Hi, I'm Paige Killian and I'm passionate about helping busy moms of littles organize and style their life in three simple steps. Living this mom life is incredible and sometimes completely overwhelming. Is stressing about overstuffed drawers, never-ending mail piles a mountain of Legos and our kids' artwork.
Really what got intended? No way. Getting organized has been a game changer for me and also my clients, but it has to be simple or it just won't get done. So let's simplify the process and clear the clutter to see the blessings God has for us. I know your time is. So thanks for joining me each week for a healthy dose of organization and a whole lot of motivation.
Hello. Hello. We are back again for another episode, and if you are joining me right now, As this is airing, we're still in the month of January. I was looking back to see how many Mondays are in the month of January because my podcast episodes drop every what? I sound like a rapper. They drop. Okay. Uh, . My album drops in.
No, don't. We're not gonna say that. Okay. Um, , I only had one cup of. What's happening today? I don't know, it's even like a gloomy, rainy, crazy day. But I guess I'm just a little fired up. I know exactly what's happening. What's happening is I went over and over about this particular episode because I was feeling the pressure of it being January.
I, as I started saying, I was noticing that there are five episodes that will go live or will drop. If you will, uh, on five different Mondays in January. And so I thought, all right, January is the time of year where we're talking about the New Year's resolutions, where we're talking already did the episode about outcomes versus goals.
Um, did an episode with my sweet, dear friend, generally rude who announced. The, uh, raised on Plants app that was gonna be super helpful for busy moms of Littles and anybody who's just looking to really simplify their lifestyle and have a healthier lifestyle. And boy, oh boy, let me just tell you, I've been inside that app and it's so incredible.
I'm just gonna go ahead and link it up in these show notes as well because it's so, so good and so worth it. But again, it is more of, now that it's January, we. This pressure on ourselves to have a fresh start and to do things differently and to start new things. And perhaps it's getting into a program or it's working with a coach, or it's going to the gym or it's doing something to eat healthier, exercise or you know, all the typical things.
Perhaps it's something in your business and you're wanting to scale or you're wanting to try something new. . It's all that pressure that comes up. And a lot of times I will pick a word for the year, and you have probably heard that. What's your word? What's your word for the year? What word are you gonna choose?
I did an episode on this actually last January. Uh, what did I call it? Did I just, oh, I think I just called it Word of the Year. So I'll, I'll link that in show notes too. It would be interesting to go back and listen to that and just see where I was at that time versus where I am today. And. I think I'm actually lightening up.
I'm smiling. I wish you could see this. I don't know if this will make it to YouTube or not, but I want you to know that just me making this decision to come on and talk to you in a way where I don't have this figured out and I'm asking you for help. Uh, I do have some three E's that we can focus on. If your struggle is much like mine right now, where I'm feeling the pressure.
To pick a word of the year. So if you are feeling that pressure too, I just wanted to share with you what I'm going through because it might be something that you could relate to. So I've shared, uh, on actually in recent episodes as well, but I've shared in the past, in 2020, I think that was my first year.
Maybe it was my second year, but I don't remember 19 doing, picking a word. So in 2020, I specifically remember probably because of the irony that I picked the word patience, having no idea what was going to be happening around March of 2020. So picked the word in January, and patience was tested for sure that year for all of us.
If that wasn't your, You still had to try and find a way to be patient through all of the craziness and the unknown, and that's a scary thing. So I was glad that I picked that that year. The next year I picked trust basically because we didn't know what was gonna happen in 2020 and it hit us all like a Mac truck.
And while there were some blessings that I think came from it, there were also a lot of times where we just had to kind of trust that things were gonna work. Because we were so uncertain, we didn't know. I mean, there were politicians and there were thought leaders, and there were doctors and scientists and school professionals, you know, committees that were gathered and created to try to offer some sort of, you know, solutions and suggestions to help people based on the unknown.
It was really kind of a crazy time, and so when 2021 hit, I thought I just need to trust. that there's a plan. I need to trust the process, that God has a plan for me, and that I just need to basically put one foot in front of the other. As Jenna said on an episode a couple Mondays ago when it dropped , um, she talked about taking messy action.
And, you know, uh, we really just, I've, I've said this from the very beginning, not trying to be perfect because that's not real, right. After 2021, and I did trust the process and as my friend Kelly Mok says, more will be revealed. You just, you just have to kinda lean into going with whatever your reality as is at the time, and then trying to move the ball forward, not just stopping, not getting that paralysis by analysis that I've talked about before when there's so many different options and you just don't know what to do, and so you just get stuck.
So moving forward. , a lot of times happens with trusting that there is a plan, even if you don't know what it is and you just do the next thing. I talk a lot about 1% better shooting for 1% improvement because a lot of times it's that getting started and in that case, and in that year, Trusting the process that just doing a little bit the next day was gonna lead to more in the future, and then we'd kind of figure it out as we go.
So the next year, I said maybe three episodes ago, but I couldn't remember if I had picked a word and I was actually talking to the kids about it because I said, Hey guys, remember how I always pick a word of the year and we talk about it? I said, can you guys remember what my word was last year? Because I couldn't remember if I even said one or if I.
Maybe kind of just, well, I don't know. Did I just, did I coast? I didn't coast a lot happened in 2022, and it was actually my Duke, he's eight years old in second grade Who said he was saying something like, oh, I, I think it started with a P. Was it purpose? Or passion, which I loved hearing those big words come out of his mouth confidently and having this kind of adult conversation with him.
And Isabel was shaking her head and she's like, yeah, she's 12. She was like, yeah, that does sound familiar. And she was like, it was another word that was like following your passions and following your purpose. And all at the same time, we were like, pursue. , that's what it was, because I remember it was first being patient, not knowing what was going on.
Second, it was trust. So we were trusting the process, not knowing what was going to happen given all of the stuff that we had been through the year prior. And then the world kind of started there. I say, It started to get back to normal. What's normal right now, we all have this new normalist, so they say, and it felt like time to pursue more of what I had either put on the back burner or just decided to be patient about and trust the process.
And that was the year that I decided to pursue a little more. I was pushing a little more. I had gotten in the word, I had gotten in the Bible and I had looked. What were some of the things that the Bible said about pursuing things and your purpose and your passions, and I felt very confident about that word and pursuing what it was I wanted to get to.
And that, for me last year had a lot to do with the book. Um, I was absolutely thrilled that I had been patient a couple years prior and that I had trusted that God had a plan and it wasn't in my own timing. It really just never is. Let me tell you, if you feel like. The world is going to be on your timing.
I don't mean to burst your bubble and I don't wanna sound not encouraging, but it is so not up to you. I mean, absolutely. We can do what I did last year. We can pursue our passions. We can lean into what we feel like is a purpose that some might call a calling. Uh, I, I very, very much believe. God has a calling for all of us.
We all do have a purpose, and uh, if we can figure out what we are passionate about, find a way to use that to serve others. That feels very purposeful for me. Um, doesn't have to be in the world. It could be on the home front and your purpose right now, which also by the way, can totally change with seasons.
You know, if you're a busy mom listening to this, we go through very different. Diverse seasons. Talk about the unknown. We just never know. Uh, actually hit a milestone recently with my daughter that is going to be life-changing, um, for her growing up. We're in a new phase in life. I'll let you figure out what I'm talking about.
It was special, it was emotional. It was. Scary and exciting, and that's kinda how I felt last year when I decided that my intention and my word that I was going to pick was going to be pursue. So I wanna share a couple things that might be helpful for you if you are feeling that pressure. Because I'm feeling it this year.
I wanna share a few. That I'm gonna try to lean into, not, I'm not gonna try. This is what my friend Kelly says to me. It's not about the trying, it's about like really just committing and doing it right. Here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna follow these three simple steps. Gotta keep it simple and love the threes.
We're gonna stick with that, but I, I do wanna say that I've got a few different words that I'm throwing around and I just wanna share them because I don't know what I'm gonna pick yet, which is absolutely. Dictated what number one step was gonna be. If you're struggling with the pressure of picking a word, the first step that I'm going to tell you is to not put pressure on yourself and to really give yourself time to figure that out.
And I actually did do that last year. I remember I didn't pick a word until much later in January because I couldn't figure out what I wanted it to be. It was like I needed to pray about it more, and I really just needed to. Not feel the pressure of January 1st. And I will say going forward, and I, I did do this this year, but it still just wasn't coming.
I will start thinking about this in December, early December, kind of before that holiday season, cuz you can kind of get wrapped up in that wrap. No pun intended. Was that even a funny joke? I don't know. Um, so really giving yourself time to figure out what your word is, what your thought and plan is for the year, knowing , that God could have a completely different plan.
I really think that giving ourselves time and not feeling that pressure to pick the perfect word and stick with it all year. Now, step number two is gonna have a little bit more to do with that. But before I get to that, on this note of taking time and really just mulling over what's coming up for you, I will say that I've got a couple words in mind.
The first one shocks the, you know what out of me, because this is a word that. Don't love that. I do not gravitate toward. In fact, I run from, and I think a lot of other people in the world who are much smarter than I am and perhaps even have lived longer and are more experienced in what life has to offer.
I think that they probably love and appreciate this word and perhaps it's something that they found and that word is content. are you content with your life? Uh, I was telling you about this, um, episode that I did a couple weeks ago with Jenna, and we were talking about vision boarding and we were talking about the new app that's gonna simplify things and help us with the healthier lifestyle.
We were talking about not putting so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect and blah, blah, blah, all the things, right? And she and I were talking about how important it is to. Lean into whatever is resonating with you at the time. And she brought up the word contentment and being content. When I took this, uh, vision board, I wanna say class, it was like a Zoom virtual thing.
I actually, there was a panel and I was one of the speakers and I was talking about getting organized in 2023. You know how we can do it in three simple steps. And that was one of the words that came up then too, where she was saying, these are some of the examples and the words that you might pick and some of the photos you might put on your virtual vision board.
And she said the word contentment. And I had an adverse reaction. I had a reaction like, oh gosh, that seems so unattainable for me. I am never. and that probably sounds awful. Well, I don't, I don't wanna assume. Maybe you don't think it sounds awful. Maybe that's relatable for you. I feel like I am always in achiever mode, ambition mode, do the next thing.
I finish one thing. I barely even take time to promote whatever the thing is. I'm really trying to be better about the book because I know how important it is. I, I really feel deeply in my soul that I was led to get this out in the world, and the fact that the audio book is now. I feel like I need to do a better job of promoting the heck out of it because I feel like it's helpful.
It's not a me thing. I feel like it was like God's speaking through me and through the pen and all that kind of stuff. And even that sounds a little vain to say out loud, but it's true. I, it was, I would literally start to write the book and I would put my hand on my laptop and I would say less of me, more of.
Less of me, more of you, because I wanted to obviously share stories that had come from my life and from my clients, but I wanted it to be driven by what it was that God had planned for people. How? How it would land. You know how like sometimes you can read a Bible verse or you can see a quote or you can hear somebody say something and then a year or two later you might hear or see the exact same thing or read the same thing, and it almost feels like it takes on this totally different.
Thought or feeling for you? Well, I remember when I was writing that book, I was going through a lot of struggles, parenting specifically, but also just my sort of a war with myself of what I was supposed to be doing and achieving in my business. And I felt like I was not doing a great job with my family, specifically parenting, because I didn't know how to help fix things.
Okay. , I'm a fixer and I, I couldn't fix something that was happening and it just was a lot. I was feeling all of that pressure and I remember when the book, when it felt like time in 2022 to actually release it and I was going back, especially even more so when I recently went back to redo uh, or to, to reread it and do the audiobook.
It was like, whoa, this feels like I have come and we as a family and my business have come so far since when I started. Writing this and it was like therapy for me. If you're an author, if you've ever written anything, you know, a lot of times it ends up becoming more of therapy for the author and wonderful if it can additionally help people as well.
But it, it really is transformative for the person who is writing it. That's why, by the way, I always say it is such a good idea. If you are trying to get thoughts out of your head and down on paper, it will make them real and it will. Actionable. So on that note, let's continue. I'll tell you again, contentment keeps coming up for me.
I'm terrible at it, and I think I need to be more content with my life because the fact is I'm not taking time to pause and relax and appreciate. Let me be real. A lot of the hard work that I've put in on creating content in different ways, whether it's starting the podcast or speaking, or being in homes and doing organizing for clients or creating the book, or then the audio book or blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Just like it's the next thing, the next thing, the next thing. And I've created all of this content and I'm not pausing to sort of sit with. Appreciate it, enjoy it, and have a little downtime before I immediately am trying to be onto the next thing. So if you are like that, and I'm just, I'm sharing this with you because if you're like that, not only can I relate to you so much, but I would challenge you maybe.
To think about if you are actually content with your life, and that's not a bad thing, and that's what I'm realizing. I need to be content with what I'm doing and how I'm showing up and my family's situation and my home and my life, and just appreciate the blessings. Yeah, so contentment keeps coming up for me and I'm fighting that one, but maybe that's exactly what I need.
My word for the year to be is, is content. That's what I need. That's what I need to be seeking, or just not seeking for once and just sitting and just resting in that and being grateful for what I have. So I thought I would specifically bring that up in case you're in a place like that. Or if you are so beyond that and you're like, I've been content for many years and it is a beautiful, wonderful feeling and you need to get on board so that we can be in the same contentment club.
And that doesn't mean when you're content that you think everything's perfect. Cuz again, we've already established that's not real. But it might mean that you're taking a little break and you're appreciating what you've gotten, right? You're gonna stop to smell the roses. You're going to look around and pause for a moment and be really thankful and grateful for what you do have.
Um, and then that's really important because when things do go wrong, cuz we know we will, they will. Or when like we get a heavy diagnosis or we find out that something that we really wanted is not gonna be possible or things just are going to look differently. , if we have taken that time to be content and know that we have this like deeper joy within us, and that for me is faith-based, which by the way, faith is another word I'm throwing around.
I feel like it goes hand in hand with being content with the life that God has given me and this life that I am living. Faith is a word that keeps coming up for me because I feel like that should be a heavier focus in my life right now. I don't ever want that to be on the back burner. I want that to be what drives my life.
I need to feel content and I need to lean into my faith and have faith that it's sort of like trust the process like I talked about. I just trusted that God had a plan, have faith that I don't need to constantly. Pushing out content, creating new things. Even though I am a creator, naturally, that is just in me.
I can't help it. I love that and it, it brings me joy. I talk about productivity all the time. Creating things gives me life. Meanwhile, I can only draw a stick figure like I'm a terrible artist. My , my family members are way more creative in that realm. I used to joke that my kindergartners would laugh whenever I would try to draw something in kindergarten.
They would give me a hard time about like, what is that page? ? Yeah. Cuz they called me Paige. They didn't call me Ms. Gillian. Hey there, quick reminder that now there are four ways to get my. If you head over to Amazon, you can search up. I've got You girlfriend. Why? Getting organized and living this mom life is not a solo mission.
You can now get it on the Kendall app, paperback hard cover, and the audio book is finally here. So if you've been enjoying this podcast episode, I have a feeling you might love the audio. Thanks so much for making it a bestseller. And now back to the show,
faith is another thing that I'm feeling like I'm throwing around and need to work on. Um, and then the other thing is family, you know, that was something that really was at the forefront during the pandemic because we were all living on top of each other. And also because we were dealing with a lot of those parenting things, that some things were coming to light and some blessings were happening that I needed to lean into.
And that was a big year. Family. That was the big year, that patience was my word. And if I'm doing what Kelly Melek says, she says, to set outcomes, not just goals. Like how do you wanna feel? Outcomes are the feeling that you wanna have. So I really do feel like I want to keep the faith, have faith, feel content, make sure that I am putting my family at the forefront.
So those are the three words that I'm really. Thinking about this year, but I just, I don't wanna put so much pressure on myself. So the first thing I mentioned is just making sure you really are taking the pressure off of yourself by giving yourself time, the time you need to think about it. And don't be bound by that January 1st or January, anything date.
At any point in time you can do what is my second suggestion for you? So if, if that was your essential and really just giving yourself that time, that grace, then your enhancement. That second step I'm suggesting is that you will either commit to the word that you've chosen and give it some time once you figure out what it is you feel like God is putting on your heart.
Commit to that because sometimes if we're so quick to dismiss it and be like, well, that didn't work out, you know, come third or fourth week of January, that didn't work out. I'm totally abandoning that plan. Well, maybe you need to stay a little more committed for a little bit longer, because again, as Wow, Kelly, I'm just quoting Kelly left and right today.
Hey Kelly, are you listening? You're all over this podcast. She would say more will be reveal. because you don't always have all the answers up front, Lord knows I have it. Uh, I'm still learning every day work in progress. Okay, so if there's that commit to it. Part of step number two, the enhancement to your, you know, giving yourself plenty of time as an essential.
Once you pick that word, there's the side of it that is commit to it. But then also I'm gonna go hand in hand and say, you can also. Perhaps pivot if you need to. So definitely give it enough time to pick the word and then that enhancement, that step two is gonna be commit to it for long enough. But then don't be so bound to that word that you feel like, oh gosh, I really feel like that wasn't right.
Cuz we don't always get it right. You know that I don't have to tell you that I mess up every day. I mess up multiple times a day. I get it wrong all the time. I am the first one to tell my kids, my husband, my friends, my parents, my brothers, I mess up all the time. And so sometimes we do need to pivot.
Sometimes we committed long enough and we realize that is just not the word or the outcome or the feeling that we need to be focusing on. We need to do something different, and that's okay. So don't be afraid to pivot. So that's the enhancement, the commit. and the pivot option. And then the third step, and this is just always, I feel like going to be my third step, which is that extra is to really seek help.
I talk about asking for help all the time's. A podcast episode for that too. We can't do it all solo. I mean, literally my book. In the subtitle, it says it's not a solo mission cuz it just isn't. The life isn't the mom life, the work life, the business life. It's not a solo mission. We don't have to do things all by ourselves.
If you are trying to figure out what your word of the gear is, here's what I think you should do. Seek help. Here's some of the options. One of the things that I told you is I went to this virtual vision boarding thing with Jenna and it was really helpful, like so helpful that I really do think, I think I might actually just talking about it.
I told you at the beginning of this episode, I was like, have I even had a second cup of coffee? I'm all like bubbly and excited and I was kind of dreading it before I came on here because I was like, what the heck am I gonna say? Like, I haven't picked a word and I'm talking about the pressure of picking the word.
I really do think that it was so helpful to do that vision boarding session because I really do think that maybe my word is contentment this year, really just being content with things that I have worked so hard for, and now it's just time to sort of enjoy it. and perhaps in that new things will come or more will be revealed as far as what needs to come up next.
And as I just mentioned, I could pivot completely if I need to, but I'm really, I'm really feeling a little bit more solidified in this. And look, this is what I'm saying, vision boarding. But also ask a friend, ask a trusted family member, ask a mentor. Because even me just sharing this right now on this podcast, um, I do feel like I'm having a conversation with you.
Believe it or not, I, I feel. I talk to you. Everybody knows that I, if you listen at all, you know that I'm constantly like talking to my mom on the episodes cuz I know she's listening on her way to work. Hi mom. Love you. Hope you have a great day at work. So, you know, just checking in with people who. Know you and love you.
Know you deep down, not superficially, but really know you and be like, I wanna pick a word and I can't. I'm indecisive. I can't decide what I wanna do. I feel the pressure and just see what they say. They might have something amazing to say. Here's another thing, be in prayer about it. Go to the Bible, see what the Bible says.
If some words are popping up for you, you better believe I'm getting off of here right now and I'm gonna go over to bible gateway.com, or I'm gonna crack open my Bible that's sitting by my bed. And I'm going to figure out what the Bible really says about contentment in this case, because it, it really is feeling very clear that that's what needs to happen.
So see how valuable it is to talk about it, to verbalize this and, and, uh, as I said, I'm. Do these three things. I actually wrote it down. I can't say I wrote it down on paper cuz I wrote it digitally. If I needed to look back and figure out what it was I was gonna tell you to do in three simple steps. But, um, writing it down really does get it out of your head and it makes it real and it makes it actionable.
So, um, if you need to. Sign up with a coach. If you need to hire an organizer, if you need to, uh, get a, a housekeeper, someone to help you manage your household, if you need to get a financial advisor, um, if you just need to lean into friends and family and uh, people in your community who are supportive of you, do whatever it is you need to do to speak the help that you need for this year.
And, um, and again, I'm just gonna say and, and I just have to trust that more will be revealed. My friend Kelly says. So hopefully those things were helpful for you today. I appreciate you letting me half ramble, but also work through these things that I am feeling the pressure around right now. It truly has helped me.
So thank you. Thank you for listening and if this has been helpful for you. Pretty pleased. Share it with a friend cuz it's not a solo mission. We gotta be there to support each other. I hope you are having a wonderful start to the new year. If you are not, don't feel that pressure. Give yourself that time.
Be prepared to commit or pivot, and also seek the help that you need. And if this is helpful for you, please join me again and again and again. Every Monday. When more episodes drop Girl. Alright. I'm gonna end on that note. Thank you so much for listening, and I will talk to you next week for some more organization and or motivation.
Here we go. Thanks for listening to another episode of the Mom's Organization Motivation Podcast. For more resources to organize and style your busy life, head over to everything with style.com and connect with me on Instagram at everything with Style Mom. If this episode was helpful for you, please share it with your friends rate and review it on iTunes.
That's Apple Podcast now and let me know what you'd like to hear about next. Thanks again for listening and happy organizing.