4 Steps to Embrace Fresh Starts
This post introduces readers to some of the concepts of Universal Design and Oosouji, and how to apply them during life transitions.
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What’s your ‘why’?
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What’s your current situation - what’s working, and what’s not yet working for you?
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Where are you headed? What do you want to achieve? How will you get there?
Goal Setting
Reducing Barriers
Mini-Milestones
Action Planning
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Get inspired, and get started with using a Japanese practice for new beginnings, Oosouji.
Embracing Your Fresh Start: Identifying Your Motivation
There’s something truly transformative about the chance to hit "reset" in life. Whether it’s the start of a new year, a change of season, or simply a moment when life feels ready for something new, fresh starts give us the opportunity to take charge and shift our course. This time of year, in particular, encourages us to pause, reflect, and plan—offering us the space to reclaim direction in our lives. As we step into this season of change, we often hear the buzz about setting resolutions, setting goals, and creating vision boards. And don’t worry, we’ll dive into all of that in upcoming blog posts. But before we dive into the details, the first step is to fully embrace the opportunity to redefine who you are, who you want to become, and how you want to live. (And if this feels a little “selfish”—great! It should! This is about prioritizing you, because when you take care of yourself, you create the foundation for everything else in your life. By focusing on yourself—an area where you have full control—you’ll naturally start to see how this intentional growth positively impacts other areas of your life and the people you care about.) One of the principles of Universal Design is that what’s good for one, could be good for all.
An important first step is to identify your motivation—your why, your purpose. (Feeling stuck? Check out Simon Sinek’s 5 min. video below.) Keeping your motivation clear in your mind will be essential as we move forward. Are you buying a new home, renovating a space, or refreshing a room? Are you looking for a new job—whether it’s due to a layoff, a desire for a career change, a push for higher income, or the need to spend more time with loved ones? Are you looking to incorporate more healthy habits into your life - to gain muscle, lose weight, feel better, buy certain clothes (ahem, feel confident in a bathing suit), or learn more about healthy habits? Or maybe you’re trying to establish, change, or improve a habit, routine, or system? Whether your transition is big or small, temporary or permanent, and whether it’s within your control or not, defining your ‘why’ will help keep you focused and prevent you from getting off-track. In future posts, we’ll be going deeper into how to get (and stay) motivated. If you are enjoying this content and would like to continue receiving more from us, please be sure to complete the email form at the bottom of this post.
Simon Sinek describes in 5 minutes, the origin of starting with ‘why’.
For those of us lucky enough to be in a position to make this change intentionally, you might feel energized, excited, and ready to dive right in—and that’s fantastic! But here’s an important note: it’s essential to slow down and make space for deep, honest reflection. This is where the real work begins. This part of the process might feel uncomfortable, and that’s okay, try to sit with this feeling for a bit…we’ll get to the good stuff (taking action) soon enough!
On the other hand, if this shift feels more like a life detour you didn’t plan for—if it feels overwhelming or even scary—know that you’re not alone. Feeling uncertain or fearful is completely normal in these moments of transition. But rest assured, that fear will fade as we begin to break down the journey into manageable, actionable steps that will help you feel more empowered and in control. You’ve got this!
Mindset is everything!
A loss, is not always a loss. ~ Mel Robins
Take a deep breath, and let’s begin by looking backward before we move forward. The path ahead may feel uncertain, but with a little reflection and celebration of where you’ve been, we’ll build the foundation for where you’re going. Let’s get to it!
Seeking Clarity through Deep Reflection: Taking Stock of What’s Been and What’s Ahead
Reflection isn’t just about looking back—it’s about understanding why some things worked and others didn’t. It’s an honest evaluation of our actions, decisions, and emotions, with a clear focus on what we need and want as we move forward. Reflection provides clarity and helps us recognize the lessons we’ve learned, whether from success or struggle. True growth, both personally and professionally, comes from this mindfulness—paying attention to feedback and recognizing what’s within our control to become a better version of ourselves and live a better life.
Self-reflection is also an opportunity to celebrate. Recognizing your progress, no matter how small, is a powerful reminder of your resilience and growth. Celebrating achievements, big or small, fuels our motivation and boosts our confidence, helping us realize we’re capable of even greater things ahead.
To engage in meaningful self-reflection, it’s important to create the right environment for the process. Just like the meticulous preparation a professional painter does before applying color to a wall (trust me, it makes all the difference!), setting up an ideal space can make your reflective practice more effective and impactful. You might be tempted to think, “I’ll just grab my earbuds, put on my sneakers, and go for a long walk while reflecting on my life”—which is actually a great option for some people (and where I’ve had some of my best brainstorming sessions). But at some point, you’ll want to invest time and energy into crafting an environment that supports deep reflection for you, specifically. The time spent on this will be worth it—it’ll help you feel more focused, grounded, and energized as you navigate your life’s transition. Universal Design encourages us to set ourselves, and those around us, up for success. Ross Greene, a popular psychologist and author believes, “Kids do well when they can.” This rings true for us, adults, as well. We all want to do well, and can do well, when we have the appropriate conditions available. By intentionally designing the space around your unique preferences, you’ll create the ideal setting for deep reflection and, ultimately, for personal transformation.
Ready to jump right in and get started? Get your FREE, straightforward (aka no fluffy bullshit) Design Considerations Guide here, and get to work!
Feeling like having a little fun? Check out our Would You Rather Quick Quiz to help guide you in designing your most productive working environment.
Establishing Goals: Building Your Vision, One Milestone at a Time
By now, you’ve identified your motivation for transformation and have a clearer sense of your current reality. The next step is to apply a key principle of universal design: setting a fixed goal with flexible pathways to get there.
When you move into future planning, you're creating a vision of where you want to go and who you want to become. But here's the reality: big dreams are achieved by breaking them down into smaller, actionable steps. These mini-milestones act as guideposts, keeping you on track and helping your vision come into sharper focus. Life is dynamic and full of twists and turns, so your vision may evolve along the way. Don’t get too hung up on perfecting the details right now—having a general sense of what you want to achieve is a solid starting point.
In upcoming posts will dig deeper into how we can develop or refine systems and routines to improve our efficiency and productivity. If you’d like to continue receiving our blog posts, be sure to sign up below!
Universal design equips us to be adaptable, resilient, and disciplined. So, if life throws you a curveball and your plans get sidetracked, don’t be discouraged. It’s all part of the journey. Now, let’s start drafting an action plan using a method called backwards planning. We’ll begin with your ultimate goal in mind, and then work backward, identifying achievable milestones and setting a realistic timeline to get you there. Interested in receiving our FREE Action Planning Guide? Be sure to send us an email below and you’ll see it to your inbox shortly.
Reducing Barriers: setting up for success
Creating sustainable habits is key to our success. To make them stick, we need to set ourselves up for success from the start. This means thinking ahead about the potential barriers we might face and finding ways to navigate or overcome them. One important principle of universal design is anticipating challenges and intentionally designing solutions around or within those constraints. There’s nothing more discouraging than having a great idea or plan only to hit roadblocks that stop you in your tracks. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out the book Innovate Inside the Box by George Couros & Katie Novak for more inspiration on how to foster creativity while working within limitations. (Here’s a link to the Audible version as well.)
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It’s easy to get distracted here, so don’t talk yourself out of moving forward. Be as realistic as possible about what could stand in your way, and then problem-solve. Identify potential obstacles and come up with strategies to either prevent them or find alternatives. You might also want to think about who could help you clear the way.
One powerful strategy for overcoming barriers is organizing—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Have you ever fantasized about getting a fresh start—whether it’s a new email account (with an empty inbox), a new home (that’s empty, expansive, and full of potential), or even just a new phone number (with a contact list yet to be curated)? That feeling of a “clean slate” can be incredibly freeing, right? The good news is, you don’t have to wait for a new beginning to feel that way. By making small adjustments to your current systems and routines, you can create that same sense of clarity and excitement. Some times all we need is a small, tangible project that can give us instant gratification to help us feel motivated. Let me introduce you to an approach for decluttering, reorganizing, and giving yourself a fresh start—just in time for Fresh February.
Getting Inspired with The Power of Oosouji: A Japanese Tradition for New Beginnings
I recently read an article by Ana Morales in Vogue that introduced me to a Japanese tradition called oosouji—a deep cleaning ritual performed at the end of the year. While it’s similar to spring cleaning in other cultures, oosouji isn’t just about tidying up; it’s about creating space—space for new beginnings, new goals, and new experiences.
Psychologists featured in the article explain how oosouji is deeply restorative. Pilar Guerra, a psychologist, shared that this practice helps us “free up physical and mental space for new experiences and opportunities.” It’s not just about decluttering your space—it’s about decluttering your mind. Laura Palomares, another psychologist, adds that letting go of what’s no longer useful and maintaining order generates feelings of self-control, discipline, and calm. A clear, uncluttered space leads to improved focus and a sense of empowerment.
The Holistic Benefits of a Clean Slate
The beauty of this practice is its holistic approach: it’s both practical and transformative. It’s a way to honor what you’ve experienced while creating room for what’s to come. By organizing your physical space, you’re also nurturing your emotional and mental well-being, preparing for the next chapter in your life.
Here are a few concepts from oosouji that particularly resonated with me:
Cleaning as a way to calm the mind: Rather than seeing cleaning as a chore, view it as a way to refresh both your space and your thoughts.
Connecting with nature: Opening windows and doors to let fresh air in not only circulates the physical space but also reconnects you with nature and revitalizes your energy.
Top to bottom, clockwise: When tackling a cleaning project, approaching it from top to bottom, moving clockwise, can help create a sense of order and completeness.
Start from the inside out: Begin your cleaning process in the most intimate spaces—your personal areas, your desk, your thoughts—before expanding outward to the rest of your space. This progression builds order and clarity.
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A Fresh Start is Always Within Reach
Whether your fresh start is tied to the new year, a season change, a birthday, or a major life shift (like moving to a new home or starting a new job), it’s never too late to reflect, celebrate, and plan your next steps. Use this time to create a vision of the life you want to live and take actionable steps to make it happen.
Remember, change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s the smallest actions—like organizing a cluttered desk or opening a window to let in fresh air—that can set the tone for a brand-new chapter.
And if you’re looking for some support along the way, I’m here to help you get closer to your goals. Let’s talk about how you can create the life you’ve always dreamed of—schedule a free 30-minute consultation today!
Let’s embrace the opportunity for a fresh start, one small step at a time. Share your first step in either the email form below, or by adding a comment. 🌱✨
