When It Comes Naturally

I've been in business for 14 years and the one piece of advice I give to new Professional Organizers is this: Owning your own business is like raising children - if it doesn't feel natural, it's probably not going to work. Then, I follow-up with the story about trying to sleep train our first-born, our son Sebastian. Once I knew I wanted to give it a try, I read all of the books and told my husband what we needed to do. Then, we tried and failed miserably - I probably cried half as much as Sebas those nights. Then, having had more time to process the lessons learned from that experience, a few years later when our daughter Clara was born, we tried and succeeded.

I recently had an epiphany with some long-term clients, a husband and wife living in chronic disorganization and a hoarding home. Although we had achieved some truly amazing results over the years we'd been working together, there were always strong feelings of tension, frustration and stress surrounding this project - for me certainly and surely for them as well. The other day on my way to their home to begin the first of two consecutive full-day sessions, I received let's say an 'edgy' and accusing text message from the wife, which was certainly not the first I'd received from her over the years. What was different this time, though, was that it finally hit me that it is not ok, healthy or even normal for me to be that stressed out when working with a client - it's just not 'me'. My response to the message: we're done. We need to part ways before I lose my head and end up in (another, I'm embarrassed to admit) shouting match with her. Luckily I had my level-headed team lead with me that day (TY, Tristan :) so he and I talked alot and discussed our options. We arrived at the decision to finish the two days, for me to take a pause and allow time to do its job. In other words, don't force a decision - let it come naturally.

The timing of this couldn't have been better. My husband and I are dropping Clara off at summer camp in North Carolina next week and have decided to spend the time nearby and do whatever we want. I admit I do have some work calls scheduled most mornings but nothing past 10:30. I'll never be far from my lists that I use to process the logistics of business ownership, but I'm also planning on watching lots of World Cup soccer and diverting my thoughts with some bracelet-making for my favorite team, Ecuador (si se puede!:). My guess is that taking a step back , using other parts of my brain and (as if I could) relaxing a bit, the decision on what to do about this situation with the client will happen - naturally.

Wish me luck, friends.

>3 Aubrei