Thriving After Adversity

As many of you know, I am a breast cancer survivor. I am excited to report that I will soon be celebrating my fifth year of survival following diagnosis. Yay! In case you didn't know, the five-year mark is kind of a big deal in Cancer World.

My life has changed in so many positive ways in the last five years and I am incredibly grateful for all the wonderful people I have come into contact with during and after my cancer experience.

I have often thought that my life would not have moved in the incredible directions it has were it not for cancer. I'm not sure that I would have been motivated to start my organizing business so soon. Or that I would have pursued the Coach for Life life coaching training program that I have just completed. These two things alone have brought me amazing happiness, fulfillment, and spiritual contentment.

Instead of wondering, "Why me?" when I discovered I had cancer, I chose to face the experience with a sense of wonder, hope, and even humor. This helped make treatment more of an adverture than a penance.

As I approach my five-year diagnosis anniversary, I would like to gather and share some stories from other people out there who have thrived after adversity. The challenges that they found themselves faced with don't have to be cancer or other illnesses. I would also love to hear from people who have thrived after the death of someone close, who found success following financial disappointments, or who have found hope and happiness after a disaster or accident.

You get the picture. I'm looking for people who made their own silver linings for the dark clouds they found themselves under. If you know someone whose story fits this bill, please forward this request to them or email me at suellen at creativeorder dot com and let me know how I can get in touch with them. I would like to include their stories in either this blog or a new one I may create devoted to the coaching side of Creative Order.

We could all use some positive mojo right now, don't you think?

Law of Attraction in Action: Michael Phelps

This weekend 23 year old Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps set a new record for the most gold medals won by an athlete at a single Olympics. The road to this amazing accomplishment hasn't been an easy one.

In elementary school, Phelps was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and briefly took Ritalin before telling his mother that his friends didn't use medicine and he would handle it himself. Along the way, a middle school teacher told Phelps that he would never be successful.

About this same time, he started swimming at North Baltimore Aquatic Club, the swim club where his sisters competed. It was there that he met coach Bob Bowman, the same coach that has trained Phelps ever since.

In a June, 2008 interview with TODAY's Matt Lauer, Coach Bob Bowman and Phelps discussed their goal-setting techniques. As the swimmer did before going to the Olympics in Athens, he writes his goals for the year down and keeps them next to his bed. When Lauer asked for hints as to what his 2008 Olympic goals would be, Phelps replied, "The times are faster and then Bob takes care of hopefully getting me to those times in training."

Lauer then asked Bowman what he believed would be written about Phelps after the 2008 Games were over. "Greatest Olympian ever," said the coach.

Now, there are two individuals who are very, very clear about their intentions. They write down their goals. They create a plan to reach those goals. Then they execute the plan. THOSE are steps we can all take to make our dreams come to fruition.

You see, it's not enough to just know what you want. You need to write it down. Then you have to take action, even if it's just small steps, toward your goals. You may feel uncomfortable at times. Occasionally during practice sessions, Bowman pushes Phelps past the point of exhaustion and into places he doesn't want to go. In an AP article on www.comcast.net, Phelps says, "Bob has a saying, 'Putting money in the bank.' When we train every day, sometimes there are workouts you don't like, don't want to do. Bob says you're putting money in the bank. I guess I put a lot of money in the bank over the last four years, and we withdrew pretty much every penny in the bank. After Bob and I both grab a little break it'll be time to start depositing."

When told that people are comparing him to golfer Tiger Woods, Phelps said, "I just think of myself as, honestly, a normal person coming here, swimming every day because I love it. I just have high goals for myself, and I don't want to give up until I achieve those."

Law of Attraction in Action: The Lost Briefcase

About twenty years ago, I was on my first trip to New York City for a trade show. Because the business trip coincided with my step-mother's birthday, I brought her along so we could spend a couple of days before the trade show exploring the city.

As anyone who has ever visited NYC can attest, the first visit is a bit overwhelming. Heck, the taxi ride from the airport to the hotel had us wide-eyed and fearful for our lives. As we piled out of the cab, I grabbed my carry-on and my suitcase out of the back of the cab, not realizing the my briefcase that contained the trade show booth assembly instructions was still in floorboard of the cab. While standing in line to check into the hotel, this realization swept over me, and thus begins my story of the law of attraction in action.

I immediately ran outside to see if the cab was still there. The bellman, seeing my panic, asked what cab company I rode in on. "I don't know! It was a yellow cab," I said. He chuckled and said, "Ma'am, that covers about 90% of the cabs in the city." My cab was long gone. So I went back to my room and began the process of wishing my briefcase back to me.

* Write it down. I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote that I would have my briefcase and the trade show booth instructions by Monday since that's when I needed to assemble the trade show booth.

* Visualize. I sat down, closed my eyes, and spent some quality time visualizing the briefcase back in my hands.

* Take Action. I checked with the hotel's Lost and Found a couple of times per day to see if it had been turned in. I even checked with the local police precinct. Keep in mind that this was before every person over 10 years of age had a cell phone. It's not as though someone could find the briefcase containing my business card and call my cell to arrange pickup.


* Let it Happen. Then I let the universe, spirit, angels (insert your version of your higher power) take over. Over the course of the weekend, my step-mom and I went shopping, took in a Broadway show, and explored Chinatown and Little Italy. All the while, I kept seeing myself with that briefcase back in my hands.

First thing Monday morning I checked with the hotel's Lost and Found again and the concierge suggested that I try calling Port Authority since that's where cabbies often take items left behind. I called. "What was the contents of the attache case?" the Port Authority officer asked me in a robotic tone. As I described the stuff inside, he said, "Yeah, it's here. Come on in and pick it up."

Believe. Visualize. Act. Receive.

Photo of NYC from Elwin W's flickr account.

Gratitude

Today is my 42nd birthday. Throughout my life, I've never made a big fuss over my birthday. I mean there have been the occasional blowout parties, but I usually prefer to spend my birthday with family and close friends having a decadent meal (or two). There was even a time in my life where I would actually groan about the additional year I now had to add to my age.

But after surviving breast cancer in 2003, I will NEVER again complain about the privilege of growing a year older. I now spend everyday (and especially my birthday) reflecting on how incredibly lucky I am to be here. I spend time thinking about all of the amazing blessings that I currently have in my life and all the wonderful experiences I will manifest in the future. So please indulge me as I acknowledge a few of the things I am most grateful for:

* My healthy, curvy, disease-free body
* My loving, funny, dependable, frugal husband
* My parents and in-laws who truly believe I can do anything I set my mind to
* My sweet dog, Ruby Pearl, who is living proof that the law of attraction works
* Wonderful friends who are my cheerleaders and coaches
* A solid house that is paid for
* Money that flows freely into my life
* Organizing clients that bring me so much joy, laughter, and life lessons
* Having the privilege of working in healthcare with wonderful co-workers, doctors, and staff for so many years. And having this great job be just 3 miles from my home.
* A positive, trusting, hopeful vision of the present and the future
* Creative ideas that continue to abound
* Organizing and coaching colleagues who are quick to share their experiences and advice
* God and the angels who watch over me and whisper to me when I ask for direction, encouragement, inspiration, and courage
* Liberty and the pursuit of happiness

I believe that, before you can attract better things into your life, you must be grateful for what you have now. Appreciate the gifts you have been given, make the most of what is right in front of you, right now.

Then, imagine how you can make your life even better. Make it so.

Looking for Blue Eyes

I believe in the power of intention, that if you believe you can do something, you can. I ran across a fun story this morning about a little boy who believed he could do something extraordinary, though in his youthful exuberance he may not have realized it was extraordinary.

The boy, Nicholas Wagner of Chicago, found a one-in-a-million, blue-eyed cicada in his backyard last Friday. His kindergarten class had been studying the 17-year cicadas and he learned that a rare blue-eyed version existed. He told his parents that he was going to find one and he did! His mother told one reporter, "He's been looking for a long time."

What I find so inspiring about this story is that this little guy decided what he wanted, actively and passionately set out to get it, and kept going until his mission was accomplished. Many older, wiser individuals might assume something so elusive would be impossible to find or that it would take too much time and work. But little Nicholas Wagner didn't let those silly notions stop him from reaching his goal.

Is there something you want that you think would be impossible to achieve? Remember this little explorer the next time those doubts start creeping in.

Learning Jack Canfield's Secrets

I'm just getting back from a week in Minneapolis where I attended the annual conference for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). What a blast!! It was so inspiring to hear lessons from some of the best experts in the organizing field including Judith Kolberg, Debbie Stanley, Dorothy Breininger, Barbara Hemphill, and Monica Ricci, just to name a few. Believe me when I tell you that these folks have done innovative and amazing things to move professional organizing forward, and they were so giving of their expertise.

But perhaps my favorite speaker of the week was Jack Canfield, motivational speaker, co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series, and author of one of my favorite books "The Success Principles". Additionally, he recently contributed his words of wisdom on the DVD for "The Secret. " I arrived early to the meeting hall so that I could get a good seat and ended up sitting fifth row center. Jack Canfield was amazing!! In his inspirational presentation, he focused on the importance of positive thinking, the incredible power of intention, and the necessity to commit your goals to writing.

Let me throw out the same challenge to you that he gave our audience of 900 Professional Organizers. In the next 24 hours, write down one goal in each of these three categories:

* Financial
* Business/Career
* Fun/Recreation

With each goal, write down how much and by when. For example, one of your goals could be that you'll make $100,000 per year by December 2009. If you really want to see results, you could also create a Vision Board that includes images representing your goals. Keep these written goals with you all the time and review them at least once per day. Visualize how great your life will be once you achieve your goals. See yourself having already achieved what you're wishing for...the new car, a better relationship with your teenager, a job promotion, or an organized office.

Then release the goal for the universe, the infinite force, God, or your own imagination to accomplish. Don't focus on the HOW. Focus on HOW MUCH and BY WHEN.

Finally, create one BIGGER goal. Canfield calls this your "Breakthrough Goal." Examples might be to write a book, be featured on a major talk show, get a big new corporate client, or find the man of your dreams. Stretch a little because if you believe you can do it, you can!

Please come back and leave us a comment as your dreams start coming true!

Organizing on Oprah

Oprah is on an organizing and personal improvement roll this week!

Today's (Weds., Feb 7) Oprah show is titled "This is the Year to DeClutter Your Life" and it features Peter Walsh from TLC's "Clean Sweep." He'll be helping two families reclaim their homes from the chaos of clutter.

But it's tomorrow's show (Thurs., Feb 8) on The Secret that I'm most excited about. I received a copy of The Secret DVD for my birthday last year (thanks, Dad!) and I absolutely love it. It teaches the techniques and, well, secrets that high achievers have used throughout history to accomplish seemingly impossible goals and live amazing lives. Based on the law of attraction and the power of intention, the lessons in The Secret can be used by anyone looking to make their dreams come true. You'll hear me refer to these concepts often in this "Better Organized" blog, because they are the foundation principles upon which I've built my life.

Tomorrow's episode features some of the contributors from The Secret including Jack Canfield, the creator of the "Chicken Soup" books and author of a couple of my favorite personal improvement books, "The Success Principles" and "The Aladdin Factor." So tune into Oprah and be prepared to be movitated!