Healing Journeys with Suzie Daggett
The art of simplicity – seems so simple, right? Well, it depends on your personality, your belief system and how you choose to live your life. When you need someone to come in to your home or office to determine how to filter through the confusion you have spent years creating, you may need the services of someone like Shawn Tuttle of Project Simplify – an angel of a simplifier! Shawn lives the art of simplicity and she has the techniques down pat, so you can learn how to live with less, de-stress and be relieved of things that are weighing you down. Shawn teaches classes and inspires her clients to new heights of simplicity, to align their internal and external worlds to achieve their goals.
Was there a defining moment when you realized the need for simplicity?
More than a defining moment, I would say there were two primary factors that led to my desire for simplicity. One was my experience performing administrative and bookkeeping work for several Santa Barbara-area non-profit organizations. They seemed to constantly function in crisis management mode, always stressed and rushed no matter what was going on. It just seemed so unnecessary! A little more planning and organization would have made a world of difference, yet the impetus to change just was not there.
The second factor was a question I learned to ask myself after working as a bicycle tour guide in Italy and France. My job was to make sure other people’s vacations were enjoyable, smooth, fun, and safe. We visited Florence, Italy to visit Michelangelo’s famous statue of David. The renowned artist was asked how he created this masterpiece out of a large piece of marble. His answer…”I just took away everything that was not David.” His answer struck me profoundly. His clarity of what David was meant to be made it obvious when something did not belong. Similarly, even working 16-hour days as a guide was a piece of cake because I was clear in my purpose and was not hindered by distractions. When I returned to the states, I discovered I could integrate the sweetness of that enjoyable lifestyle into the life I wanted by living a focused simplified life – removing what did not belong.
What are some benefits for living a life directed by less chaos and more simplicity?
For one thing, there is a lot less stress! Unfortunately, most of us have come to expect stress as an unpleasant but necessary part of the modern world, and have forgotten what life is like without it. We have also forgotten that there are tangible steps we can take to reduce stress in our personal and professional lives. I help my clients identify the steps that work for them with my business, Project Simplify. I have found that once my clients start practicing those steps, they experience much more than just reduced stress. They usually free up lots of time for the things they love to do. They have better success at reaching their goals, and they get to enjoy more quality time alone or with family and friends. Once you begin to experience benefits like these, it is hard to turn back. Simplicity becomes less of a task and more of a lifestyle that goes far beyond getting rid of the stress and clutter in your life. The result is a more peaceful, fulfilling, sweeter, richer life. Plus, your choosing this lifestyle choice gives inspiration and permission to others to shift their lives in a positive way as well.
What are some of the tools you use when you work with your clients?
I co-create solutions with them by using a variety of tools, dealing with time management, work flow, clutter control and chatter-brain management. While the tools are varied, they have the common theme of identifying what is hindering them and their goals. In a single session, we might go through a guided visualization to connect with your goals and then strategize how to best organize your filing system to support those goals. As a Simplifier, I draw from the tool sets of Professional Organizers and Life Coaches. A Professional Organizer focuses on your external life and a Life Coach focuses on your internal life. I tie the two together because I believe your surroundings play a huge role in supporting your dreams, and your internal state of being provides the momentum to create order in your surroundings.
Can your ideas be used in both your business and personal life?
Of course! In fact, most of my one-on-one clients are self-employed or run small businesses. They choose a one-on-one format because they want fast, customized solutions for their mess. The workshops I teach focus on time, clutter, and chatter-brain management, all useful skills for anyone with a schedule and stuff to manage--whether for family, oneself, or for a business. The overarching theme is for your activities to support your goals—personal or professional.
What do you get out of your work?
I love this work! I get to engage with interesting, creative people, all with different needs. I love the diversity and problem-solving challenges. When it comes right down to it, supporting others to manifest their dreams in a practical way is incredibly rewarding and fun.
Shawn Tuttle, Project Simplify will be offering workshops in early 2008. Join the newsletter mailing list at projectsimplify.com for more info. |
