The Posh Blog

Have you had a chance to be inspired by the Last Lecture:  Achieving Your Childhood Dreams by Randy Pausch?  If you are not one of the more than 5 million people who have viewed the Last Lecture on YouTube I hope I can inspire you to watch it.     

Randy delivered the traditional last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University in September 2007 after learning that his battle with cancer would soon be coming to an end.  In his lecture Randy talked about the life lessons he had learned and the importance of living your childhood dreams.  In fact Randy was passionate about inspiring others to live their dreams.   

Randy talked about how sometimes on the way to a dream we run into a brick wall.  He says “The brick walls are there for a reason.  The brick walls are not there to keep us out, the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.  The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.  They’re there to stop the other people.”   

How have your dreams and challenges impacted your life?  Have you run into some brick walls?  How did you handle them?  What can you do today to make some of these dreams possible?   

Take a few minutes to think about what your childhood dreams were.  I did and it was fun and enlightening.  I thought about things that had not crossed my mind for years.  I update my goals annually and after revisiting my childhood dreams I realized how relevant many of my childhood dreams were to what I do today and what I want today.  Isn’t that funny?  All those tests you take in school to determine what you should be when you grow up are really relevant.  Who knew?!  So for me this has sparked me to add some of my childhood dreams, which have not been accomplished, to my current day goals.   

Are your dreams still relevant?  Can they still be achieved?  Is it something that you want to achieve?  What is one action you can do today to help you reach your dream?  Are you are brave enough to post a comment with five of your childhood dreams?  The first person to post a comment with five of their childhood dreams will receive one of my “Favorite Products Guides” (a value of $24.95).  If you are the second or third person to post a comment I will send you a Levenger Recpeit Holder (a value of $3.20).  

I hope you take a look at Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture; it may be just what you need to achieve one of your childhood dreams.   

In case you want a good chuckle, here are a few of my childhood dreams:

1. Become an Interior Designer (no surprise there)
2. Have two children and a wonderful husband-Yea!
3. To own a label maker (mission accomplished!).
4. Become a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader (I was going to audition in 2002, but decided to race in a triathlon that took place at the same time as the auditions-sometimes we find new dreams)
5. Become a New York City Rockette (do you see a theme here?).
6. Own a Gucci purse (I know it’s superficial, but that goes way, way back).
7. To surf in Hawaii
8. To be the woman in the “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan…Because I’m a WOMAN…” commercial.  I wanted to bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, wearing heels and look fabulous doing it. (Similar to I’m A Woman by Peggy Lee)
9. I wanted to be the first woman to own a major league baseball team.  (I know that one is not possible now, but maybe I could be the first Hispanic woman to own a baseball team).
10. To have a bear as a pet.  (not a teddy bear, a real live bear).
11. To be a public speaker (Go me!  I’m still looking to expand this if anyone’s interested)
12. To be an entrepreneur.  Although I didn’t know what an entrepreneur was or how to spell it for that matter, I was functioning as one at a very young age.

 Enjoy the good life,

Angela

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com. 

Have you ever been hit by organizing inspiration?   It’s that fleeting moment when you realize “I need to get organized” and then you do one of two things.  You either get energized and roll with the inspiration or you say “I have too many other things to do today, I’ll get to it later”.  ARHHH!  You just lost it!  If you naturally have a difficult time getting organized and finding the time to do it then you need to seize the opportunity when ever it arises.  Even if you just start working on a project for 30 minutes, at least you have made a dent in your organizing project.   

Now this may go against some of the traditional time management techniques but if this helps you get the job done then you should defiantly seize the opportunity.   

So be on alert for one of those moments when you actually are inspired to get organized and see how much progress you can make.   

If you have a good tip that helped you get motivated, we would love to hear from you. 

Enjoy the good life,

Angela

 Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com. 

  Last week I had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Professional Organizers Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada.  It was a fantastic event!   The ever so dynamic Peter Walsh, seen regularly on The Oprah Show and TLC’s Clean Sweep, delivered a stellar Keynote speech that inspired and motivated the hundreds of attendees.   

So what did Peter talk about that was so earth shattering?  One thing he talked about that really struck me was about how as a Professional Organizer my job is to help my clients realize their relationship with their stuff AND that I need to help people reassess their material goods.  This being something I do already, I was thrilled that I was on the right track, but it is always reaffirming to hear this from someone with such influence and impact.   

If you have heard me speak or keep up with my newsletter or blog you know that talking about reducing clutter and letting go is one of my favorite subjects.  It is something I that I understand.  I know what it feels like to want to keep so much stuff, I understand how it feels to be suffocated by the stuff, and I also understand how it feels when the switch goes off and you realize you don’t have to keep so much stuff.  It’s an incredibly freeing and joyous feeling.   

Not only is my job to help people reduce the clutter and feel good about it but also to coach my clients on getting into the habit of only buying what they need and love.  This is such a pertinent topic right now with an uncertain economy and it being so close to Earth Day (April 22^nd).  Most people are probably really making conscious choices right now about their purchases.  They are carefully considering where they spend their money and what they buy and bring into their homes.  This is a great habit to continue even after the economy recovers.  Think of how much money you would save if you never bought anything you didn’t need or want?  Think of how much less stuff you would have to manage in your home?  Of course, if everyone did this that would put me out of a job, and that would be fine by me.    

Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.  

I had a rare opportunity to catch a few minutes of The Oprah Show the other day and I think I must have caught the most relevant part of the show to what I do.  Oprah had guest Suze Orman on and they were answering people’s financial questions.   

The guest they were interviewing was a woman named Aimee who had been living a lavish life and in light of the Nations financial instability her family’s finances have suffered.  She had been buying anything and everything she wanted “WITHOUT even looking at the price tags” she told Oprah and Suze.  After much discussion with Oprah and Suze Aimee realized that her possessions had been ruling her happiness.  I believe Suze said “Your car is not an extension of you”.  “It’s transportation” said Oprah.  “I became my possessions” said Aimee.   

This was a turn around moment for Aimee.  When she realized that she already had everything she needed.  She had a home, family, food, and her husband still had a job.  But she realized that all the stuff she thought she needed really was not that important.   

Sometimes it’s hard to make these decisions and sometimes life throws a situation at you that forces you to make these decisions.  We are NOT our possessions.  This is an important thing to remember as we are trying to make decisions on reducing our possessions and clutter in our own home and lives.  I know it can be difficult to do, but the FREEDOM and joy you can experience from this can transform your life.   

I hope this inspires and moves you to take action in your own space.  Even if it’s just taking out a bag of stuff a day, just start the process. 

Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.