My place has been messy lately.

Partly because I've been focused on other things.

Partly because paper piles (my struggle) can be daunting.

Partly because I love a dramatic finish so waiting until it's a mess

gives me an adrenaline rush of accomplishment when I tidy up.

I used to judge myself for making these messes.

Now I do my best to embrace and bless the mess and me.

Perhaps our messiness is a sign of the creative genius with too

many projects and interests to keep in perfect order on the daily, ha!

Don't get me wrong, I love an orderly space and I thrive in this.

Every thing has a 'home'... even the not-sure-what-to-do-with papers.

But sometimes mess happens because other things are more important.

And that's okay.

Even the Tidy-Up Queen Marie Kondo has lightened up on

her Tidying Obsession as shared in this article.

Look around your home right now, or your office, or desktop.

How does it feel? Is it time to tidy up?

Or can you let this go for now, until you feed the kids,

get your taxes done, or finish that timely project?

The biggest thing about our mess is how we feel about it, and more importantly, how we feel about ourselves related to being messy

and not as 'together' as we think we should be.

Chronic disorganization, lack of effective systems and routines, and things

not having a 'feel good' sensible home are certainly issues to address

because this can negatively impact our mental, emotional and

physical health and well-being over time.

This is something hiring a professional organizer like me can help with.

But in our day-to-day busy lives, it's okay to have messes at times.

Liberation comes when we let go of the image of being a certain way.

This is not only true of perfection around looking like we are on top of everything, including having a home that is neat and orderly 24-7.

Freedom also shows up when we are willing to share deeper

truths about the messiness of our lives with ourselves and others.



From a young age, we learn to hide our inner and outer messes,

our fears and disappointments, our hurts and shame.

We learn to 'fake it till we make it,' 'think positive,'

say we are 'fine,' and share only the good news.

Toxic positivity and clever image-crafting is self-sabotaging.

This kind of hiding is a form of self-betrayal, and it directly contributes

to our sense of heaviness, isolation and despair.

Sometimes...

Life is messy.

Relationships are messy.

Family dynamics are messy.

We are messy.

And that's okay.

In this video 'Embracing the Mess,' a woman talks about creating

a sharing circle where women to talk openly, vulnerably, and deeply.

What a wonderful world this would be if we all had safe spaces to be open

and vulnerable, and learned to embrace the messiness of life together.

Authenticity and connection are more important than image.

We live in a world filled with misery because of picture-perfect lives

we try to live up to that aren't realistic, honest or sustainable.

Genuine connection comes from sharing our stories and our messes openly, honestly and bravely. It is in being vulnerable with ourselves and others that we find out we are not alone, we are not crazy, and we are not the only ones.

Sharing our mess connects and expands us.

Remember, we are all enrolled in Earth School together.

It is complex terrain and dense curriculum here.

This being human is messy business.

Compassion & Humor helps.

Show up, do your best and bless the rest.

Be kind and gentle with yourself.

If you need help creating more order and flow in your home,

office, or life reach out to me for a free consultation.

In Joy and Messiness,

Teri Jo

God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the Courage to change the things I can,

And the Wisdom to know the difference.

~The Serenity Prayer

Understanding is the first step to acceptance,

and only with acceptance can there be recovery.

~J.K. Rowling

VIDEO: Another Perspective (5 minutes)

You couldn't relive your life, skipping the awful parts, without losing

what made it worthwhile. You had to accept it as a whole -

like the world, or the person you loved.

~Stewart O'Nan

The ORGANIZED Corner

This is where I share about my Home Organizing business - a tip or trick,

a client story, a win or struggle as a soulo business owner.

TIP: A few of my favorite Organizing Supplies

Got clutter? Paper piles? An overflowing inbox? Not enough time?

Call me at 310-907-6846 to book your free consultation

terijowheeler.com

Don't look for peace. Don't look for any other state than the one you are

in now; otherwise, you will set up inner conflict and unconscious resistance. Forgive yourself for not being at peace. The moment you completely

accept your non-peace, your non-peace becomes transmuted into peace. Anything you accept fully will get you there, will take you into peace.

This is the miracle of surrender.

~Eckhart Tolle

Meet the awesome and inspiring Lila Daruty. She is one of my very best friends! We met as elementary school teachers in the Hawthorne School District in 1999. She taught 4th grade and I was the new kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary. We first bonded over staying late after school daily to give our students the best possible experience in our classrooms. Lila is one of the best educators I've ever known. She is super smart, socially aware, easy-going, creative, passionate about reaching every kid, and deeply caring. Lila has done so many wonderful things in education over the past 24 years. In 2019 she became a principal in the Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District where she totally rocked leading her school community through the very challenging pandemic. Lila is revered and well-respected by all who are fortunate to collaborate and work with her! She is also a phenomenal mother to her awesome 8 year old son Ryder, and she adores her family.

One of Lila's greatest gifts besides her visionary heart and extraordinary leadership is her diplomacy. She knows how to handle tricky situations and have difficult conversations without being reactionary or punitive. She always puts kids first. She recently sent me the video below about education. It is soul-stirring, life-changing, system-rupturing stuff - seeing the trouble-makers and outliers as our greatest assets and teachers, here to help us change the entire education system to meet the needs of these fresh new incoming generations. Watching it made me so proud to be her friend and deeply grateful to know she is leading the way in her principalship to a better experience in education for all the lives she touches. Bravo Ms. Daruty! Thank you for being so brilliantly you!

If we want to grow as teachers - we must do something alien to academic culture: we must talk to each other about our inner lives - risky stuff in a profession that

fears the personal and seeks safety in the technical, the distant, the abstract.

~Parker J. Palmer

The Courage to Teach

VIDEO: TroubleMakers in Education (56 Minutes)

The highest form of love is the love that allows for intimacy

without the annihilation of difference.

~Parker J. Palmer

Movie Rec: You People

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of

great strength. However, there are times when it takes much

more strength to know when to let go and then do it.

~Ann Landers

To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow -

this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.

~Elizabeth Gilbert

A SONG 4 U: 'Gift of Acceptance' by India Arie

Because you are alive everything is possible.

~Thich Nhat Hanh