Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter

A New Story

I believe in the power of storytelling. I like to write, I love to read, and I spent many years acting, which is a form of storytelling. The stories we tell are important, especially the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

Sometimes, I need to tell my clients a new story about themselves. If they’re telling themselves a story in which they are overwhelmed, incompetent and slovenly, I tell them, “You are creative, involved and engaged in the world, and totally, totally capable of developing a few new habits.”

Are you telling yourself stories that hold you back? Are you sure that you’re cluttered because your mother was cluttered? Do you have a story that you are always too busy to keep up with your mail? Maybe it’s time for some new stories.

Recently, I was talking to someone about my fears about my children; my fear that because they don’t read, I’m absolutely sure they will never be able to succeed in life. I’ve shared this particular fear with many people who have nodded their heads in agreement, but this person looked at me and said, “What makes you so sure?”

Suddenly, I saw that I had been creating a narrative that might close me off to other strengths my kids may be developing, and as a result actually doing them harm— they might believe that if they don’t read they won’t be successful, even as they refuse to read. Don’t get me wrong, I still think my children should read. But, I have to work on reframing the narrative, because I know my kids can be successful, and maybe, in their tech-savvy, meditating-in-bed-with-a-laptop-way, they know all kinds of things that are completely beyond me, and that is as it should be.

I know you can get organized. Right now, in this turbulent time, when everything is upended, might be the perfect time for you to change the story about yourself. Maybe your story was I can’t do it all, it’s too much, but now that everyone is home your new story could be I shouldn’t do it all, and now that we are all home, we can all pitch in.

We are the masters of our own destiny. We can change our story any day we choose. We can decide to let go of ideas, clothes, apartments and even cities, and we can tell ourselves new stories about overcoming, adventure and change. So, don’t stay stuck in your old story. Write a new one—and then go live it.