No Longer Suffering

First, I apologize for not posting last week. I was having a very hectic week and just did not have the time to write up a post.

This week I want to tell you about FlyLady.

www.FlyLady.net
Marla Cilley is The FlyLady. Since 1999, she has been a mentor
to over half a million women teaching them
how to organize their homes and how to love themselves.

Back in the early 2000s I was suffering from a pretty severe depression. It kept me from doing anything, and the less I did the more depressed I became. I am an artist and had not painted anything in years because I did not feel I deserved to create art if my home/life was such a mess. It was a vicious circle and I was spiraling out of control and towards suicidal feelings.

Then, one day as I was reading Dear Abby online I saw the mention of The FlyLady. I immediately tried to go to her site but so many people were trying to look at her site at the same time that it crashed her server. Still, I decided to try again a few days later and I am glad I did. The words "Are you suffering from CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)" were the first words I saw and I was hooked.

The more I read on her site the more I was convinced this woman was spying on my life. I shined my sink and signed up for her email, and started to follow her system.  

Slowly my life started to come together again, and I felt a weight load off my shoulders. My depression started to leave as well. And, FlyLady gave me permission to do my artwork, even if I was not finished de-cluttering and cleaning. I felt like I was born into a new life. My home and life are still not "perfect" but they are a lot better than they were "before FlyLady". 

I picked up Marla's book, Sink Reflections. It, in my mind, describes the system in a more understandable way than does the website, and I would highly recommend picking up a copy. Also, read this post by FlyLady: Suffering Alone. She really describes how many of us are feeling.

I've learned that even doing a little helps. As FlyLady says: "It did not get messy overnight and you can't expect it to get cleaned overnight. Setting a timer for 15 minutes helps you not get distracted. You can do anything for 15 minutes. Baby-steps not perfection. If you don't love it, need it, or use it --> out it goes. Divide your home into zones and work on one zone a week. You can't organize clutter, you can only get rid of clutter."

If you are just getting started with Evernote, I suggest that you buy Brett Kelly’s remarkably practical e-book, Evernote Essentials, Second Edition. It is worth setting aside a couple hours to work through this brief, 95-page book. It will save you DAYS of learning Evernote on your own.

Over the years I have learned to let go of clutter, I have joined a very friendly and extremely active local FlyLady support group and have made some wonderful and supportive friends, I have been actively creating art, I have been involved in my community, and, although I still get depressed at times, it has never been to that horrible low and I no longer get suicidal feelings. In essence, Marla Cilley - The FlyLady, saved my life.

By shining my sink I have regained control over my life, my home is better, my marriage is better, and I'm a better me.

See you next Friday!