3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Putting Doubts in Their Place

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Have you ever had the feeling that, despite your progress with respect to organization, you really don't have it all together?

Yeah. Me too. So much so, that yesterday, I even wrote about it.

Because this is a process, we all have those days when we feel as though not only don't we have it all together, but perhaps we never will. It's a terrible, defeated feeling, and it's one we need to shake off. It's okay -- normal, even -- to have doubts, but there's no point in letting them win.

Here are three keys to putting the doubts in their place.

Put it in perspective. Usually, when these feelings emerge, something has gotten in the way of our progress. Maybe it's a shortage of time, maybe it's an influx of stuff, maybe it's that one spot that just won't stay organized. Temporary setbacks are not the same as permanent problems. Keep using your style-specific strategies and this too, shall pass.

Focus on what is working. Often, the best way to put things in perspective is to seek out specific examples of solutions we've put into place. While these successes don't negate the things that bug us, they remind us of what we're capable of. There's a reason the S in STYLE stands for Start with Successes.

Remember who the systems are for. No one else has to like, approve of or understand the systems you choose to use. The only person your system has to work for is you. So, if it doesn't look perfect or spotless, it doesn't matter. Not as long as you can find what you need when you need it.

We all have those days where doubt digs in its heels. A little shot of confidence might be all it takes to loosen its grip.