There’s a thing that happens about 70 percent of the time when I meet someone new (a potential client, during a networking event when they learn what I do, etc.)
The person inevitably says something like:
- “I cleaned up my office since I knew you were coming. I didn’t want to feel embarrassed when you walked in and saw my mess.”
- “I’m two minutes late. I bet you are NEVER late and in fact are five minutes early for everything.”
- “I just don’t know what to do with this. I bet you have a place for everything and that your office and even your house are perfectly organized.”
- “I bet you are always prepared and never forget anything because you have all these systems to help you get it all done.”
Today’s note is “J” and it’s alllllll about judgment.
See, when people say these things to me, I squirm and get tremendously uncomfortable.
Please, take me off those pedestals.
I’m not perfect. I will never, ever claim to be. My organization isn’t perfect, my house isn’t totally organized, my systems aren’t infallible and I am certainly late sometimes! (All shocking, I realize.)
Life happens. Stuff goes wrong. Things get messy. Other people are involved. I get lazy. Or tired.
And it’s okay! You know why?
Because each of us – we are all human.
My goal is compassion and understanding when I tell people that working with me is a “no judgment zone.” I work very hard to create a “cone of safety” for people to lay out their issues in a space of trust.
And based on the sheer numbers of people who express feelings of shame or embarrassment around their organizational skills or business systems, I think the world seems to be lacking in compassion and understanding just as much as we lack compassion and understanding for ourselves.
To that end, if you have been avoiding signing up for one of my Make Some Room Rendezvous sessions with me because you’re afraid to “pull back the curtain” on the state of your stuff, systems, or business, I’ll ask you gently and firmly to STOP.
Stop worrying about what I might think or feel or say. Our sessions are 100 percent confidential. I’ve literally seen it all. Nothing is too big a mess or too unorganized.
And the glorious thing is I can help. But only if you’ll have compassion for yourself and reach out!
Make some room,
Angie
P.S. Remember, I’ve only got few sessions available for December. The investment is a mere $350 for 2013 and jumps to $500 on January 1, 2014.