Life Coaches Blog

The process of decluttering is a lot like GTD. For the uninitiated, GTD or Getting Things Done is the time-management process taught by David Allen, but I like to think of it as a decision-making process instead. In GTD, you make choices about what things that come into your life mean, whether and where they’ll find a place in it or not – a process that comes in very handy when you’re cleaning up your clutter.

The GTD wallpaper created by Stefanos Karagos, which breaks the GTD process down into a simple graph. Click for a larger version.

Why Get Things Decluttered?

David Allen, founder of GTD, likes to make the point that the stuff in your life occupies psychic RAM – the problem is that most people don’t process that stuff properly and so it creates unnecessary stress.

I remember growing up we use to play a game called ‘tag’. I’m sure you remember playing this game with the neighborhood kids. One or more kids would count to 10 and then chase other kids to tag them and they would be what we called ‘it’. The kids who were tagged were the next ones to count, chase, and tag kids. A couple other things I think of when I think about the word ‘tagged’ is when graffiti artists tag walls with spray paint or when people get tagged with a tattoo somewhere on their body.

There is another form of being tagged that can really have an impact on a person’s life and many times they don’t even know it. We all get tagged with words, some good and some not so good. Words can have a profound impact on someone’s life. Profound, because words mold and shape us into the very thing spoken about or to us and can last a lifetime.

The week or so before the holidays was hell on wheels at my house. The task of raising two teenagers as a single Mom and all its attendant responsibilities creates a good deal of tension within our four walls. Any parent of a teen will understand. Too often I get the feeling that my life with them is nothing but nagging, cajoling and getting them to do the things they need to do to be responsible adults, not to mention making it through their days with everything handled. A blowup with my son over infractions against house rules caused him to say he wanted to move out. How to get back in touch?

What does it mean to be a warrior?

Older readers will know I’m a practitioner of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. My fascination with the martial arts started at an early age, before Taijutsu I was doing Wing Chun, which was my first real schooling in martial arts.

Looking back at why I picked up the martial arts, I think it was a combination of wanting to know I could take care of myself if things ever got rough, and even take care of my loved ones if it ever came down to it.

Now I don’t know if I could, but I hope it never has to happen.

Lately, I’ve been wondering about what it means to be a warrior versus someone who practices a martial art. To find out, I read Jack Hoban’s Living Values articles – Jack is one of the most senior Bujinkan members and an ex-Marine. I thought if anyone would know what it means to be a warrior it would be him.

After an introductory video, Tony talks about the difference between success and fulfillment.

Tony explains the 3 pillars that make an extraordinary life. The first pillar is you have to know where you are right now, where you want to go, and make your future compelling enough that it naturally pulls you towards it.

The 2nd pillar is to get the best; the best map, the best tools, the best strategies, the best mentors.

If you have the first 2 pillars set, but you’re still not getting what you want, then you need the 3rd pillar – resolve inner conflicts.

Hear what Bill Clinton has to say about Tony!

I’m loving this new 12 minute interview of Tony Robbins on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos.

Some highlights; around 3:40 minutes into the video he talks about how depression happens when our life doesn’t match up to the expectations of what we think it should be. So it’s about identifying what you think your life should be, and then either changing the outside reality if that’s possible, or the inner one if it’s not (if you’re a 60 year old mom who still wants to give birth for example).

At 5:30 he talks frankly about how he reached bottom in his own life. It’s quite hard to imagine someone like Tony ever not being who he is, but also an inspiration that if he could turn it around so massively, maybe I could too.

At 6:30 minutes he talks about his tumor, and how facing a possible fatal situation affected him.

We’ve come to the last day of my live foods day ‘fast’! At last, after a whole day of nothing but drinking juices and water, I could finally sink my teeth onto something solid.

What I Ate

First up was this fresh bowl of grapes, strawberries and mangoes to break my fast. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that much of a big deal, I suppose I didn’t want to just munch on something solid, I wanted something warm and filling as well.

I drove the car out to make a quick repair, and I didn’t feel any difficulties at all being outside (except needing to pee more often and getting hungry again). When I came back, I couldn’t resist another one of those yummy and filling avocado milkshakes.

In fact, I couldn’t resist so much I drank nearly a third before I remembered to take a picture!

It’s nearing the 2nd day of my live foods ‘fast’, and today I only had liquids with no solid foods.

What I Drank

Lots of juices, some herbal tea and lots of water. I juiced different kinds of fruits and vegetables; pineapple, apple, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, bananas, so on.

I kept my physical activities light, and except for a bicycle ride to the nearest grocery store, didn’t do much except for reading and writing.

I only ‘caved’ twice. Once was when I was feeling hungry in the late afternoon, so instead of a straight fruit juice, I made an avocado milkshake. Avocados are nice and filling, but according to who you talk to, milk can be one of the worst things on earth to drink (find out why from Christine Kane).

Inspired by Steve Pavlina’s 30 days raw food trial, I decided to do a short 3 day live foods ‘fast’ this weekend. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do to give my stomach a chance to detox, and this weekend was wide open so it looked like a good time.

Rules for the Next 3 Days

This is what I set out to do; I’ll only be eating live foods on day 1, which means vegetables, fruits and nothing processed. I won’t be too strict on myself though, which allows me some yummy dressing for my salads.

On day 2, I’ll be going on a all-liquid fast with water and juices. On day 3, I’ll be back on a live food day, maybe something heavier in the evening to transition me back to office food on Tuesday.

What I Ate

I woke up yesterday to a fresh morning breakfast of strawberries, mango and grapes.

Everything I’ve been thinking about personal development these last few months, everything I’ve wanted to say but didn’t know how, this video nails it completely in just under 3 minutes.

Looking for the answer on how to be someone – someone that matters?

Made by Monday 9am.