i had bangs which looked good but like sam said, they require me to dry them to accommodate for widows peak. that's out (at least for now). i like that right now all of my hair can be put up into a ponytail. so it has to stay on the longish side but i want a style. oh did i say, it has to look good with out effort? i will bring in pictures as well to show what i am hoping for...neat, pollished, pretty and again no effort. of course these peoplehave their hair-dos done professionally but i am hopeful/delusional. i sense it's like believing in santa claus.
most important...pretty style with out effort. did i mentioned that the only time my hair is combed/brushed it is after a shower? hairstyle has to work with that feature too!
you can say it..."wow, andrea must believe in santa claus."
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
what are the words today?
the dilemma of a daily blog, or close to that, is i have to have a topic. but what happens if i have nothing? i am reading a book about an alcoholic writer who post binge has challenges writing. one of her tricks to come up with a story is to just write down a bunch of random words and then see if she can link them together and get her story from there. i'm game. here goes.
music
nature
miracles
silence
joy
teacher
thread
let's just see...do i have something here? maybe. but instead of trying to create something i think i will just sit for a moment and twirl these words around for a while.
happy wednesday people. i'm out.
music
nature
miracles
silence
joy
teacher
thread
let's just see...do i have something here? maybe. but instead of trying to create something i think i will just sit for a moment and twirl these words around for a while.
happy wednesday people. i'm out.
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