Podcasts about tidying up the japanese art

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Best podcasts about tidying up the japanese art

Latest podcast episodes about tidying up the japanese art

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#446 - It's Not Too Late… But It Is Time

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2026 8:21


Today, I'm talking about something we often avoid. The truth about time - and how much we have. Life is not as long as we think. On average, we get around 4,000 weeks. And when you really stop and think about that, it changes everything. It certainly did for me. So if you've ever had that quiet thought that there must be more to your life, more joy, more meaning, more you, ...but you feel stuck and unsure where to begin, this episode is for you. In this episode, I share: Why feeling stuck is often just a lack of clarity, not a lack of capability The powerful mindset shift that comes from understanding how limited our time really is Why it's never too late to start, with inspiring real-life examples And the simple first step that can completely change your direction I also share a very personal story from my early twenties when I felt completely lost, and how one simple exercise helped me change everything. If you've been waiting for the perfect time, this is your reminder that your life is happening now. Your dream life is not a rehearsal. Let’s dive in. As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. Have a wonderful weekend …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#445 - Monday Motivation: "Instead of wondering when your next vacation is..."

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2026 9:16


Welcome to another short and empowering episode of Monday Motivation, giving you a dose of inspiration as you head into your week... Today, we explore Seth Godin's powerful reminder to create a life you do not need to escape from: "Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from." Three key takeaways: Why constantly counting down to a holiday can be a sign that your everyday life needs more attention. How getting clear on what you truly want is the first step to creating your dream life. Why small, intentional changes to your routine can completely shift how your life feels. Listen in and take a step toward living your dream life with more intention, joy and courage. As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. Have a wonderful week …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#444 - Life is Short. Start Creating Your Dream Life Now

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 13:50


Welcome to another short and empowering episode. Today, we explore the powerful reminder that life is short, and that there is no perfect time to begin creating a life you love: "Life is short. There is only now." Three key takeaways: Why remembering that life is precious can be one of the most motivating mindset shifts of all How small daily actions can help you stop drifting and start consciously creating your dream life Why waiting for the right time keeps your dreams further away, and what to do instead Take this opportunity to learn how to stop postponing what matters most and begin taking meaningful steps toward the life you truly want. As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. Have a wonderful weekend …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#443 - Monday Motivation: "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2026 6:18


Welcome to another short and empowering episode of Monday Motivation, giving you a dose of inspiration as you head into your week. Today, we explore a powerful mindset from Ralph Waldo Emerson about choosing to see each day as the best day of the year: "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." Three key takeaways you can expect: Why starting your day with intention can completely transform how the day unfolds. How noticing small moments of joy can shift your perspective and increase your happiness. Why journaling is one of the most powerful tools for gaining clarity and taking steps toward your dreams. Access your free Morning Journaling Prompts here... Listen in and discover how a few intentional minutes each morning can help you move closer to living your dream life. As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. Have a wonderful week …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#442 - NO DAYS OFF, with Dr James Rouse

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 58:37


Today’s episode is one I've been really looking forward to sharing with you because it explores something that is simple, yet incredibly powerful. It's the idea that the life we create is built in the small choices we make every single day. My guest today is the wonderful Dr James Rouse. Many of you already know him as a performance coach, physician and inspirational teacher who's spent decades helping people reconnect with their purpose, their wellbeing and their energy for life. In this conversation we talk about his brilliant new audiobook called No Days Off. Now before you think this is about hustle or pushing yourself harder, it's actually the opposite. It's about showing up for your life with intention - and choosing daily practices that support who you truly want to become. There are so many valuable insights in this conversation, you better just dive in... As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. Have a wonderful week …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#441 - Monday Motivation: An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2026 6:34


Welcome to another short but empowering episode of Monday Motivation, giving you a dose of inspiration as you head into your week... Today, we explore Henry David Thoreau’s simple reminder that an early-morning walk can shape your whole day: “An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” Here are three key takeaways you can expect from this episode: Why the first moments of your morning set the tone for everything that follows How a 10-minute walk can calm your nervous system and create clarity A simple reflection practice to help you start your day with intention, not reaction Listen in and build a small, consistent ritual that helps you move forward towards your dream life, one meaningful step at a time. As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. Have a wonderful week …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K
#440 - Why Planning in Quarters will Take Your Productivity to the Next Level

Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson, kikki.K

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 18:47


Today I share something that changed the way I plan, work, and make progress on the dreams that matter most to me. It's simple, and it is powerful. Stop thinking in years. Start thinking in quarters. When you treat a quarter as a mini year, everything shifts. Your focus sharpens. Overwhelm reduces. Momentum increases. And suddenly, the goals that felt “too big” start to feel doable. In this episode, you'll learn why annual planning often breaks down (even when our intentions are beautiful), and how a 90-day container creates the clarity and urgency we need without the burnout. ...and I share my favourite rule for quarterly planning, the one that makes it work. If you're craving more structure, more calm, and a clear plan for the next season of your life, you will love this one. As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here. …and remember, it all starts with a dream

Bookey App 30 mins Book Summaries Knowledge Notes and More
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: Discover Insights from the Audiobook

Bookey App 30 mins Book Summaries Knowledge Notes and More

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 19:00


Part 1 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō Summary"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo presents a unique approach to decluttering and organizing living spaces. Kondo, a professional organizing consultant from Japan, introduces the KonMari Method, which emphasizes tidying by category rather than location and focuses on keeping only those items that “spark joy” in your life. Key Concepts:The Joy Check: At the core of Kondo's method is the idea that you should only keep items that bring you joy. This encourages individuals to create a more meaningful and joyful living environment.Tidying by Category: Kondo suggests decluttering by specific categories: clothes, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and sentimental items. Each category should be tackled in this order to simplify the process and prevent overwhelm.The Right Mindset: Kondo stresses the importance of having the right mindset towards decluttering. This involves respecting your belongings and understanding why you want to tidy up to foster a sense of gratitude for the items in your life.The Importance of a `Tidying Up` Day: Instead of doing small tidying sessions over time, Kondo advocates for a one-time, thorough tidying event. This allows individuals to see a complete transformation in their space, therefore motivating them to maintain a tidy home.Organizing Things Properly: Once decluttering is complete, Kondo provides advice on how to organize what you choose to keep. This includes storing items in a manner that makes them easily accessible and visible, enhancing the efficiency and aesthetics of the space.Mental Clarity and Life Transformation: Kondo believes that tidying up does more than just clean your space; it can also lead to mental clarity and emotional well-being. The process often prompts individuals to reflect on their values and priorities in life. Conclusion:"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" offers not only practical tips for decluttering but also a philosophy that encourages readers to lead a more intentional and joyful life. The book emphasizes the connection between our physical space and emotional state, making it a significant resource for anyone looking to simplify and enhance their personal environment.Part 2 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up AuthorMarie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant, author, and television show host, best known for her unique approach to decluttering and tidying up. Her most famous book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing," was first published in Japan in 2011 and later translated into English and released in 2014. Kondo's method, known as the "KonMari" method, emphasizes the importance of keeping only those items that "spark joy" and following a specific order in which to declutter. Other Books Written by Marie KondoMarie Kondo has authored several other books, including:"Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up" (2016) A follow-up to her first book, providing further insights and detailed illustrations of her tidying methods."The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story" (2013) A graphic novel format illustrating her tidying philosophy."Kiki & Jax: The Life-Changing Magic of Friendship" (2019) A children's book featuring two cute characters, Kiki and Jax, emphasizing friendship and tidying up in a kid-friendly manner."Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life" (2020) Co-authored with Scott Sonenshein, this book applies the KonMari method to the workplace, aiming to help people find joy in their professional life."Marie Kondo's Kurashi at Home: How to Create a Life of Meaning and Joy" (2021) This book goes beyond tidying to explore how to create a fulfilling, joy-filled life at home. Best EditionsIn terms

Go Help Yourself: A Comedy Self-help Podcast to Make Life Suck Less
RE-RELEASE: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Go Help Yourself: A Comedy Self-help Podcast to Make Life Suck Less

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 78:42


This week we are re-releasing a classic episode from the Go Help Yourself archives! In this episode, originally released in 2019, Misty and Lisa review the #1 New York Times Bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo!Are you curious about the Konmari method? Well, Misty and Lisa cover every aspect of tidying up in this Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up Book Review, including:Commit yourself to tidying upImagine your ideal lifestyleFinish discarding first (*hint: only keep things that SPARK JOY!)Tidy by category, not by locationFollow the right orderFigure out where to put everything you're keepingIf you'd like to read the book, you can buy it here. Marie's website can be found here. You can also catch Marie changing peoples' lives on her new show Tidying Up on Netflix!And don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Go Help Yourself! It's the best way to help people find our show!Oh, and you can contact us! We'd love to hear from you. E-mail: gohelpyourselfpodcast@gmail.comTwitter: @GHYPodcastInstagram: @gohelpyourselfpodcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The Prosperous Empath® Podcast
The Magic & Science of Decluttering with Rebecca Jo-Rushdy

The Prosperous Empath® Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 51:37


Growing up in a Bed & Breakfast, I've always had an appreciation for a neat and organized space. It's one of the reasons why I'm so excited about my conversation with Rebecca Jo-Rushdy, a KonMari® consultant who guides sensitive souls on transformational journeys by decluttering their homes, hearts, and minds into sanctuaries that spark joy and flow. As a fellow empath, Rebecca understands that the practice of decluttering your home is not about just freeing up the physical space. It's also an emotional experience woven with our cherished memories, relationships with our loved ones, and our own evolutions as human beings. From cultivating awareness to setting goals that don't upset your nervous system, you will walk away from this episode with newfound clarity and wisdom on creating a mindful environment that sets you up for success.   Topics   Decluttering 101 and how creating a mindful home environment can help you become the best version of yourself as an empath Conscious consumption: how to stop feeding into the scarcity mindset and start spending in a way that truly brings you joy Navigating different phases of life, such as welcoming a new baby or moving, without overspending on things you don't *actually* need The art of intentionality and how to sort through sentimental possessions, especially as a highly sensitive person How to start decluttering your space without overwhelming your nervous system   Episode Resources: Join us on Monday, July 15th at 12pm ET for our monthly Non-Networking Power Hour for Empathpreneurs with our UNBOUNDED Community for deep connections and meaningful support. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo The KonMari Method The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley The Go-Giver by Bob Burg The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger   Connect with Rebecca: Website Instagram: @ sparkjoyandflow LinkedIn Facebook   Connect with Catherine: Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys. Website LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here .   Work with Catherine: Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here .     The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast

This week on the show, we tackle the daunting task of decluttering for those with ADHD. With our upcoming Declutter Challenge in July, we invite you to join a supportive community and gamify your decluttering process alongside us.As we dive into the episode, we share the importance of starting small and focusing on one space at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. We guide you through our four-step process of organizing any space: planning, sorting, organizing, and maintaining. We help you choose a space that would have the biggest impact on your daily life and offer practical tips on how to sort through your belongings efficiently.We also explore the emotional aspects of decluttering, recognizing when it's time to take a break and how to deal with feelings of guilt or obligation when letting go of items. We provide a list of questions for you to ask yourself during the sorting process to help you make those tough decisions.Remember: perfection is not the goal and that progress should be celebrated!If you're struggling with ADHD and the challenges of decluttering, this episode of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast offers valuable insights and practical strategies to make the process more manageable and rewarding. Join us as we explore the upcoming Declutter Challenge and learn how to take the first steps towards a more organized life together.Links & NotesThe 2024 ADHD De-Clutter Challenge! — Take Control ADHDConquering Chronic Disorganization by Judith KolbergThe Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie KondoUnapologetically ADHD: A Step-by-Step Framework For Everyday Planning On Your Terms by Nikki Kinzer and Pete WrightDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (02:30) - Support This Podcast: Become a Patron at https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (04:14) - The 2024 Declutter Challenge (09:14) - The Steps of Organizing ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus
064: The Secrets to My Greatest Quarter Ever with Michele Fuller

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 52:30


When chaos hits, most of us scramble, but not Michele Fuller. She paints a picture of resilience and focus as she recounts her journey toward her career's most impressive quarter despite staff turnover and a deluge of tasks. On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve's conversation with Michele, a seasoned attorney and entrepreneur, is a life vest for any professional grappling with their own disruptions, illustrating the profound difference between simply managing time and mastering focus management. Michele shares her tactical playbook on task prioritization, which can boost productivity and enrich life beyond the office walls. Have you ever wondered what it feels like to look a professional crisis in the eye and come out on top? Michele takes us through the eye of her storm, unpacking the mindset shifts and strategic decisions that are critical when “outworking the problem” just doesn't cut it. Maintaining cash flow, handling team dynamics, and safeguarding personal well-being are the pillars of her most financially rewarding period to date. The conversation offers practical wisdom for overcoming high-pressure scenarios with grace and emerging triumphant. We wrap up with Michele's insights on the power of reflection and strategic planning's role in ensuring a thriving practice that doesn't come at the cost of burning out. She credits coaching and support from Atticus in her journey, emphasizing the impact of the right tools and habits when managing chaos and striving for outstanding results. Michele's story is a masterclass in focus and balance, tailored to inspire lawyers and professionals alike towards achieving a rewarding career and life vitality. In this episode, you will hear: Michele Fuller's strategy for the most successful quarter despite staff shortages and challenges Emphasizing focus management over traditional time management Her approach to overcoming professional crises The importance of mindset, managing chaos, and maintaining steady cash flow while ensuring personal well-being How The My Great Life® Planner helps with daily and weekly planning, managing professional responsibilities, and safeguarding weekends for personal time Weekly reflection practices for personal and professional growth that lead to creating actionable items and improved future performance Prioritizing cash flow and top goals for a productive week Using tools like the Cash Flow Focuser and calendar blocking to hone in on valuable cases and manage time effectively The importance of self-care and time management to maintain balance in high-pressure careers Michele credits her success to coaching, support from Atticus, and the right tools and habits for managing chaos and achieving balance between a thriving legal career and a fulfilling personal life Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Michele Fuller: Adjunct Practice Advisor & Attorney: atticusadvantage.com/our-team/michele-fuller My Great Life® Planner: atticusadvantage.com/product/my-great-life-planner Dominate Your Market: atticusadvantage.com/what-we-do/dominate-your-market Group Coaching Programs: atticusadvantage.com/what-we-do/coaching-growth-programs Great Practice. Great Life.® by Atticus® – 039: From the Kitchen Table to Representing the State of Michigan with Michele Fuller: atticusadvantage.com/episode039 Michigan Law Center PLLC: www.michiganlawcenter.com Administering the California Special Needs Trust: A Guide for Trustees and Those Who Advise Them by Kevin Urbatsch and Michele Fuller: a.co/d/jifEPQx Administering the Michigan Special Needs Trust: A Guide for Trustees and Those Who Advise Them by Kevin Urbatsch and Michele Fuller: a.co/d/7eRcEZ8 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo: a.co/d/j3EzM4K Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

No Stupid Questions
180. What Makes Some Objects Feel Special?

No Stupid Questions

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2024 38:29


Where does sentimental value come from? Why did Angela throw out her childhood journals? And would Mike wear Hitler's sweater?  SOURCES:Jeffrey Galak, professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University.John Irving, author.Marie Kondo, professional organizer and consultant.Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Yang Yang, research scientist at the Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University. RESOURCES:"Experiences Endure," by Angela Duckworth (Character Lab, 2022)."Study Finds That THESE Are the Most Valued Family Heirlooms," by SWNS Staff (SWNS, 2021)."Micro Wave: How 'Bout Dem Apple...Seeds," by Thomas Lu, Madeline K. Sofia, and Brit Hanson (Short Wave, 2021)."Sentimental Value and Its Influence on Hedonic Adaptation," by Yang Yang and Jeffrey Galak (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2015)The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo (2010)."A Real-Life Version of the Hitler's Sweater Experiment," by David Berreby (Big Think, 2010)."The Makings of the Magical Mind: The Nature and Function of Sympathetic Magical Thinking," by Carol Nemeroff and Paul Rozin (Imagining the Impossible: Magical, Scientific, and Religious Thinking in Children, 2000)."Operation of the Laws of Sympathetic Magic in Disgust and Other Domains," by Paul Rozin, Linda Millman, and Carol Nemeroff (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986). EXTRAS:"How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?" by No Stupid Questions (2023)."Do You Savor or Gobble?" by No Stupid Questions (2022)."Why Do We Hoard?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).The Twilight Saga, by Stephanie Meyer (2005-2020).A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving (1989).

Parenting the Intensity
016 - Declutering for a calmer house - With Rebecca Jo Rushdy

Parenting the Intensity

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2023 48:00


Welcome back to "Parenting the Intensity!"Today on the podcast I welcome guest Rebeccas Jo Rushdy, Platinum Konmari Consultant and the Owner of Spark Joy & Flow where she guides fellow empaths to declutter and transform their hearts, minds and homes into sanctuaries that spark joy and flow!And that's what we talk about, decluttering to create a calmer and more peaceful space, but so much more too! We talk a lot on the relationship between clearing our house and parenting and how it help us, and our kids, learn so many great lessons. And don't worry, there's no space for shaming you if your house is a mess here! That's not what we are about at all!Key takeaways of this episode:1. The power of decluttering: We share our experience with decluttering and how it made a significant impact on our lives. We discuss the Konmari approche for decluttering, which incorporates positive psychology and gratitude to change our perspective on decluttering from fear to joy. It's all about learning the life skill of letting go and designing a peaceful life for ourselves and our families.2. Managing expectations: This means involving children in decision making and giving them agency, in decluttering but in so much more spaces in life too, which can help soften any shocks or surprises that may come their way.3. Connecting decluttering with parenting: We discuss how parents can involve their children in the decluttering process and create a sense of emotional readiness and safety for them to let go of things. And that doesn't just means stuff, but all sorts of things in life that we need to let go of."We have to actually design life in a way that's peaceful for every family member because it's stressful for kids to be rushed as well."Show notes and transcript of the episode over hereWhere to find Rebecca:Spark Joy & FlowInstagramInsight TimerResources referenced by Rebecca:Marie Kondo's Website'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing' by Marie KondoHighly Sensitive Parenthood WebsiteMake sure to subscribe to our podcast for future episodes and leave a rating and review, that helps us get in front of more parents. Don't forget to check out the resources mentioned on our website at www.parentingtheintensity.caJoin the "Parenting the Intensity Community" to find the right things that works for YOUR child and adapt them to YOUR reality.To be able to enjoy your life and kids, not always being afraid of the next outburst Take a deep breath, keep going, we're all in this together!Music by Oleksii Kaplunskyi from Pixabay

OH, HI SELF w. Sandra Possing
Simplify Your Life: Decluttering to Fuel Personal Growth

OH, HI SELF w. Sandra Possing

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2023 47:57


In this episode, I explore how decluttering your physical and mental spaces can be the key to unlocking clarity, focus, and true fulfillment in your life. Say goodbye to the pain of ineffective actions and embrace the power of decluttering for personal and professional growth. Resources: Get on the membership waitlist: https://sandrapossing.com/dream-life-academy/Marie Kondo - The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering & OrganizingRamit Sethi - I Will Teach You to Be RichConnect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandrapossing/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandrapossinglifecoach/Website: https://sandrapossing.com/

The Mom Hour
Stuff, Junk & Things [Classic Replay]

The Mom Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2023 48:09


Goody bag treasures, generous grandparent gifts in every shade of plastic, and inexplicably precious (to someone) “junk” – it's the stuff of motherhood! In this replay of Episode 35, Meagan and Sarah share our strategies for minimizing the intake of “all the stuff,” ideas for reasonable purging, and how to organize the things you decide to keep. Enjoy!All month long we're bringing back some beloved episodes from the early years of The Mom Hour – with fresh bonus conversations dropping every Friday on the same topic! Here's a playlist of some of our very favorite classic oldies – and here's a full list of every episode in chronological order.LINKS MENTIONED:Here's a link to the original episodeSarah's Neato robot vaccuum is still going strong – 7 years later! (Here's an affiliate link to an updated version)You can still read the Facebook thread Meagan talked about from 2016 about Marie Kondo's methodWe discussed the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (affiliate link)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Project Weight Loss
A Magical Moment of Joy: Maester Marie Kondo

Project Weight Loss

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2023 26:14


This week we look to what the seasons bring and sometimes the seasons brings us a bit of work that can have an unexpected hidden joy. Out of the work and at times struggles, we can find some diamonds, as  Maester Marie, teaches us, if we know what we are looking for. I share with you what I have learned from Maester Marie Kondo and I highly recommend that you purchase her book, the life-changing magic of tidying up.(The life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing', 2014)(Konmari.com, 2023)Let's go, let's get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

Moonshots - Adventures in Innovation
Marie Kondo: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Moonshots - Adventures in Innovation

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 55:31


Marie Kondo's first book is "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing". It was published in 2011 and has become a best-seller. Kondo shares her unique KonMari method for decluttering and organizing in the book. The technique uses the idea that you should only keep items in your home that bring you joy and let go of things that do not. The book has inspired a decluttering movement and is the perfect way to start our Japan Series.INTROMarie Kondo introduces herself, and her focusOrganize the World (2m37)WHAT IS ITABC and Marie Kondo Reveal Simple Ways To Get OrganizedSave Time And Space (4m52) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Mark Struczewski Podcast
Is What You're Doing Sparking Joy?

The Mark Struczewski Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2023 13:21


In her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo asks, "does this spark joy?" to help people decide what to keep and what to get rid of. I realized that this question could also be used to improve productivity too. How the ODAE Method Can Help You be Productive How Are Your Productivity Habits? Take a free assessment to see how you score with your productivity habits. When you know where you stand in productivity, you can begin to make changes. https://misterproductivity.com/quiz WHO IS MARK STRUCZEWSKI? Mark “Ski” Struczewski (also known as Mister Productivity) is a productivity expert that is obsessed with helping 100 million solopreneurs bust through overwhelm by 2032.

Full-Time Black Woman
Sunday Replay: Clear the Clutter, Clear the Mind

Full-Time Black Woman

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2022 40:19


While the ladies of FTBW are busy life-ing today, enjoy this Sunday Replay. Have you ever felt that wonderful feeling when you have finally cleaned and organized your space? The sense of accomplishment you feel after taking in a deep breath and observing your work accompanied with a smile and both hands on your hips. It feels great, right? When we are unfocused or in a bad place emotionally, our environment usually reflects it. When we're stressed, we tend to solely focus on the problem in our minds. Clearing clutter is therapeutic because you are finally directing some of that energy into something concrete with tons of benefits. Today we are going to discuss how clearing the clutter can actually clear your mind.**The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.**MERCH IS HERE!! MERCH IS HERE!!  Shop at www.fulltimeblackwoman.com for our latest available merch!Check out our YouTube channel and remember to subscribe!!Catch up on some of our many articles on our Blog !!  Like and follow our page on Facebook, “Full-Time Black Woman” Follow us on Instagram @fulltimeblackwomanFollow us on Twitter @FTblackwoman***********************************************************************************************************BUZZSPROUT LINK:fulltimeblackwoman.com/buzzsprout/***********************************************************************************************************INSTACART LINK:fulltimeblackwoman.com/instacart/

The Tidy Revival Podcast
2022 Clutter-Free Gift Guide

The Tidy Revival Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2022 34:52


LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEGifts for the…Organization loverThe Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie KondoOrganizing Solutions for People with ADHD, 2nd Edition-Revised and Updated: Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized by Susan PinskyHow ADHD Affects Home Organization: Understanding the Role of the 8 Key Executive Functions of the Mind by Lisa K WoodruffThe Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta MagnussonLearn more about Tidy Revival services and our private communityCoffee loverDriftaway CoffeeTiferet CoffeeGoal-getterThe Kachet Life - Branding Strategist & Content CreatorTami Hackbarth - 100% Guilt-free Self-Care CoachDenise Duffield-Thomas - Money Mindset CoachMusic loverHalswell Music - lessons with Jazz Artist Halley ElwellPlayground Session - online piano lessonsCozy home galFish & Chip Craft Co.Sackcloth & AshesBombas SocksTOMS shoesTravelerAirBnb gift cardChevron or Shell gas gift cardCA State Parks PassesNon-profit supporterAging UPWomen's EmpowermentNorCal Bully Breed RescuePet loverWilderdog Gal on the goFood delivery gift cards: Grubhub & PostmatesGardener/houseplant loverBurpeePropagate SacGreen AcresFashionistaMissy from Simplified WardrobeMersy HoganCabine MondeKiddo giftsClass Keeper App - a Tidy Revival FAV!Ambitious Girl by Meena HarrisLittle Leaders & Little Dreamers books by Vashti HarrisonNational Geographic Kids MagazineMagna-TilesSacramento Zoo & Children's MuseumPractical gift cards & cashAmazon TargetCostcoVenmoPayPalWant to learn more about the Clutter-Free Home Process course community? Check out all the details here.Are we friends on social media yet? Whether your jam is Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or Facebook - follow us @tidyrevival Snag your FREE printable decluttering guide to give you inspiration on where to start at home.

In Sanity: A piece of mind
Episode 94 - Micro-anxieties: What can you fix in 5 minutes

In Sanity: A piece of mind

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2022 36:26


Join Kylee and me this week as she brings up the subject of "micro-anxieties." These things annoy you and you waste emotional energy caring about them. They are a brain drain, and not worth the space they take. There is science behind the idea that this stuff stifles creativity, decreases productivity, and makes you miserable. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Atomic Habits

The Happiness Workshop
Organization and Anxiety

The Happiness Workshop

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2022 19:40


How organized are you?  Let's talk about how taking back control in your own space can change the energy and relieve anxiety, so you can have more happiness.  Connect to our community via Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and LinkedIn  For more information about Wicked Relaxed Mind, Body & Soul or to subscribe to the monthly newsletter, please go to wickedrelaxedmindbodyandsoul.com  Order Lisa Dooley's book: MORE SPACE. MORE TIME. MORE JOY! Organizing Your Best Life Order Marie Kondo's book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Get to know Clea Shearer, from Home Edit As always, keep moving forward on your path to happiness, keep shining your light to light the way for others and always remember to go within.   --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Free Time with Jenny Blake
106: Splatology—On Clearing Time Clutter

Free Time with Jenny Blake

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2022 23:40


Have you ever driven down a highway and gotten a whole bunch of bugs sadly splattered on your windshield? Eventually, there are so many that you can't see the road in front of you.  The same thing can happen with little bits of time clutter throughout your week. No one is a big deal, but in total they obstruct foresight and forward motion. Today I'm sharing how to identify the ways you may be creating time clutter and how to start reducing it. With only a few tidbits about the science of bug splatters. Special shout out to Shelley Hitz—thank you for the podcast review! I'd love to know: what has been your biggest aha from these first 100+ episodes? Leave a review and let me know!

Elegant Warrior Podcast with Heather Hansen
218: Tiffany Sorya and Novel Educations

Elegant Warrior Podcast with Heather Hansen

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2022 36:45


This week's episode is an interview with Tiffany Sorya, the founder and CEO of Novel Education Group which offers home school programs to children K-12 with the best homeschool teacher. She is a renowned influencer and thought leader in the education industry, widely recognized for spearheading a fundamental change in the way young people engage with education in the digital age. She's worked with high-profile clients, including Kendall and Kylie Jenner. In the interview, Tiffany shares the motivation behind her motto, "Making smart stylish again." We discuss the challenges of encouraging the youth to pursue basic education in a social media-driven world, and how it starts with making them feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and admit when they don't understand. Tiffany also talks about what led to her business decisions, and why she didn't focus on the “what-ifs” when starting on her path. Tiffany's Book Recommendation: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō: https://amzn.to/39xGQiM   To learn more about Tiffany Sorya and Novel Education, visit the links below: Website: https://noveleducationgroup.com/about/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanysorya/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanysorya/   Keynote Speaker: Are you looking for a keynote speaker to teach you how to advocate for your ideas, for change, for your product and for sales? I would love to come and speak to your team and show them how to advocate to win in their business. Please fill out the form below and I will contact you with more details. https://form.jotform.com/221107324351139   To learn more about my services and to stay connected, visit me at: Website: Advocate to Win Instagram: @imheatherhansen Sign up for your consultation: https://calendly.com/advocatetowin/introduction-call Don't forget to Subscribe to the Advocate with Elegance FREE private podcast here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/613921e87accb4c0210201c5 Would you like to ask me a question? Please leave me a message by calling (856) 390-4831. Don't forget to let me know if we can use your call on the show.  

Focus Your Time!
16. Cutting down on Clutter & Chaos!

Focus Your Time!

Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2022 41:08


Today I'm speaking with my friend Stacy Anderson about organization and clutter! Stacy is a psychologist with 35 years experience helping adults with anxiety, depression and trauma recovery who can help reframe your thinking for a more peaceful life. Here are some books that Stacy recommends. What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You: Uncover the Message in the Mess and Reclaim Your Life The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life Looking for tips on how to get things done? Check out this one too! Get it Done: 51 Habits, Routines, Tips, and Tools to Organize Your Life. Hey, are you enjoying the podcast? If so, new episodes are released each Friday, so please follow Coffee with Kim, leave a review, and share with your friends!

Heavy Metal Money: The Podcast
011 - Easy Ways to Declutter and Downsize Your Stuff!

Heavy Metal Money: The Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 23:52


Contact: https://heavymetal.money Heavy Metal Money on Facebook Heavy Metal Money on Twitter Heavy Metal Money on Instagram Heavy Metal Money on YouTube Heavy Metal Money on TikTok Email Me Can I Retire by age 55? https://heavymetal.money/can-i-retire-by-age-55/ Downsizing and Decluttering https://heavymetal.money/decluttering/ 40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS DECLUTTERING CHALLENGE https://www.whitehouseblackshutters.com/40-bags-in-40-days/ Books Referenced Here: The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-minimalist-home-a-room-by-room-guide-to/id1444932484 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-life-changing-magic-of-tidying-up-the/id1424474611 Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/making-space-creating-a-home-meditation-practice/id1420685347 Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/essentialism-the-disciplined-pursuit-of-less-unabridged/id1417770295 Decluttering at the Speed of Life https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/decluttering-at-the-speed-of-life/id1441465447 How to scan documents on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210336 I had started a plan to have the option to retire by the age of 55. For the past year or so, I've been slowly decluttering, organizing, and becoming more of a minimalist. I just cringe at the thought of moving and transporting all the belongings that had to overflow from my closets, drawers, and shelves. Another reason to trim down is there will be a time when I do leave this earth, let's be real. We all do die at some point. I remember when my father passed away, I worked for weeks going through his home. It was an emotional time, but also very stressful with figuring out what to keep, what to toss, donate or sell. Then, years after his passing I still had bins and boxes of things I kept and put in my own garage. Now I'm challenged with going through all this stuff again. I'd like to not leave these experiences for my children. I'm going to do what I can to simplify my life and my belongings to ease any burden left on my kids and family when I pass away. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/heavymetalmoney/support

Artists Soar
Goal setting and planning for art and art business

Artists Soar

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 28:16


Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie discuss goal setting and planning for their art and art business. Key talking points:  Understand what you envision your life to be and then define your goals to drive towards your dream.  Jule's JMA Planner enables you to define your goals and vision on a larger purpose.  Check her planner out here. Create SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure) to create the step-by-step processes Take the time to plan. Don't multi-task, it actually degrades your effectiveness to complete a single task. Put time estimates into each of the tasks.  Choose what works for you: batch or task or another way that you prefer to work - experiment with what works best for you and the environment that you live.  What do you do to stay motivated working from home?  Email us at hello@artistssoar.com  Rise with us! On Artists Soar! Resources Mentioned Clickup (affiliate link) is software that helps Stephanie keep her checklists. "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" (Amazon affiliate link) Jules Planner - JMA Planner.  Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover (Amazon affiliate link) Art Business Membership Program - Get More Time In Your Studio To Create Course Etsy Bootcamp Our Websites and Shops Stephanie:  https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/artfurpaws   Julie:  https://www.juliemstudios.com/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/peacockblueart   Rachel:  https://bubblybibbly.com/  https://www.etsy.com/shop/BBStudioShop  https://www.etsy.com/shop/mothersrecipes   Got a Listener Question?  Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com  

That's So Deep
E. 10 Our Complicated Relationship To Our Stuff - Part 1: Why do we hold on to stuff? Why can't we just let it go?

That's So Deep

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2022 51:57


Hello So Deep Peeps!  Welcome to That's So Deep.  This is the podcast where we try to root out loneliness one conversation at a time.  This is a first in a series where we explore our complicated relationship to our stuff.  Today we are talking about why we hold on to stuff and why it is so hard to let it go. Some deep things we cover:Our Stuff Represents Memories: A loved one passing, a childhood memory, a time when you were happy.Our Stuff Represents A Past Identity or a Future Self: Someone you once were or someone you hope to be.Love Language of Gift Giving: Buying things for people is how you show and receive love. If you don't accept or keep the gifts then it shows disrespect and lack of gratitude.Culture of Consumption: We are immersed in stuff and it is hard to avoid.Money and Time: It is hard to face the money and time wasted on the things we bought.Regret and Failure: Each time we see an item we no longer use, we see our own failures and poor decision making.Not Wanting To Be Wasteful: Sometimes the things we have are perfectly usable even if they have been sitting on a shelf for 7 years so it feels wasteful to get rid of them.Decision Fatigue and Overwhelm: Our ability to make good decisions can deteriorate over time because there is just so much to sift through.  It is easier to just shove items back in the closet than to continue. Take-aways:Understand the Deeper WHY: We aren't asking you to get rid of the items that you are holding on to but we are asking you to ask the deeper why.  Why are you holding on to these things?  Are you holding on to a past identity? Do the items represent a fantasy self or a future self?  Do your things hold your hopes and dreams?  Are you not wanting to be wasteful?  Is it hard for you to face the time and money that you have spent on these items and you can't quite stomach the failure?  Understanding the deeper why is the first step in figuring out how to let things go.  Once you understand the deeper why, then you can begin asking yourself if holding on to these things align with your Core Values.  If the items don't fit into the life you are wanting to create for yourself, then maybe it is time to graciously let them go and make space for the abundance that awaits you. We want to have a conversation with you!The whole point of this podcast is to facilitate and encourage deeper conversations and we want to hear from you!  Here is how you can reach us:Voicemail: 805-288-0884Email: sodeeppeeps@gmail.comIf you liked this podcast, you can FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE or SHARE with a friend and if you don't want to miss an episode, click that BELL so you can be notified right away when the next episode releases.  We love you and we can't wait for our next deep conversation!Yours in Becoming, Phyllis & JulieResources and articles we referenced in the episode:Simply and Fiercely: https://www.simplyfiercely.com/blog/Mari Kondo: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) Maxwell Ryan: Apartment Therapy - Sample

The Meanderings of a Librarian
Clean Out Your Stuff, Season 1, Episode 27

The Meanderings of a Librarian

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2021 16:48


Inspired by Heather Moorefield-Lang's session at AASL '21 in Salt Lake City titled "Clearing Out Our Digital Closets." Also, mentioned in this podcast: Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing; from James Clear (author of Atomic Habits) "3, 2, 1 Thursday" newsletter dated 12/30/21 that includes a quote from The Journals of May Sarton Volume One: Journal of a Solitude, Plant Dreaming Deep, and Recovering --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/valerie-dilorenzo/message

Feelanthrope
Rosey Williams on the circular economy, talking trash, and creative problem-solving

Feelanthrope

Play Episode Play 41 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 2, 2021 45:52


With the average American home containing over 300,000 items, it's no wonder why so many of us struggle with clutter. Despite what advertisers and marketers tell us, our lives are more than what we buy or the stuff we own. This week, we chat with Rosey Williams about living mindfully, voting with our dollars, and the business case for diverting our waste streams away from landfills.---Rosey's relevant resourcesConnect with Rosey on LinkedInLearn about Rosey's employer, Link International Inc.Meet environmental activist and blogger of the zero-waste movement Lauren SingerWatch How to Fit Two Years of Trash in a Mason Jar with Lauren Singer on YouTubeLearn more about the field of international studiesLearn about China's Sword Policy on YaleEnvironment360Join San Diego Leaders 2020Check out the Equinox Project's Quality of Life DashboardVisit Joshua Tree National ParkLearn about the San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationExplore zero-waste lifestyles on YouTubeRead about eco-minimalismLearn about PreZero USVisit Solana Center for Environmental Innovation and become a Master ComposterSupport the Indigenous Environmental NetworkRead Indigenous peoples are the original environmentalists. It is time we start treating them that wayRead Indigenous people and the nature they protectJoin a Buy Nothing Facebook GroupWatch the Story of Stuff on YouTubeRead The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie KondoSign up for our newsletter: feelanthrope.org/subscribeWe'll send you easy actions you can do, resources to get your nerd on, and cool stuff every week when we put out an episode.Send us pictures of you reveling in creativity or listening to the episode on Instagram (@feelanthrope) and Twitter (@feelanthropod).A special thank you to Rosey Williams. Feelanthrope is produced by Ally Celones Senturk. Our audio engineer and composer is Kory Hilpmann, with original music by Danny Nguyen. Our designer is Kait Kolsky.

Book Club for Masochists: a Readers’ Advisory Podcast
Episode 134 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Book Club for Masochists: a Readers’ Advisory Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 68:25


This episode we're discussing Piranesi by Susanna Clarke! Major spoiler warning for this episode as we talk about a lot of various plot points! (Though we don't reveal everything.) There's an extra spoiler siren immediately before we start diving into the plot in depth. You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast delivery system. Check out the transcript of this episode! In this episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | RJ Edwards Media We Mentioned Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (buy it from our store) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (TV series) (Wikipedia) The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Susanna Clarke The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern SCP-3008 (Ikea) SCP-087 (stairs that go down forever) SCP Foundation (Wikipedia) BLAME! Vol. 1 by Tsutomu Nihei Resilience Is Futile: The Life and Death and Life of Julie Lalonde by Julie S. Lalonde God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Links, Articles, and Things Book Talk Live with McArthur Public Library (featuring Matthew!) It's not up on podcast places yet, but we'll let you know! Episode 130 - Battle of the Books 2021 Episode 107 - Pet by Akwaeke Emezi Episode 083 - The Fifth Season Episode 058 - The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making Italian Emergency Alert System (YouTube) Censor Beep Cornice (Wikipedia) Walking simulators (Wikipedia) Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Wikipedia) Imaginary Prisons (Wikipedia) 15 Self Help books by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) Authors Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers' Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors to help our listeners diversify their readers' advisory. All of the lists can be found here. Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones Walking In Your Power: Lessons from the Grandmothers by Barbara Derrick Get Over 'I Got It': How to Stop Playing Superwoman, Get Support, and Remember That Having It All Doesn't Mean Doing It All Alone by Elayne Fluker Writing into the Wound: Understanding trauma, truth, and language by Roxane Gay It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life by Lilly Singh Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance by Jessamyn Stanley The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations by Richard Wagamese Navigate Your Stars by Jesmyn Ward Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian Give us feedback! Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read! Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, join our Facebook Group, or send us an email! Join us again on Tuesday, October 5th we'll be discussing the genre of Erotica! Then on Tuesday, October 19th we'll be playing a spooky role-playing game!

Knowing In The Bones
Episdoe 5: Transformational Decluttering Guided by Intuition w/ Jessy Smith, Dancer and Business Owner

Knowing In The Bones

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2021 40:09


IN THIS EPISODE we sit down with Jessy Smith, dancer and owner of MinimizingNYC, to dive deep into the transformational world of minimizing and organizing, and her personal story of stepping into her intuitive power. We get to explore what often lies beneath all the material and emotional clutter that can take over our spaces thus blocking our road to self actualization and living a life of joy and purpose. We also get to unpack the distinct connection between Jessy's influences as an immersive theater artist, and her intuitive practice of guiding people as they discover the agency they have in their ability to transform their space and personal narratives in ways they never imagined. We also delve into navigating the balance between creative careers and running a business and the ways in which pursuing multiple passions can influence and support one another. Episode Transcript ABOUT JESSY SMITH: In 2017, a friend introduced her to the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. She had been living in Downtown Brooklyn for almost 10 years at that point, with a career as a professional dancer, choreographer, immersive theater artist, teacher, rehearsal director, (see more about that here), after-school art teacher, micro B&B host and gardener. Needless to say, she had accumulated some clutter. She did a complete overhaul on her place, went through every item that she owned, purged and then decided to take an improv comedy class at the Upright Citizens Brigade. Now, somehow, she failed that class. She guesses improv was not the magic that she was after... What she did discover is that she really like cleaning, organizing and letting go of stuff. She also loves helping people sweep the clutter aside to uncover the full potential of their space and their life. So, she started with one client and began developing her own method of minimizing. Listening, observing, and positive affirmations are all an integral part of what she practices with her clients, as well as continued research and mindfulness. With each new project, she finds herself more fully realizing her own potential as a minimizing maven. She currently resides on the top floor of a beautiful sun-drenched brownstone in Bed-stuy, Brooklyn. Connect with Jessy and Minimizing NYC on IG @minmizingnyc and her website minmizingnyc.com In this episode we mention: Marie Kondo's Inspirational Book - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing' Then She Fell, the groundbreaking immersive theater experience by Third Rail Projects in which we both performed for several years before it closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Liz Career Coaching
Reclaim your energy to focus on your goals

Liz Career Coaching

Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 30, 2021 24:23


Many of you have competing priorities, personal and work obligations, and it can become challenging to focus on your goals.  Some of you may be taking on so many projects or may be presented with great opportunities that you feel you cannot pass up, but at some point you may be losing sight of your purpose. If you are feeling overwhelmed and trying to reclaim your energy to focus on your goals,  this episode is for you.Episode topics include:Focusing on your mission and your visionWhat is your personal brand?Don't be afraid to say "no"Regain control of your scheduleIdentify your distractionsLinks to resources:Personal Values AssessmentEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of LessThe Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizherrera1/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/Website:  https://www.lizcareercoaching.net/Email: lizcareercoaching@gmail.comMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comArtwork: Joseph Valenzuela DesignSupport the show (https://bit.ly/lizcareerpod)

The Meanderings of a Librarian
Find Your Voice, Season 1, Episode 11

The Meanderings of a Librarian

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2021 43:32


Resources mentioned in this podcast: Matthew Dicks' Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling; Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing; Brad Gustafson's Reclaiming Our Calling: Hold on to the Heart, Mind, and Hope of Education; click to register your class for nErDcampCT Jr or please share nErDcampCT Jr with students you know who are in grades K - 12 (Sessions for students occur on Friday, June 11th and Saturday, June 12, 2021; link to the nErDcampCT Jr. schedule) Click here to register for nErDcampCT (the adult program for teachers and librarians on Saturday, June 12, 2021) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/valerie-dilorenzo/message

Raise Your Hand Say Yes with Tiffany Han
EP. 365: What Marie Kondo Has Taught Us About Life

Raise Your Hand Say Yes with Tiffany Han

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2021 38:33


Whether or not you've had the opportunity to go full Marie Kondo on your home just yet (I'm right there with you), there's still so much to learn from “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. Today's episode takes a look at the teachings of Marie Kondo through the Tiffany Han lens in what I consider to be more of a decluttering of the soul. Get ready to zoom up and out of that one drawer you've been fixating on, may it be a literal kitchen drawer or more of a metaphorical mental cabinet, and dive into the life-changing magic that you know we love to throw around here on the Tiffany Han Show. Resources mentioned:  Marie Kondo Marie Kondo's book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing' The Tim Ferriss Show #301: Joe Gebbia – Co-Founder of Airbnb Tiffany's Radical Delight Kickstart Follow Tiffany on Instagram! For detailed show notes head to www.tiffanyhan.com/blog/episode365  

More than a Single Mom
#6 Lose debt and save money without losing your mind with Katy Almstrom

More than a Single Mom

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 57:44


Debt can weigh you down mentally and that's why I brought in Financial coach, Katy Almstrom. Katy lives in NH with her husband and two young kids. She is a financial coach who's particularly skilled at helping women improve their money habits and behaviors, including learning how to pay off debt and get excited about their money plan! In this episode we cover: How Katy got herself out of debt Is there such a thing as “good debt” How not having a budget is like not having a shopping list. How to handle money during the pandemic Steps for getting out of debt Katy's Book Recommendations: Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Vision and Make Things Happen by Tara Mohr The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Condo Atomic Habits by James Clear Katy's favorite budgeting app: https://www.everydollar.com/ Her Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesimplifiedbudget That it! Continue the More than a Single Mom Conversation here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/singlemompodcast

The Intertwined Life Podcast
Ep 14 : A Plan to Stop Spiraling Emotions

The Intertwined Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2020 37:07


Spiraling emotions. You likely know the feeling. Everything inside you is firing. Your heart is pounding, and your head is spinning. You feel those spiraling emotions, and you feel as if you are drowning. No? Anybody? I've talked to enough women out there to know I am not alone in this battle. So what is your plan? What will you do the next time you feel those spiraling emotions? I do believe that internal peace is possible, because Jesus promised He has already given it to us! But I also know Scripture tells us we must hold and maintain our peace (Proverbs 17:28, Matthew 5:9), and we must be constantly renewed in our minds. (Ephesians 4:23) So yes we have peace! But we also have some work to do. So in this episode I lay out a plan for proactively resetting my mind and holding my peace when in the midst of spiraling emotions. Find all Scripture references from this episode at http://jennyzentz.com/podcast-spiraling-emotions *Resources mentioned in this episode: Kelly Minter The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo The Perfect You: A Blueprint for Identity, Dr. Caroline Leaf The Next Right Thing Podcast with Emily P. Freeman Lavender Essential Oil Wild Orange Essential Oil Chill Pill Roll-on Essential Oil And please don't forget to subscribe and share. Together we can help more women discover practical ways to apply the power of God's Word to our everyday stuff! Follow Jenny on FB and IG @JennyZentz *Please note any resource links are affiliate links. I will receive a small percentage from purchases made through them to help compensate for the time, effort and cost of content creation. Happy Shopping!

The Happier You
Does It Bring You Joy?

The Happier You

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2020 9:18


Does it bring you joy?  Have you ever asked yourself this question?  If you have heard of Marie Kondo you know that is her main question.  Marie Kondo is famous for her book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing'.  This week I talk about my experience with the “KonMari” method and what it has done for me.  Why do you allow things in your life if they don't bring you joy? Instead of ignoring all the stuff around you, noticing whether something brings you joy or takes away from your joy will help you create a happier you!  The more things you have around you that bring you joy, the more little happy moments you get in your day.  When something doesn't bring you joy then you need to figure out how to reconfigure it and make it work for you…or figure out how to let it go.  Re-purpose it or donate it and let it bring someone else Joy! Through this exercise you become more aware of what's around you and you become proactive in creating  a positive environment for yourself.  If something is in your life but it doesn't bring you joy or serve you, then why are you letting it stay?  I found that noticing what brings me joy every day makes me grateful for all I have.  The more proactive you are in creating your happy life, the more empowered you feel. 

Develop Your Dream
minimalism

Develop Your Dream

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2020 18:06


Minimalist practices drastically changed my life three years ago. Tune in to learn how minimalism can help you create more space in your home, in your mind and on your calendar. Mentions (affiliate links included): -The Year of Less by Cait Flanders -Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix -The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing -ThredUp Clean Out Kit Let's connect: Develop Your Dream on Instagram - http://instagram.com/developyourdreampodcast Develop Your Dream on Twitter - http://twitter.com/devyourdream --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/developyourdream/support

Let's Get Our Shit Together!
#1: "A Good Day 4 Life & A Great Day 4 Death"

Let's Get Our Shit Together!

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2018 71:54


For the first full season episode of the @Peace Warriors Podcast, we begin by exploring the most important first step of the "9 Pillars of Self-Care" (taking care of ourselves) which is getting our environment or Home in order. I utilize the work of Japanese organizing consultant, Marie Kondo, and her bestselling book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing," to go deeper on the concept of organizing and decluttering home. Next, we delve into being grateful for being alive and all that means to be alive as a human that we can meet with gratitude. After that, we go into warrior mode and read excerpts from Chogyam Trunpa's "Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior," while exploring the idea of basic human wisdom and non-religous/sectarian guiding knowledge for society. Lastly, I talk about two upcoming events this Saturday (11/17/18) in Hartford: "A Little Bit of Death Part 3" created by Zulynette Morales and the 8th Annual Knox Harvest Market. Hit me up on Instagram @poshgibson and @peacewarriorspodcast with your thoughts and feelings on these topics. www.instagram.com/poshgibson www.instagram.com/peacewarriorspodcast Also, please check out my badass writing, cards, & books at: www.ChrisPressley.art Thanks for listening! You are Love & You are Loved! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/at-peace-warriors/support

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
520: Keeping it Fun with Erica Van Lierop

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2018 51:54


    Hailing from Olympia, WA, Erica Van Lierop has owned and operated Vans Burger since it's inception 18 years ago. After a long career in restaurants and hotels, Van Lierop decided to settle down and open an old fashioned drive through concept. The consistency in quality and freshness that results from this business model has propelled Van's Burger to the top of the Washington Burger Scene, despite being known as the burger place that is never open Show notes… Favorite Success Quote or Mantra. "Tomorrows happiness starts today." In this episode with Erica Van Leirop, we discuss: How Erica's first "restaurant boss" treated her like family, how that made her felt, and how she is different today because of it.   Establishing a culture of service. Not letting others be in charge of your destiny.  In a drive-up business model, positioning the intercom a set car length away so when the food finishes the car is just rolling up. Responding and pivoting to market demand and needs.  Tracking guest request to know how to pivot and adapt to the market.  How Erica makes the most of her highway reader sign. The power of doing few things really well. Using good communication to focus on the guest you already and growing that loyalty. Being active in your community. Advice on how to respond to guest reviews. Using daily events and occurrences as social media opportunities to bring the public in on the behind the scenes of your business.  Why it is so importance to learn your guest's names. Being mindful of the words you use i.e. instead of saying, "You're welcome." say, "Thank you." Today's Sponsor   Soundtrackyourbrand.com Soundtrack Business lets you play 250 music channels guaranteed to fit any type of business. An easy-to-use dashboard lets you find great music, control all your locations and schedule your sound. BarRestaurantSuccess.com Discover How To Get New Customers In Your DoorsAt A Profit In 48 Hours Or Less, Without Spending A Penny On Advertising Using The "VOP" Strategy! For a limited time receive a 15 minute case study video that reveals how 4 different bar and restaurant owners from around the country brought in between $5,213 to nearly $15,000 in sales using the all new "VOP" strategy! Best part is, this takes zero marketing dollars Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Attention to detail. What is your biggest weakness? tendency to procrastinate the big stuff. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Is this typically what you look like? What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Suppliers not having what they ordered. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Be Grateful. Great your guest right away. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? using appropriate verbiage. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM  The Life Changing Habit of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.  Share an online resource or tool. Restaurant Unstoppable What's one piece of technology you've adopted in your restaurant and how has it influence operations? Big Arrow Sign. Square. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?  Be Kind. Be generous. Have fun. Contact Info Vansburger@comcast.com Vansburger.com @vansburger2000 Thanks for Listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Erica Van Lierop for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!   Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

The James Altucher Show
378 - James Altucher: Cal Fussman Asks Me About Experimenting with Minimalism & Lifestyle

The James Altucher Show

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2018 63:13 Transcription Available


Cal Fussman was the Editor at Large at Esquire for years where he got to interview Muhammad Ali, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Robert DeNiro and hundreds more. So he's really known as an all star interviewer. He asks big questions. And now he's interviewing me, which is also live on his podcast "Big Questions." He named the episode "James Altucher on Reaching For Your Future and Letting Go of Your Past." So, I guess that's what this episode is about. He said, "I'd like to go to the start and see the arch of your life." And I hope you let this episode be an invitation for you to explore your own story arch, too. Links and Resources Why Self-Help Guru James Altucher Only Owns 15 Things by Alex Williams The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo Esquire Amblin Partners - Steven Spielberg's Production Company  Seamless Melanie Whelan - CEO of SoulCycle Guiness Book of World Records My interview with Wolfgang Puck      I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast.   Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Business of Machining
Business of Machining - Episode 65

Business of Machining

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2018 43:01


Hiring is RISKY business... But Grimsmo's gotten super lucky so far! Saunders points out that Skye might just have been Grimsmo's riskiest hire, but so far it's all good! How long should it take before hiring = more product produced? First it's necessary to get a system set up! Grimsmo is in the midst of switching from temporary solutions to permanent solutions. Looks like it's time to talk ERP SYSTEMS! How to sketch a pen without a pen to sketch? The Johns talk about Grimsmo's process for designing and making pen parts on the ever slow Fusion.   Also, if you didn't document the process, did you even make the pen? Grimsmo feels bad about not making progress videos for the pen. BACK TO BASICS Sometimes the best improvement you can make to a shop is getting rid of everything that doesn't make your product. Saunders would tell you BE BRUTAL ABOUT IT! Go for the purge. On a softer note, you can read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Grimsmo mentions this book as a method of organizing your life. It's nice when things take a while. Okay, this maybe isn't the case if you're waiting for Fusion to load, but if you're learning something new or making a decision, the Johns agree that rushing doesn't equal results.   “Everything of value comes after much hard work” - Grimsmo   Are you in the Chicago or Hartford, Connecticut, area? Do you want to meet Saunders and the Saunders Machine Works team? Now's your chance! Wednesday May 8th Saunders will be in Chicago for the DMG Mori Innovation Days Tuesday May 15th Saunders will be in Hartford, Connecticut, for Matsuura's Open House. Both events are free, and the Johns are always thrilled to meet listeners!

The Jessica Harlow Podcast
#HowDoesSheDoIt w/ Jessica Harlow | Episode 7: Getting Sh*t Done! Time Management & Decluttering Your Life & Letting Go

The Jessica Harlow Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2017 32:16


In this episode of the #HowDoesSheDoIt podcast, host Jessica Harlow shares her tips and practical advice for managing time and getting things done. She also talks about the value of "decluttering your life - inside & out." **For Jessica Harlow's Haircare Tips + Secrets, simply rate & review this podcast, screenshot your review, and send it in an email to hellogorgeous@jessicaharlow.com & you will be added to the mailing list. & Yes, it's 100% FREE! * Mentioned: "Minimalism" Documentary; now streaming on Netflix. * Mentioned: "Reminders" APP (comes free on iPhone) * Recommended Reading: "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing ": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607747308/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607747308&linkCode=as2&tag=jessi076-20&linkId=69394be2fe1385ec36d93ec45ba10fe2

Podcast – Ray Edwards
21 Money Myths That Keep You Broke

Podcast – Ray Edwards

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2017 58:34


Where did you get your beliefs about money? Chances are they were not consciously chosen, and that they aren't a well thought-out integrated "philosophy of money." The most commonly held misconceptions about money are actually dangerous deceptions… contradictory beliefs in a reality that punishes those who try to navigate life based on contradictory tactics. In this episode we'll bust the 21 most common – and most dangerous – money myths…and we'll expose the liberating truths that will set you free of your self-imposed limitations. Click here to download or listen to this episode now. Spiritual Foundations One of the things we love most about our listeners is that you're a smart group of people. We're honored that you listen to this show for guidance, but when presented with the truth you're able to figure things out on your own. In that spirit, this week we're simply going to present you with a series of quotes from the Bible and let you come to your own conclusions. Let's begin… "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." – John 10:10 "The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it." – Proverbs 10:22 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." – Matthew 6:30 -33 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich." – 2 Corinthians 8:9 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. – Ephesians 3:20-21 Tip of the Week Before I can serve my business, I have to serve you…my audience. I have to produce valuable content that you find interesting and valuable, and that's exactly what I'm doing on my YouTube channel. There's a ton of great content there and more to come. What would be awesome is if you subscribe to the channel. When you subscribe, you'll see a little bell icon. You want to click on that. That way you'll get a notification when I put out a new video. I welcome you to leave comments there and let me know what other stuff you'd like to hear about or see on that channel. Psst…here's a little secret, like the secret menu at In-n-Out Burger. We actually offer several tips in this episode, but you have to listen to hear the others. Aren't we sneaky? Feature Presentation: "21 Money Myths That Keep You Broke…and the 21 Liberating Truths That Will Set You Free" Myth: You can no longer start a business in today's economy. Myth: I don't have a product to sell. Myth: I don't have any experience in anything. Myth: Another breed of people are the only ones who can do big things. Myth: I must be shown how to do things by experts from institutions. Myth: Money isn't important. Myth: You can sell anything online. Myth: A businessman is in the low order of talent and importance in society. Myth: Selling is easy and not that important. Myth: People who just put up the money for an enterprise don't deserve much of a cut of the profit. Myth: Artistic or technical alent is rare and super expensive. Myth: Money must be made slowly. Myth: If you aren't born rich, you'll never be rich. Myth: I will be successful because I'm going to school. working for a big established organization, having talent, and working hard. Myth: People are basically bad, or people are basically good. Myth: Making a profit is sinful. Myth: Entrepreneurs are bad. Myth: I am not smart enough to do anything big because I didn't get good grades in school. Myth: Watch the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves. Myth: I must be certified by some recognized authority before I can do big things. Myth: To become rich another must become poor. Here are some snippets from our conversation: Same as it ever was – The truth about why it's easier than ever to start a business today (19:44) You need a Wesley – What Star Trek can teach you about building a business (22:08) It's right under your nose – The simplest way to create a product or service that people will happily pay you for (23:52) Get out of your own way – Somewhere someone is looking to pay money for knowledge you take for granted (24:55) All humans can generate wealth – Why your self-limiting beliefs are the only thing standing between you and a fortune (25:44) Climb your own ladder – How to kick the "Education Crutch" to the curb and go with what you know (29:59) Certificates of Appreciation: Why your messed up definition of money will keep you broke forever (31:42) The brick and mortar conundrum – Why digital marketing is the most important arrow in your quiver (34:01) The Matrix Principle – Why the people who designed the current system didn't have your best interests in mind…and what to do about it (35:55) The salesperson's vacation – The real reason sales is the highest paid profession in the world and why you should take it seriously (38:51) Risk and Reward – Why the first money in should be the first money out (39:57) You aren't charging enough – Why the craftsman is worth their weight in gold (40:44) The Gospel of Speed – Why finding a high leverage tactic and putting 100% behind it is the fastest way to create wealth (41:27) Spit out the silver spoon – How to overcome the fallacy of having to be born rich (42:03) They lied to me – How Old World thinking sets you up for failure in the New Economy (45:05) You hold the pen – Why only you get to decide what you write on the blank page of a new day (46:10) Value for value – Why profit is the proof of a service well-performed (49:01) Your vision may be blurry – How to have clarity when determining whether something is good or evil (50:19) You're good enough, smart enough, and people like you – The danger of allowing academic performance determine your true worth (51:07) You get what you focus on – Why paying attention to the wrong thing can cost you millions (52:34) Stop being so needy – How to stop relying on else's approval to become successful (53:25) Make infinite pies – The real reason why there is always enough for everyone (54:22) Resources Mentioned in This Episode Panasonic GH5 Smart Passive Income Final Cut Pro Seven Steps to Freedom: How to Escape the American Rat Race The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth Zig Ziglar On Selling The Millionaire Next Door The Two-Word Therapy Session The Fountainhead How To Help Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. Get The Transcript Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

SchoolOwnerTalk.com with Allie Alberigo and Duane Brumitt
Lessons Learned From The Elite Military – Episode #113

SchoolOwnerTalk.com with Allie Alberigo and Duane Brumitt

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2017 43:29


In this episode Allie and Duane share so of the lessons they have learned from elite military personnel. Books Discussed: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Leadership Lessons of the Navy SEALS: Battle-Tested Strategies for Creating Successful Organizations and Inspiring Extraordinary Results

The Frontside Podcast
045: The New Theory of Teams with Sarah Mei

The Frontside Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2016 41:15


In this episode, Sarah Mei, founder of RailsBridge, Director of Ruby Central, and Chief Consultant of DevMynd Software, talks about the way we write software: What's right? What's wrong? How can we do better? The conversation examines changing code and reassessing needs. i.e.: "Does it bring me joy? Should I get rid of this thing? Do I understand this code?" She also talks about what these needs mean for others on a team. Sarah Mei: @sarahmei Links: Sarah Mei: How We Make Software: A New Theory of Teams @ Brighton Ruby 2016 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo Transcript: CHARLES: Welcome to the Frontside Podcast. I am Charles Lowell and with me is Robert DeLuca. We have a very special guest this week. One that I'm really excited about because the things she says and the ideas that she has - open eyes and minds all over the place, in all different types of areas that are so pertinent to the way we do our jobs. So, we'll get to it. Our guest today is Sarah Mei. SARAH: Hi. Thanks for having me. CHARLES: Like I said, we are super excited to have you here. Before we get started talking about some of the things that you've been thinking about recently, why don't you just give like a very brief introduction of how you got started with development, where you've been, and how has that brought you to where you're going right now? SARAH: You know, I actually was not one of these people that got started with it real early. I came to programming in college. I was an Engineering major. I wanted to build bridges. I wanted to be a Structural Engineer. I want to build things. I had a weird schedule the first couple of quarters of college, so I ended up taking an elective earlier than most people take it. It was a programming class in Fortran that was required for the structural engineering program. I took my class and I was like, "This is really cool." CHARLES: Wait, Fortran is what set the hook? SARAH: Yeah, and the professor of the class was like, "Well, if you think Fortran is cool. I've got some other stuff that you might like." I mean, the language and whatever doesn't really matter. What I liked about it was the fact that I could build something. I can get that same feeling of building something that you get if you build a bridge but you can do more than like one or two in your career, like you do if you're a structural engineer. I like the constant feeling of building. That's what I liked about it. So I ended up switching my major and graduating with the CS degree and coming out and doing a bunch of different things, mostly like starting in a large company and sort of doing smaller and smaller companies over time. CHARLES: Yeah, there's a lot of people in the industry who are career switchers, where they started out in something else and moved into Computer Science but I actually feel that a lot of people, like myself included, I have the degree in CS too, but that was not what I set out to do at all. It totally derailed, like the course of my life in a good way. But in that way, it's like a career switch within a career switch. ROBERT: I'm a little odd in that aspect. I came out of high school like ready to go in software. It worries me a little bit for the later half of my life. I'm like, "Oh, am I going to do software for the entire time?" CHARLES: Probably not. SARAH: That might be a good thing. You'll never know. ROBERT: Yeah. CHARLES: Yeah, seriously, what lies ahead? ROBERT: Who knows? SARAH: I feel like in a lot of places that are like, for example, in public policy and in other places where we need more people that understand tech so if we can send you out into other parts of the world knowing a whole lot about programming, that can only be good. CHARLES: Yeah. ROBERT: Yeah, this is actually kind of funny. I was telling CHARLES about this the other days, like I'm starting to view programming more as a tool to do the things that I really want to do and less as like the thing that I'm going to be doing forever. I wanted to augment and make things that I have a passion about easier. SARAH: Yeah, absolutely. CHARLES: Yeah, it's like software is eating the world so what you're doing now is just learning how to chew. ROBERT: That's a great way to put it. SARAH: You should tweet that. [Laughter] CHARLES: All right. Please continue. I'll ignore the typing sounds. SARAH: [Laughs] Switching careers is a really interesting thing because you end up with a bunch of experience that you wouldn't have had otherwise. I'm really excited actually about the next five years as we have all these folks that switched into programming from something else who are all becoming mid to senior level because they're bringing just such amazing experience from other parts of the world. CHARLES: Yeah, I know, right? It's like, "Where've you guys been my whole career?" SARAH: Right. CHARLES: It's like you understand these things, just almost like it's second nature of these things that are opaque and completely inaccessible to me. So anyhow... SARAH: That's how I got here. CHARLES: So then, after you kind of switched in college, you went out and did you just start working in programming immediately thereafter? SARAH: Yeah, I worked in a bunch of different product companies. I built products for a while. My first job actually out of college was at Microsoft up in Redmond and then I have worked at smaller and smaller and smaller companies. Then I spent about 10 years doing product stuff and then about 10 years ago, I switched into doing consulting mostly because I realized that I have a fairly short attention span for projects. And that working on a product, there wasn't anything wrong with me exactly but what would happen is when I was working with a product, I would get six months to a year into it and I'm starting to get antsy. I started to get bored and decided that I should just embrace that. And I switch to something where I am going to be on a new project every three to six months. I've been a lot happier since then. ROBERT: That's interesting. I wonder if that comes with seniority in software development and knowing your way around because consulting for me is I've gotten the experience of, "Oh, wow, I'm just finally getting a hang of this person's product or this client's product or app or whatever we're building," and it's, "All right. It's time to rotate off." It's like you just get in there and understanding everything. SARAH: There is that aspect of it for sure but even when I was much less experienced, even with my first couple of jobs, I noticed this tendency in myself to just get bored after six months on the same code base. For a long time, I thought it was because I'm not cut out for software or maybe I'm not very good at it or something. Eventually, I just realized now actually, it's just that I just need to switch projects. I'm just one of those people. That's how my brain works. I get a lot out of switching projects because the one that I switch on to, I see an entirely different way of doing things like code bases are so different. Even if you look at a hundred different Rails apps or a hundred different Ember apps, they're all so different. So switching on to somebody else's app, I learned a ton just out of that switching process. CHARLES: It sounds like the actual kind of studying the meta-level of the software is what really engages you and kind of understanding how the software came to be the way it is and not some other way. One of the factors that gave rise to that and kind of 'that's the problem' that really sunk its teeth in you, as opposed to individual business problem. Is that fair to say? SARAH: It has certainly been interesting to see different business problems and to understand different parts of industries and so on. That's definitely part of it for me but what really gets me interested is the different ways that people organize their code and by how they make the decisions that they make. ROBERT: Yeah, you get to see different problems that they've maybe put themselves into because of the way they structured something, which you wouldn't see if you wrote yourself but somebody else did and get to see, "Oh, I understand this pattern now." That's kind of been my experience out of it. I don't want to speak for you, but yeah, that's kind of how I've seen other client projects like, "Oh, this is really cool. I didn't think of a way to do this," and you get to experience many different things in many different ways. SARAH: You get to see a lot of the tradeoffs. Like a lot of times in a single code base, what would happen is I'd make a decision or we'd make a design decision of some kind. Then I'd see how it turned out. But there's no way for me to see how it would have turned out if I did it the other way. The nice thing about switching projects for me is just being able to see all of those tradeoffs, like the tradeoffs that you make tend to be pretty similar. You can see very similar situations where people do different things and how does it turn out for them. ROBERT: Right, and like one of my favorite things is where you go into a project that is totally against something, like for me it was object-oriented CSS and then you go in and you actually see it in practice, and you're like, "Oh, wow. This is turning a whole new light on it. I like this in this case." SARAH: Microservices are like that for me, where it's generally I am anti the microservice bandwagon. But then I went on one project where I was like, "Wow, they actually figured it out. This works really well. I can see why people like it," because I've seen so many work that was horribly executed. When you go on to the one where it's good and you're like, "Oh, this is why people do that. Okay." ROBERT: Yeah, it's like that light-bulb click, "Oh, yep. There's another side of this." CHARLES: Once you actually see it done right, it helps you avoid every other situation where it was done wrong and you can say, "Oh, this this was the one differentiator that made it all go right." I mean, sometimes it doesn't always boil down to that. But there's these one, two, three things that we could have done. But they were just completely and totally hidden from you because you didn't have that context. I would love to talk to you about microservices because I've certainly never seen it done right. I've heard it talked about and I've seen this beautiful world, picture-painted that looks so fantastic on the whiteboard. But I see -- SARAH: Oh, it's so beautiful, isn't it? It's like an object-oriented design diagram. I'm like, "Look at all the boxes and lines. They all line up." CHARLES: "They're beautiful." SARAH: "I can do this in Visio," and they're all like, the line, they are on the same shape. It was great. CHARLES: "And when I move this one over there, it just tells me that these two are exactly the same distance apart from that other one." Ah, so satisfying. SARAH: Yeah, and then you try and do it, is the problem. ROBERT: Then you build it and you cross your errors and everything. CHARLES: Which actually I think that brings us, recently -- we're talking on Twitter. I think that's actually very recently about kind of the difference between when we talk about software and the meta conversations we have around it. When we do talk about these abstract and perfect worlds of boxes and lines versus the actual code bases, which is the things that you've kind of been observing many, many, many since you've started consulting, and kind of the vibe between those and you know what that means. I think a lot of people aren't even aware like I certainly, before kind of reading that, wasn't really aware that that is a very, very distinct difference, like these are two very different modes for software. One that exists and one that is kind of perfect world. ROBERT: Kind of academia versus the real world, I guess. SARAH: In some ways, yeah. I remember when I was in college, we had a software design class as part of our degree program. We studied how you define objects and you write a little bit of [inaudible], like we did all this stuff. When I got out and I got into the real world and I had a job, I found it very difficult to actually apply that stuff successfully, to be able to draw a diagram and then turn it into code and have it work out the way that the diagram said it was supposed to work out. I initially thought that was because I was just not experienced enough to figure it out. But eventually, what I realized is that it doesn't work because it doesn't work. It really doesn't work to design things ahead of time and then just do them. I think there might be a certain type of person that can do that. I am not that type of person and most people aren't. I think that it takes a very unusual type of brain to be able to just draw a diagram that has already taken into account all of the things you're going to encounter once you start making it. CHARLES: Yeah, I would even go so far as to say there's probably a brain that solved that problem many, many times, that just could skip a bunch of steps. SARAH: Right, and they're not aware they're skipping them necessarily. Unless you have an entire team full of that type of brain, it's probably not a good idea in general, for the software that you're building as a group. I feel like I've been trying to talk about that concept between the difference of how we talked about software in books, in blogs, and in conference talks and then how we build the software we actually build. I feel like I've been trying to articulate that for 20 years, like since I have my [inaudible] and I was like, "This doesn't work. Why can't I make a diagram and then make it into code?" Like two days ago, I feel like I finally found a way to articulate it that captures everything that I've been trying to communicate and it was a really strange feeling. I'm like, "Wow, I finally kind of got it." One of the reasons that I came up with that, I think, is because I haven't really been thinking about it for a couple of months. I've been off and not really thinking about software stuff for a while. Oddly enough, I've been thinking about organizing my house for the last three months. All of my free time outside of my job has been thinking about like, "I've been learning how to cook, so how can I organize my kitchen so that the things I actually use every day, I don't have to dig through a drawer every single time to find them?" There's actually some interesting problems there like, "How do I make sure that all of the stuff that I need is at hand that I use all the time? All stuff that I need occasionally is still around and accessible, and then things that I don't use, I should probably just get rid of." I have this problem that I think probably a lot of people have which is that I have trouble getting rid of stuff once I have it. I live in a small apartment in San Francisco and that's not a good thing to be able to unable to get rid of things because in an apartment this size, I can let it go for a week or two maybe, but like I got to be very vigilant about it because otherwise, it just overwhelms the space. CHARLES: Yeah, there's a bunch of research that the people estimate vastly different the cost of acquisition versus the cost of loss, and they've [inaudible] way too much, like irrationally unbalanced like not wanting to lose something that they already have. SARAH: Even if I bought it for a need that I don't have any more or the need has changed or shifted. I don't buy things I don't need. There are some people that have that problem, that they buy a bunch of stuff that they don't have any particular plans for it. I don't have that problem, thankfully. I've had people in my family that have that problem which I think is why I have avoided that. But the problem I have is that once something is here, I find it very difficult to get rid of it. I look at it and I'm like, "I can think of all these reasons why I shouldn't get rid of it." Oh, that was expensive so the sunk cost fallacy of like, "Oh, I paid a lot of money for that even if it's not useful and I don't like it, I shouldn't get rid of it." Or, there'll be like a dress in my closet that I haven't worn for two years and I'm like, "Ah, maybe I should get rid of it," and I take it out and I'm like, "Oh, my God. But it looks really good on me. I like it. I should wear this. I should really wear this." So I'm going to keep it even though I haven't worn in for two years for some reason, but I should keep it anyway because it looks good. I have all these stories. I tell myself about why I can't get rid of things. A couple of weeks ago, I read a part of a book, to be totally honest with you, called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It's written by this woman from Japan who's a professional organizer. Her name is Marie Kondo and her method is called KonMari. Basically, what it does is when you're trying to figure out whether you should get rid of something, you don't ask yourself, "Should I keep it?" What you ask yourself is, "Does this thing bring me joy? And if it brings me joy, then I keep it. If it doesn't, then I'm going to get rid of it." So that made it really easy, going back to the dress example. I'm like, "Does this dress give me joy?" And I thought about it, I was like, "No, the reason I don't wear it is because I went out to dinner and I had a bad experience at dinner so every time I look at that dress, it reminds me of that experience." And so it looks good and everything but I'm not going to wear it because it doesn't make me happy. So that was just like, "Okay, fine. I'm just going to give it away." And changing that question that I ask away from 'should I keep it' towards 'how does that make me feel' was a huge change for me because it's like, that's really easy to answer, where 'should I keep it' is a much harder question. There's these bunch of sort of ifs and maybes or what-ifs and what happens. I feel like that applying this KonMari question to stuff has changed the way that I calculate what stays and what goes in a very positive way. CHARLES: Yeah, boy, I need to get this book for several family members who will go [inaudible]. SARAH: Well, you know, I've got two kids and so there's a constant flow of stuff coming into the house. Because of the amount of space I have, there has to be a constant stuff going out. So this is something I just need to be very vigilant about and this has made it so that it takes up a lot less of my time and a lot less of my brain space, which is really awesome. It feels like it's moving my house in the right direction. I've been thinking about that sort of in various ways, on and off, for a couple of months and I haven't been thinking about software. I have this fear that like, maybe that means I'm never going to think about software again. I go through these phases where I've got like, "Oh, I'm going to come up with a bunch of new ideas," where I'm coming up with new ideas for some whatever reason. Maybe I'm making new conference talks, I'm doing stuff, and I'm thinking about software a lot. Then I go through these phases where I don't do that, like I sort of retrench and maybe... I don't know. I think about other stuff for a while. So it's been home organization for several months now. I was like this, "I'm never going to think about software again," because it's just that -- [Laughter] CHARLES: Career change. ROBERT: Oh, man. This sounds so much like my life since I moved down to Austin. SARAH: You know, I live in San Francisco and I'm not 25, I'm 40. A lot of it is like maybe I'm just too old for software now. I should just give up and live out the rest of my career doing quiet, maintenance work -- [Laughter] SARAH: Somewhere. I don't know. Then suddenly, this thing happened on Monday, where I was just like, "Oh, code, an organization." And boom! There it was. I realized, I was like, "I basically just had to give my brain some time off," like my conscious brain needs some time off from software and it wasn't that it had disappeared because what I came up with on Monday was really just how home organization applies to code because I realized that the feelings that I get when I'm trying to figure out what I should do with code are very similar to the feelings that I get what I'm trying to figure out whether I should get rid of a thing. I look at this piece of code and I'm like, "Should I change this? Should I get rid of this? Should I refactor it?" You know, why I can't get rid of that? We just spent two weeks refactoring it so I can't change it again. [Laughter] SARAH: We just put in a story for refactoring this and we spent three days and I can't go back to the [inaudible] people and tell them, "I need to change it more." Or, "I really like this code because I wrote it with someone that I really liked." CHARLES: So I don't want to get rid of it. SARAH: I don't want to get rid of it because then I would lose the memory of working with, you know. CHARLES: I actually can say that I have experienced that. SARAH: Yeah, there's a lot of reasons why you don't want to change code. What I was thinking about, like maybe I was asking the wrong question, in the same way that 'should I keep this' is the wrong question when you're talking about stuff. Maybe 'should I change this' is the wrong question when you're talking about code. Maybe it's sort of leading you in the same way with stuff that leads you down this conversation of reasons that don't really have anything to do with the essential quality of why the code is there or why the thing is there. We need something that helps us reassess our needs. So if our needs have changed, maybe you don't need that thing anymore because your needs have changed. Same way with code. If your needs have changed, maybe you don't need that code anymore, at least not in the form that it's at now. I think that question for code that, "Does it bring me joy," because joy is not something that I think is concrete enough when we're talking about code. I think the question for code is do I understand this? Do I understand what it's doing? Not just understand it like a very surface level of like, "Can I figure out what this syntax means?" But understand it more like the grok level of like, I understand this at a very deep level. I understand why it's here. I understand what problem it's solving. I understand why this abstraction is necessary. I understand how it got here. CHARLES: Yeah, how it fits into the bigger picture. SARAH: How it fits into the bigger picture, exactly, like the application. CHARLES: How it fits in with like our conventions that are just purely stylistic. SARAH: How does it fit in with the other stuff that we've been doing? How does it fit in with the product needs and the features we're trying to build and the business goals and all of that stuff, all of these different levels of understanding of why this code is here and what it does? CHARLES: Do other team members' understanding factor into that? Like, "Do I understand the way that other people understand it," so to speak? SARAH: I think that it can. But I think the important thing is whether you personally understand it. CHARLES: Okay, like it's a very personal decision. SARAH: I think it is. Hopefully, what you do is you want different people looking at the same code. You don't want just one person on a piece of code that no one else ever sees, whether it's pairing or code review or whether it's something else. It need to be really clear to someone is coming in and looking at that code what it does, what it means, and why it's there? CHARLES: Right. I guess the reason I asked the question is because a lot of times when I look at a piece of code, I try and really step outside of myself and say, "What will someone else think who has never been on this project before?" Or, "Who is on this project and they see this code, will they understand it?" SARAH: Absolutely. It's definitely a part of it when you're on a team. CHARLES: Yeah, so I'm just trying to figure out how that question factors into this framework. SARAH: I think that it depends a lot on how you distribute tasks. For example, if you work in a shop where you're pair programming most of the time, so there's always two people looking at a piece of code, 'do I understand this' is a reasonable question just for the two of you to consider, both from the fact that you can pool your knowledge but also from the fact that 'are there pieces of this that you understand that I don't understand' and vice versa. On the other hand, if you work in a shop where it's more like, "Here's the piece of code that you work on like you own this section of code." Then I think it's more important for you to be able to step outside and be like, "Okay, do I understand this? Would other people on my team understand this?" That can be a very difficult thing to assess and that's where I think it's very helpful to do things like code reviews, call people in and be like, "Hey, can I run some stuff by you. I'm trying to figure out if this is good or not," because what you want is you want a code base that is comfortable and understandable for you and for your team. Just like the thing that makes the KonMari Method powerful for stuff is that it doesn't tell you what you're going to end up with. It doesn't tell you what level of clutter versus cleanliness is good for you. It doesn't tell you. You either end up like something in one of these simple living magazines or end up something like Quarters, the TV show. There's a bunch of places in the middle, they're all fine. Everyone's going to fall somewhere differently along that line. So I've managed now that I've thought about this a lot to set up my kitchen in a way that is very comfortable for me, like I know where things are, I can find them really easily, things that I use are at hand. But other people come in, they're just like, "I have no idea where everything is," like it's very personal. The organizational system you end up with [inaudible] that you have is a very personal thing and that's why, if you look at something like staged houses, so you're selling your house, you hire someone to put in rugs and furniture and stuff and make it look like somebody lives there so that people can walk in and sort of imagine themselves in this space, they don't put any of that clutter into the stage. They don't put any books on the coffee table except the big picture books. They don't leave the remote controls on the couch. There's no plunger by the toilet. There's no like -- CHARLES: There's no Legos on the floor. ROBERT: Everything that looks good. SARAH: Everything that makes it more personal, they leave out because it looks like somebody else's mess. You go into something like that and you're like, "This is not my mess. This is somebody else's mess. It can't possibly be my house and I'm not going to buy it. ROBERT: Oh, do we do this for software in conference talks and posts? SARAH: Absolutely, we do. That's sounds very similar when you get someone new onto a project, especially if they're more senior and they'll walk in and be like this, I can't live like this. [Laughter] SARAH: This is somebody else's mess and clearly we need to make some changes. But that's the reason why they leave it out of the staged houses is because you want people to be able to imagine their own level of clutter and disorganization that superimposed on the skeleton. But real life is not that. Real life is somewhere between that and hoarders. There's a very interesting parallel there with code, which is like when we look at code, if we look at the object-oriented design textbooks, you look at conference talks, you look at blog post, sample code, it's all very staged house. It's very uncomplicated. It has no clutter in it and that's because you're supposed to be able to look at that. CHARLES: I mean, that clutter can distract the sales process so to speak. SARAH: Exactly, like they have an idea they're trying to get across and the clutter would distract people from the idea. But the problem there is the same with the staged house which it's very difficult to tell what it will be like once you move in. It's very difficult to take some of these ideas that you see demonstrated in these staged environments and take them and apply them to your code base which is probably closer to a hoarded house than to a staged house especially if it's a code base that existed for a while over time, that has been worked on by lots of different people. This is the problem that I've noticed with a lot like there's some really amazing books about software design that have come out in the last couple of years. Of course, Sandi Metz's book is at the top of my list. But the thing that people have trouble with, like they love the book. They love the book. I love the book. But then they find it very difficult to apply those principles when they sit down in front of a code base that has already been worked on for six or seven years, in some cases by maybe 50 different people, who knows, over time. How do you take those principles and start applying them in a way that moves you in the right direction? That's where people are just like, "I can't do this. I can't do this and I'm not going to do this." And it's very similar to a problem where you've got a very dirty house and you don't know where to start in order to move it towards something from the Simple Living magazines or are more like a staged house, you don't know how to start to get it in that direction and so you just kind of give up. The powerful thing about KonMari is that it doesn't give you like, "Here's what you're going to end up with it," but it gives you a way to get started on something that gives you a very easy question to answer. It moves you in the right direction. It moves your house in the right direction without being overly prescriptive about what you'll end up with. CHARLES: Yeah, what that direction even is. SARAH: What you'll end up with is personal for you, anyway. I think the question about 'do I understand this code' is similarly helpful and that it moves you and your code base in the right direction without necessarily giving you a lot of prescription about how you do it or where it goes or even where it's going to end up. It just gives you a question to ask that it tells you whether or not this code needs to change and a question is, "Do I understand it?" If I don't, it should probably change, and if I do, okay, we can just kind of leave it for now. CHARLES: So now, if you're working on a team where you have two different people, maybe different skill levels, maybe just a different temperament or different set of preferences, what do you do when the answer to that question is two different things for two different people? SARAH: Well, sort of like when you move in with someone. This is the hard part about living with somebody else, is that you have to mutually agree upon a method of keeping your house that is agreeable to both of you. Sometimes, when they say that working through a startup is like being married to someone, there's some elements of that because you basically have to figure out like, "Okay, we're going to live in this code together. If we're going to live in this code together, we better both be happy with it. How can we both be happy with it?" It involves usually, some compromise, like I really hate doing the dishes but I don't mind cooking and vice versa. You have to figure out. It really bothers me when there's socks on the floor but I don't care if you leave dirty dishes in the sink or whatever it is. You just have to have these conversations about, "What is going to make the code livable for you?" You basically want to end up with a code base that's understandable where all parts of it are understandable to everyone on the team. Now that's like an ideal. You're not going to get there. But that's kind of what you're going for. If you have two people in the code and you have disagreements about what is the right way to go, sometimes it can help to just be like, "Hey, I don't really understand this," versus, "I don't think this is the right decision and here's why I don't understand this." Sometimes, reframing the question in that way can prompt them to communicate reasons that they have for doing this that they maybe weren't able to articulate before, for example. Just like when you move in with someone, you need to have sort of this commitment to finding a level of housekeeping that you're both happy with. When you're working on the team, you do have to have sort of a mutual commitment to having a code base that everyone can live in. CHARLES: Right. I like that because having like, "I just don't understand this and here's the reason why," that being a completely totally valid answer because sometimes in a code base, where someone's brand new or maybe they're at a more junior level, they don't quite have the tools to understand it or there's a lot of steps that haven't yet taken. It's like understanding is not going to be accessible to them immediately. SARAH: And maybe that means that's the wrong decision for that code base, is that right? CHARLES: Right. SARAH: Because if something is abstracting to the point that a lot of people on the team don't get it, then it's probably not the right abstraction for that code base. That abstraction might be totally appropriate in a code base in which you've got folks that are more experienced who understand why it's there, who have the scars from previous times when they didn't do it, et cetera, et cetera, and they understand why it's there. There is sort of like intellectual understanding of like, "Yes, object-oriented design is a good thing," and then there's, I would call it almost emotional understanding of like, "Oh, yeah, there's this time that we didn't do that and that worked out badly for us." I think that folks that don't have the sort of experiential understanding, sometimes they just need to have that. They need to get that. Sometimes, what that means is you want to let them see what happens to a certain extent. Let them see what happens when you don't do that. CHARLES: Right. This reminds me actually, I've got three kids and the way our house is now versus the way it was seven years ago is wildly different -- the way that we live. You know, with our first child, I'm ashamed to admit it, like our strategy was just to kind of put safety locks all over everything: every cabinet, on the oven, not on the refrigerator, but just kind of 'childproof' the house so that we wouldn't have to change the way that we lived but it made the house really uncomfortable for our children. And kind of having observed that over the course of having the second and the third, there's not anything that we childproof really. We put the dangerous chemicals way up high, where only we can get them. It's a little bit more inconvenient if we need to access the bleach but that level of discomfort is something that we live with. We've always got cups that are set out on a cabinet that sits below the counter so we've got water cups set out so that the children can get water and stuff anytime that we want, and we try, for things that they're going to need, make sure that it's accessible if you happen to be four feet shorter. That's just a condition of who you are. So it means that the actual configuration of our house, even though it's the same house, is just radically different and it is more optimized or it's optimized as a compromise for the fact that there are people living in this house now that haven't learned how to operate everything but they just need to learn that the oven is hot and you don't go there rather than slapping a lock on it. SARAH: Your house is probably more comfortable for you as a group, right? CHARLES: Yes. SARAH: And what that means is that as the 'senior' in the house, it's slightly less comfortable for you in some ways but it's worth it. It's worth being less comfortable for you in order to increase comfort across the board for everyone in the household. CHARLES: Right, because it means that if the child needs water, I don't have to stop what I'm doing to get a cup out of the cabinet and fill it for them. SARAH: And they feel [inaudible] over the stuff in their house. They feel like they live there, like the house is for them. CHARLES: Yes. ROBERT: That builds comfort and confidence. SARAH: Yeah, I think that's a very good analogy. Anytime you have a group of people living together, everyone makes compromises in order for the house to be set up in the way that's optimized for the group. CHARLES: Yeah. "So man, how are we going to apply this to software? What's the next step? What are the concrete steps?" I guess it's just asking those questions, like asking, "Did I understand it?" SARAH: It is asking those questions and it's also, if you are one of the more experienced folks on the team, it's your job to elicit the answers to that from other people that are less experienced. They're not going to tell you. A lot of times, sometimes, they may or may not feel comfortable saying that they don't understand something. So it's your job to really try and figure out like, "Do they get this at a level that is acceptable? Do they understand why this abstraction is here at an intellectual level or at an experiential level, at an emotional level? Do they get it?" Which is not something you can really just ask. In many cases, it's your job to -- CHARLES: To just observe it. SARAH: To observe and to see how it works. If people are having a hard time understanding where things are in the code base, it could be because everything is so cluttered that you can't see anything or it could be that everything is so hidden that you can't see anything. It's sort of the staged house equivalent where everything is too abstracted, or is it the hoarded house equivalent where everything is just obscure and under piles of junk. Either way, no matter which direction you need to move towards the middle, the question is always, "Do I understand this?" ROBERT: I like this a lot. I keep on coming to the analogy of if you put a chef in a different kitchen where everything is just totally rearranged and they don't know where their knives are, where their measuring cups are and stuff, I think that plays perfectly in a software of like you put somebody into a code base that they don't know, "All right, I'll figure it out." It's not their home. It's not what they're comfortable with or used to. Yeah, I think this is making my brain work on how I can apply this. SARAH: Or if they're moving in like when you hire somebody and they 'move into your house', you need to be ready for things to change. And this is one of the reasons why I've been saying for many years in ways that I think maybe didn't quite connect as well as they could have, that really the team is the code and vice versa. Every time you add someone to the team or someone leaves the team, teams are not mutable. You get a completely new team. So, it's not like you can just sort of carry on like you did before. Every time you get someone new onto the team, everything gets reimagined, every breakdown of responsibility, every decision. You look at it in a new way when you have someone new come on to the team. If they're going to stay, like in your chef example, if this person is moving in and this is going to be their kitchen and they're sharing it with other people, then what you're going to end up with is probably something in between what it is when they get there and what they had before. They're going to bring in some ideas, you're going to keep some of your ideas and you're going to end up with something in the middle. The same thing has to happen with your code when you bring someone new onto the team. CHARLES: I really like the way that this just focuses the discussion and I know that you've talked about this a lot before, whether it's a kitchen or a house, this idea of the code not being so much the shrink-wrapped product. It's a structure, yes. It is definitely that but it's a structure that you, as people, inhabit. It protects you from certain things and it provides you certain things that you need to live. When people ask us why is a continuous delivery pipeline so important in automating all these things for deploying your software it's because the idea is this is going to be a living thing that your team will actually be living in. And every member of that team will be living in from the time they start with the company or start with the project until the time that they exit and the time that they leave. It's the actual living process that you want to make comfortable and pleasant. SARAH: And what comfortable and pleasant means will be different depending on who's on that team? It's not something that you can have like a -- CHARLES: It's not. SARAH: Right. This is why all of these things are like, "Here's how you design things." It always seemed to fall flat. I think it would be better titled like, "Here's how I did one thing once." [Laughter] SARAH: Or, "Here's what works for me." I feel like every conference talk that is about design could be, "Here's what works for me. I did this one thing once." CHARLES: You might want to try it. SARAH: You could try it. It might work for you, it might not, right? CHARLES: Right. SARAH: A lot of times where conference talks fall flat and blog post and everything else was why they're more like, "This is how you do it. This is the right way to do it." You're like, "Well, it certainly works for you." [Laughter] ROBERT: The one time I gave a conference talk, the night before I went through every slide and scrutinized it as much as I thought somebody out in the public would do it. And I think that might be where we go through in a 'stage our code'. It's like we're trying to make it perfect for somebody that might come through and scrutinize it or criticize. Because I know when I was going up to put those slides up, I wanted to make sure it was the best foot I could possibly put forward. CHARLES: Right, we don't want to be wrong but I think that's where it actually, thinking of it as 'this is what worked for me' and this is an example from my house that worked. This is a way that I organize my code and my space. That'll not take a lot of pressure off of not having like, "I am right and I'm an authority at saying that this is the right way." That's a lot of pressure. SARAH: I don't even like that. I try and frame a lot of the things that I talk about as like, "Here's the thing that works for me really well. Maybe it'll work for you too. Let me know." CHARLES: Yeah. ROBERT: Yeah, that's how I give it. CHARLES: Up until really about two years ago, I felt like that was the expectation that was put on people is to say the right thing. SARAH: That's true. And I think that there's a lot of teams where that is an unspoken requirement and that's something that we should examine. Because even within a team like 'here's a thing that works for me or here's a thing that worked on my last project' isn't very different from saying something like, "Well, industry best practice --" [Laughter] SARAH: And I think that like you get to a certain level of experience and people expect you to say things like that. In my experience, the best way to do it is 'blah'. I mean, it's not actually a super useful statement because your past experience may or may not be directly applicable to the thing you're looking at right now, no matter how experienced you are. I think that it's much more friendly to have a range of experience levels to say things like, "Well, this worked for me on this project. Let's talk about whether it could work here." CHARLES: Right, yeah. ROBERT: I really like that. CHARLES: I do. It's so hard because your human nature is to try and boil things down into a simple binary. SARAH: People would love to have a list of rules, I'll tell you that. This is a problem. This is one of the reasons why I think it's important for us to come up with these questions that you can ask that will move you in the right direction without giving you rules, that will move you in the direction of finding the rules that work for you. Because rules themselves, people really, really, really want them. But they're always misused. They're always misunderstood and what you really need are the questions that led you to those rules in the first place. That's what people really want, although maybe that's not what they are asked. ROBERT: Ah, the Steve Jobs approach. SARAH: [Inaudible] to start wearing black turtlenecks. I hate turtlenecks. ROBERT: And New Balance shoes and the jeans. [Laughter] SARAH: But yeah. I think it's one of those things where people are very hungry for guidance. But we've been giving them the wrong kind of guidance. We've been trying to give them rules. When what we really need to do is give them questions to help them develop their own judgment. ROBERT: Right. Like when I was coming up, I thought, in everything, there was a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it. I've been slowly, sadly figuring out that it's not all black and white and it's not all just logic. I've always treated programming as like, "Well, they wrote this and it's just logic so I should be able to understand this." It's been a long road to come to this conclusion that kind of like what you're talking about and this has been enlightening for me. Like you are going to solve your problems your own way, your own person, and you'll think about things differently. I really like the analogy of 'this is your house and this is how you work and live in your house'. SARAH: Right, and no one would tell you in order to be a proper human being, you have to set up your house this way. ROBERT: Exactly. SARAH: We feel comfortable telling people, in order to be a professional developer, you need to set up your code this way. I think that those are very similar statements and we should really examine a lot of these 'should' statements that are all over the place when you're talking about software. Think about whether or not they're actually serving us in our mission of doing more things with tech. Like overall, my mission here is for people to be more effective with code so that we can do more interesting things with it. I live in the TV show, Silicon Valley, essentially so I'm surrounded by these companies that are solving these little tiny problems and I'm tired of it. I want us to solve bigger ones. In order to do that, we need to get better at coding. We need to get better at managing code over time and that's what I'm trying to do. CHARLES: Because it's not going to scale, otherwise. We're out of time. We're going to have to have you on the podcast again because I don't think we've got to... what? About 15% of the things that we want to talk about? SARAH: Oh, we are overtime, aren't we? CHARLES: Yeah. But thank you so much, Sarah, for coming on and talking with everybody. You drop real quick your Twitter handle so that if people want to have follow on discussion, they can reach out to you that way, or your other preferred means of contact. SARAH: Yeah, Twitter is probably the best. My Twitter is @sarahmei, and that's mostly where I am. CHARLES: All right. Well, fantastic. As always, feel free to reach out to us too. I'm @cowboyd on Twitter. And what are you, Rob? ROBERT: @robdel12. CHARLES: All right. It's a wrap. Thank you so much, Sarah, and we'll see you in Ether and hopefully we'll have you on the podcast again sometime.

Organized Family
000: Introduction

Organized Family

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2015 12:21


Show Notes for Episode 000 Introductions Dave grew up as a military dependent works as a software developer and as a software development manager active in boy scouts and church, a member of the library board in their city Enjoys indoor activities and a couple sports (soccer and basketball) Amy Grew up in the same town all her life Stay at home mom On school community council Runs an sports program for women in our area Enjoys outdoor activities Us We met in college, married for almost 20 years. Five children. Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and Purple (That's episode 5) We're both organized Why did we start the podcast? People kept asking how we do it Visitors impressed or ask questions when they come over Get request to teach classes on organization Reach a broader audience with some of our ideas Goal for podcast Share what we know It's not just moms that need to be involved, but dads too. You cannot be successful as a couple or a family unless both parents are involved. You can have different focus' but you are a team Why do we think organization is important? Saves time Helps reduce tension Provides for a place where people can be more creative and productive All episodes will be in one of four categories Personal Kids Home Finances Frequency: Once a week Length: We're shooting for about 20 minutes The quote “Organization saves time” came from the movie “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. The name of the book about tidying up is “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing”

The Paperclipping Roundtable
PRT247 - Our Dream Products

The Paperclipping Roundtable

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2015 85:20


This week we're talking about the scrapbooking products we really want... The Panelists Stacy Julian Wilna Furstenberg Noell Hyman Sponsors The Paperclipping Membership Picks of the Week The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Glass Door Cabinet Things Task Management App Maggie Holmes Sequins (Affiliate links wherever possible.) Feedback and Reviews Please take a moment to leave us feedback on the iTunes directory here. How to subscribe... Want to make sure you never miss a new installment of the Paperclipping Roundtable? Subscribe in iTunes (it's free!) and you'll automatically download the newest installment when it's released. Click on this link: Subscribe in iTunes Or you can always manually subscribe to the Paperclipping Roundtable RSS Feed.