When I first started this business, I did it because I loved organizing. And I assumed that that reason alone was why I have kept it up all these years (9 years, to be exact!). But I was recently listening to an episode of The Life Coach School podcast and they were asking business owners to find their “Hard Why”. In other words, what is the reason you work so hard? Why does doing this job & running this business matter so much to you?
My first thought was, of course, “I do this because I love organizing.” But I dug deeper.
Getting to my “Hard Why”
Seven and a half years ago, my Mom died. She was diagnosed with liver cancer on November 7th. She died exactly 3 months later on February 7th. She was 61 years old. Until she was diagnosed, she was the epitome of health.
She was thin and strong. She walked to work every day. And, when she didn’t walk to work, she worked out at the gym. She ate right. She never smoked. She hardly drank. There was nothing in her history that would have led us to see this coming. But just like that, she went from healthy to sick. And then she was gone.
I struggled a lot. We had an amazing relationship and the same year she died was the year our first son was born.
To say I missed her terribly was an understatement. I needed her so desperately and struggled with postpartum depression. I was so used to knowing exactly how to do my job but this one had me totally out of my element. I felt like my Mom would have had all the answers so raising a child without her felt like an exercise in failure.
How could I do this without my Mom to show me ropes?
Going back to work was a gift. It felt so good to be back doing something I actually knew how to do! But I now realize the reason it felt so good to go back to work wasn’t just because I loved doing it. The death of my Mom had given me my “Hard Why”.
My Mission
I don’t want another person wasting a single second on their home when they could be spending that time with their family. Or pursuing their dreams. Or doing any number of things that bring them joy.
Life is just too damn short.
Our future is not a given. We are not promised tomorrow. We are not even promised this next hour or minute. All we have is right now.
That is why I do this work.
I want to take this task off of as many plates as possible so it no longer takes up 10 line items on their to-do list. If it didn’t, imagine all of wonderful things that could take it’s place?
“Organize the Pantry” could become “Work on my business branding strategy.”
“Clean my closet” could become “Spend the day in the mountains.”
“Organize garage” could become “Read a chapter in my book. Go to park with the kids. Make a healthy meal. Go to yoga class.” (and yes, you could literally do all of those things and more in the time it would take to organize a garage properly).
The point is, how do you want to spend the hours of your life?? Do you want to spend them doing things you don’t love, yelling at your family to put things away, spending your weekends “cleaning up”, only to find yourself in the exact same position the next month or next week?
Life changing magic
When Marie Kondo called her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she wasn’t kidding. Having an organized home is actually life changing. My clients are proof of that. People who live that way are proof of that. (Full disclosure: I don’t use the konmari method of organizing, but I do love how much attention she has brought to organizing through the popularity of her book and show.)
So that is my “Hard Why”. That is why I show up for clients week after week. Sometimes on weekends. And, on the odd occasion, in -30 degree weather during a blizzard. Because this job and the difference it makes in peoples lives matters BIG TIME to me.
If you are ready for help, if you are ready to get your life back, if you are ready to experience some ‘life changing magic’, please reach out. As the wise Jack Dawson from the box office giant ‘Titanic’ once said “Life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it.”
