Ta Da!

Have you ever read one of those books where you see yourself and have a great transformation? I'm not talking Eckhart Tolle, I'm talking something a bit closer to home. Literally. I've just read a book that has changed my life. Yes, I know--another one. But this. This!

One of the themes running thru recent blog posts-- and come to think of it, my life-- has been clutter & (dis)organization. It's been a lifelong struggle. I get organized and then natural entropy takes over. Then I just close the door. The women-folk in my fam are all uber-organized. It's inconthevable to Mum just how I can spread out as much as I do. But she also marvels at my artistic abilities. So there's that.

I've always chalked it up to being left-handed, because I really am one of those right-brained dominant people--creative, big picture-oriented, AND I totally lose track of time. The mundane deadens my soul. That last sentence just spilled out, so it must be true.

Enter Lanna Nakone with 4 organizing styles based on a brainy questionaire:

Prioritizing: Frontal left part of brain. Adept at analyzing data, delegating king or queen.
Maintaining: Posterior left part of brain. Routines & traditional organizing methods. (Prolly wrote many of those books sitting on my shelf).
Harmonizing: Posterior right part of brain. All about people & relationships. Needs a peaceful environment. I bet Oprah is a Harmonizing type.
Innovating: Frontal right part of brain. Artistic & creative. Has a unique stacking system that no one else understands. Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Perhaps I just needed validation & understanding. But it's rare to find myself on the pages of an organization book. This time I'll file everything. A place for everything & everything has its place. Blah. Blah. Blah. And then entropy wins.

"Studies by Dr. Richard Haier...demonstrate that the brain works up to one hundred times harder when trying to perform activities utilizing functions that don't match our innate talents. This increased energy expenditure can lead to a variety of problems, including diminished success and health."


Working with the brain makes so much sense, doesn't it? Whether it's in education or marketing, understanding how the brain works--and how your brain works, is the foundation for success. So this is what made me fall in love with Lanna: "Sorry to keep bringing this up, but let's get this out in the open. It is your worst issue. No one understands your relationship with paper but you." Hahahahaha So you know how some people have everything colour-coded and filed? Here's my new filing system blessed by Lanna: Put all important papers in a box labeled "Important Papers." Done. Enough to drive a Maintaining type crazy. But it works for me.

This book is about organizing, but so much more. How you sort not just stuff, but information. She goes into Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic preferences, as well. I would hazard a guess that this book could possibly save marriages & other co-habitators. THANK YOU, Lanna!

P.S. This is not an excuse to say "this is the way I am" and continue to be a slob. Rather, it helps to identify your particular style and work with your strengths to create harmony in your household. It not only identifies your strengths & weaknesses, but shows you the way out of your disorganization. BRILLIANT.