I’ve recently earned the Certificate of Study in Life Transitions from the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization . Understanding the concept and process of transition is critical to the organizing process, so I’m passing along some information on that subject that may help you understand and overcome your organizing challenges.
In his book Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes, William Bridges differentiates change versus transition. “Change,” he says, “is situational.” Things like a move to a new city, the birth of a baby or the death of a parent constitute change. “Transition, on the other hand, is psychological. It is not those events, but rather the inner reorientation and self-redefinition that you have to go through in order to incorporate any of those changes in your life. Unless transition happens, the change won’t work, because it doesn’t take.”
The organizing process typically involves both of these elements – getting organized involves change, but staying organized requires transition. That’s because disorganization is a merely a symptom of something deeper (e.g., physical difficulties, family issues, ADD/ADHD), and unless that underlying root cause is uncovered, the physical changes brought on by getting organized won’t last for the long term. On the surface, there’s clutter, missed appointments, bills that are paid late, and general disarray. But something deeper is causing this chaos, and when I’m working with a client, it’s part of my job to find out what that is.
If you’re ready to make a change and get organized, be sure to dig deeper and uncover the root causes of your disorganization so you can not only change your environment, but actually make the transition to a life of organization. The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization has a fact sheet that can help you identify some of the causes of your disorganization. Download this free information to help analyze the source of disorganization in your life. I’d love to hear what you discover about yourself.
Trackbacks /
Pingbacks