Figen Genco is an expert in personal organizing and shares her tips and hints for using EFT in this area.

Hugs, Gary

Phase 1: Stopping the incoming clutter with EFT
Phase 2: Observe Habits

By Figen Genco, BA.

Phase 1: Stopping the incoming clutter with EFT

Dear Gary,

The day my article on "Using EFT for Clearing Clutter and Organizing Your Life" was published in Gary's EFT Insights Newsletter, my newsletter subscriber list multiplied ten times within hours.  I received phone calls and emails from all over the world, thanking and asking for more.  In response, I am writing a series of articles for your newsletter called "9 Phases of Organizing with EFT". Introduction and First Phase is below.

You might consider adding "clutter" to your energy toxins list.  Along with its proven negative effects on physical and emotional well being, just the word "clutter" itself may lower energy levels. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language describes clutter as, "A confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble."  And adds that the etymology of the word is probably from Middle English cloteren, to clot, from clot, lump, from Old English clott, which means "a thick, viscous, or coagulated mass or lump, as of blood."

9 Phases of Organizing with EFT – Introduction

"We shape our buildings and afterwards, our buildings shape us," said Winston Churchill.  The kind of environment we live in has effects on our thinking, behaviourism, and health.  A chaotic environment has an adverse effect on physical and emotional state.

Just like living with negative people might necessitate repetitive EFT applications, being in a hostile environment, where people's belongings are screaming at them, seems to trigger the negative emotion and behaviour which result in fall-backs.  Buckminster Fuller said, "Reform the environment, stop trying to reform the people.  They will reform themselves if the environment is right."  Once their environment is nurturing, people's behaviours change and they seek ways to be nurturing to themselves.

People in balanced and harmonious surroundings are much happier.  They are more efficient and productive.  They understand more easily and learn faster.  They feel in control.  They enjoy life, themselves, and whatever they do.  On the other hand, people in disorganized environments feel lost, anxious, dissatisfied, disappointed, overwhelmed, and unhappy.  They get sick easily and their recovery takes longer.

In a welcoming, orderly, nurturing place with no or least amount of clutter, people respond to healing processes better.  They are more open to the possibilities; they heal faster and stay that way.  (Most people confirm that they sleep much better away from home in a hotel room.  It is because hotel rooms do NOT have what people normally have in their bedrooms!)

Organizing with EFT consists of 9 phases each of which is performed in two sections;

a) Preparing the mind and the body for the targeted work, which is accomplished with EFT, and b) Physically doing it.

In this series of articles I will be giving instructions on the first step for each phase.  Information and explanations for the second step can be found in many organizing books on the market.  I am currently writing a book which combines instructions for both.

9 Phases

1. Stopping the Incoming Clutter

2. Observing Habits

3. Eliminating the "Unnecessary"

4. Defeating Procrastination

5. Creating A Functioning System

6. Understanding Paper Management

7. Getting Rid of Old Clutter

8. Working on Time Management Skills

9. Maintaining Order

For some people, the order of the phases might change, and steps might intersect and overlap. However, staying pretty much in the order above will work for most.

Organize with EFT Series - Phase 1 Stop the Clutter with EFT

Most organizing books suggest that getting rid of clutter is the first step in getting organized.  This mostly means dealing with the clutter which has built up over the years.  However, because of constant incoming data such as paper, objects and events, people are not even capable of catching up with daily arrivals let alone being able to concentrate on the previous build-up.

Some people go through big "clean up" cycles without creating a system.  Others, overwhelmed with time constraints generated on them by others, feel that whatever comes their way is their priority.  The results of both behaviours create a feeling of defeat and hopelessness about the targeted task.

If people first work on decreasing what is coming at them, they can feel an instant relief, and get immediate satisfaction.  This creates the encouragement and motivation towards aiming for tackling years worth of old junk.

The "Stop the Clutter" phase is involved with taking actions such as decreasing or stopping junk mail, magazine and catalogue subscriptions; limiting events and organizations that one is involved with; and eliminating unnecessary shopping.

There are 3 basic challenges in this phase.  Each challenge and appropriate set up and reminder phrase is described below.

A. Challenges with TIME

While tapping Karate Chop:

Even though I believe that I don't have time to work on getting organized…

I love and forgive myself for not creating time to get organized

I love and forgive anyone else that contributes to my not having time to get organized

Use the Reminder Phrases:

This belief of not having time, or

Not having enough time

Other phrases related to Time - Pick the ones which are true to you

Even though I don't think spending time on getting organized is worth my time…

I love and forgive myself for choosing to spend my time:

• watching TV
• reading magazines
• going shopping
• chatting on the phone
• going out
• surfing on the Internet
• ....fill in the blank … instead of working on my organizing project.

Even though I believe that instead of spending my time getting organized, I could be creating something, and that being organized is going to kill my creativity, I choose to see that there might be a creative way to get organized and that if I am able to get to my things easier, I might be able to catch the inspiration when it hits, and I might be able to create more things, instead of constantly feeling lost.

B. Challenges with CAPABILITY

Challenges with capability have many different experiences and emotions attached.  One person might have more than one of these aspects.  The following list covers the most known feelings:

1. Feeling of overwhelm

2. Feeling of uncertainty

3. Feeling of hopelessness

4. Feeling lost

5. Feeling inadequate

6. Feeling of loss of control

7. Fear of failure

Experiences that trigger above feelings:

1. Giving up before starting because of not knowing where to start

2. Repeated failed attempts during the project

3. Mocking and criticism from family members, spouse, colleagues, boss

4. Not being able to reach the desired results

5. Not being able to maintain the acquired results.

Below are sample phrases that can be used by naming the appropriate feeling and the experience, while tapping the Karate Chop.

SAMPLE PHRASES with FEELINGS

• Even though I feel overwhelmed with the thought of unsubscribing from all these magazines…
• I love and forgive myself for not being able to say "NO" to solicitations.
• Even though I have no hope that I can ever catch up with my mail…

SAMPLE PHRASES with EXPERIENCES

• Even though I have failed to stop myself from giving my address out - to receive FREE gifts - I choose to realize that my time is much more valuable than those so-called gifts.  I choose to stop letting these people decide what I should be reading, wearing, eating...
• I love and forgive myself for picking up FREE stuff from stands and stores that end up in my junk drawers and end up never being used and wasting my space and energy.
• Even though I have no hope that I can ever catch up with my mail…

C. Challenges with FEAR

Even though I am afraid that I will miss out on something I might need by unsubscribing from these catalogues and magazines…

Even though I an afraid that people will judge me if I say NO to:

• some of the volunteer work,
• donations
• help requests
• invitation to events
• .... fill in the blank …  I love and forgive myself for not being able to stop buying all those things that I don't need or care for with the fear of not being able to catch up or fit in.

Check-Up:

Check to see what else is hindering your flow throughout the day for two weeks.  It is easier to recognize daily happenings than once in a while occurrences.  Two weeks should be enough time for you to understand most of what is happening.  Find out your local and national opt-out programs.  Utilize them.  Be wary of what comes into your space.

Figen Genco, BA.

Phase 2: Observe Habits

When people decide to get organized, very often what they do is rush to buy products which they think will help them get organized.  Those products get buried under the piles of stuff, becoming part of the clutter.  This is because “organized” is related to people more than it is to places.

“Organized” is about people’s habits, lifestyles, personalities, what motivates them and how they function.  If spaces are given all the attention without taking people who are using them into consideration, what is achieved is aesthetics without functionality.  And this is why conflicts arise when one person who thinks he knows better creates an organization which becomes a total confusion for the other party.

Below are sample set-up phrases while working on emotional challenges originated from others’ inputs:

Even though my husband thinks I am a mess…

I love and forgive myself for not being able to match up to my husband’s standards

I love and forgive anyone else who has contributed and contributes to my mess.

Even though my wife thinks she is better than me because her desk area seems less cluttered…

Even though my children think I am a pack rat, and that they will have to deal with everything I saved when I pass away, I am open to the possibility of forgiving myself for all the things I gathered throughout the years.

Even though I feel guilty whenever I see other people’s cubicles so nice and orderly, I am open to feeling good about myself.

And a few phrases for the other end of the spectrum….

Even though my wife thinks I am a neat-nick…

I love and forgive myself for being obsessed.

Before you can get organized, you need to understand your ways of doing things.  A conscious observation period is vital to be able to find solutions and create systems which will not crash and which will be used and maintained easily.  In my practice, I ask many questions while I am creating systems with my clients.  They work along with me, and by watching, listening, observing, and understanding; I come up with different options that they can choose from.

Look around your space:

• Do you have “homes” for your belongings?
• Are there a lot of homeless objects and a papers floating around?
• Are there stray objects in the “homes” which are created for other things?

Watch yourself and figure out how you do things:

• Are you a Perfectionist?
• Are you a Procrastinator?
• Do you follow the rules you create?
• Do you put things back?
• Do you shop without thinking?
• Do you work on changing and adjusting spaces, and rules first instead of trying to change the person?

Answers to all these questions will be your road map to the system that you will create.

setup Phrases for this Phase

Even though I want to do everything in a perfect way and I don’t have time to be able to do so; and I choose not to do anything, I am open to the possibility of deeply and completely accepting myself.  Maybe I can remember this quote from Ernst Fischer “As machines become more and more efficient and perfect, so it will become clear that imperfection is the greatness of man.”

Even though I am afraid that if I create a system, it won’t work, and I will fail again; I chose to love myself anyway.  After all, Edison tried over 10 thousand ways to create a light bulb until he found the correct way.

I will accept myself even if I end up putting the folders on top of the filing cabinet rather than inside of it.  I will figure out a way to still be able to function without the place looking perfect.

Even though whenever I walk in the house I throw my jacket on the couch rather than hanging it in the coat closet, I forgive myself.  Maybe if I clean out the coat closet first, and make room for currently used jackets, I might be more inclined to want to open the closet door, and hang my jacket in there.

Even though I don’t have the faintest idea how to organize my stuff, I choose to be open and learn instead of giving up on myself.  Maybe if I watch myself and learn my habits, I might be able to come up with brilliant ideas with my creativity.

Figen Genco, BA.

EFT/Feng Shui/Organizing Consultant