I’m putting this out there ….I struggle with staying organized. …. This manifests itself  in many ways. For example, it's not a given that when I take out the salt,  I remember to put it back. Same with a skirt I decided not to wear, or  a book I took off of the the shelf to read. PAPERS!!!! MY EMAIL INBOX!!!  I know many people are organizationally challenged and  I’m not alone in this struggle. The problem is, that I thrive in an organized environment, so this is serious work for for me on so many levels. The most important point that I need to accept and internalize is,  THIS IS WHO I AM. I need to try extra hard at something that seems so innate to others.

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I think it's safe for me to say there are moments  that most of us want to be something or someone that we are not.  Sometimes it seems like life would go so much smoother  if only we  had a different skill, trait or disposition.   We may think that if we were more  like this one or that one,  life would sail on smoothly without  any tidal waves.

We must challenge these thoughts.  The more we dwell on this idea, the more likely we are to get stuck in a negative outlook. Positive self talk is very helpful in situations when you may feel overwhelmed. One great way to do this is reframing. This is a tool to help look at a situation in another way. Just like you can physically see an object from multiple angles, you can “see” a situation from another angle than what your initial instinct is telling you. (There are probably many reasons why your thoughts are going in that direction, but I will save that for another post) Is it possible to commend yourself at that moment on being able to recognize an area in your life that needs improvement ? Are  you able to recognize something positive about yourself. All character traits have a manifestation for both good and not so good- notice how I didn't use the word bad.  

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 This  valuable tool  helps  us work through and even minimize  the yucky feelings that may come up when feeling “less than”. Here is an example of how I can reframe the situation when I am feeling frustrated with myself. Instead of beating myself up and making myself even more miserable, I think this.  A more organized person is usually more structured. The same flexibility that makes putting things away so challenging,  provides me with an easy going nature, for which I feel truly blessed. It's easy  for me to give the benefit of the doubt. I don't mind when there is a change in plans, and I am definitely open to hearing and understanding various points of view. Another positive aspect of this character trait is my creativity. I imbue my creative energy into everything I do and even how I think. I remind myself that these are the parts of me that enable introspection and growth, which are some of my core values.

Allow yourself some time to process this idea. Think about how you can apply the tool of reframing to your thoughts. This may be an easy transition or it may take time. Either way, keep in mind that we are all works in progress.