[PODCAST 161]: What an Optimal Command Central Brings to Your Life

I drew some pictures recently to explain what I want each of our community members to experience as a result of building a STEP Command Central. (My life still has challenges, but this is mostly my reality now, and I almost feel guilty saying that.)

“BCC”—before my Command Central (ha!)—I had SOME of these, but I mostly felt stressed and out of control. That changed, permanently, once I learned how to create and use a system that supports all the details of life.

I know it probably seems like I have some obsession with Command Centrals 😂, but I think my REAL obsession is with helping others create the calm, organized life they’re searching for. ❤️ 

Here’s the illustrations I created, and then they’re all explained below!

(1) A sketch of someone resting on a pillow–representing a calm mind that can rest…leading to a healthier body. SO many people toss and turn at night because little tasks and projects and ideas and worries come into their minds. When you can actually rest–because everything that matters is safely managed by your Command Central, you get better sleep, and that affects EVERYTHING in your life!

(2) A sketch of a sun–representing a strong spiritual connection. I’ve received countless emails over the years from people who say that now that their mind is calm, they’re more open to hearing what they refer to as God, their intuition, or their Higher Power. Stillness is at a premium right now–and when you aren’t thinking about what you need to buy at the store or what appointment you need to make today or what project you totally forgot to do, it’s like your mind is ready and waiting to be inspired–and you can fill it with music, quotes, and ideas that will strengthen your spirit.

(3) A sketch of a checklist, calendar, and cell phone that is receiving messages–representing a schedule, tasks, and workload that feels doable. This is HUGE. It is “common knowledge” that the to-do list never ends and that life will always feel overwhelming. But what if the list DID end? What if, when you looked at your lists and expectations for the day, you thought, “Yep! I can do this–and I have plenty of time to rest and replenish and handle anything else that comes up”? Would that be a MIRACLE? Regardless of what’s happening around you (or who is trying to make you work like a crazy person), if you build an optimal Command Central, you’ll know how to respond, renegotiate, adjust, and accomplish the things that matter most.

(4) A stick figure jumping–representing the process of waking up excited–confident and capable in living life purposefully. Before my Command Central, I felt like I was essentially “paying interest” every day. I never got to the principal. I never made progress. I just spent all day treading water, trying not to drown. Once I built my Command Central, it felt like 90% of my efforts were “paying principal.” Projects started getting done, I felt an amazing sense of progress, and the little things that used to distract me were suddenly manageable. That changed my life, and that’s why I’ve been teaching this process for nearly 15 years.

(5) A sketch of a house–representing a clean, organized, happy home, with systems to keep everything running smoothly. I read a book early in my marriage about how housework is one of the leading causes of arguments in a family. And I get it. When you have no clean socks, the sink is full of dirty dishes, you can’t have guests over, you’re waking up to piles of junk, and there are bugs, dirt, dust, etc. all over the place, it’s really hard to feel calm, romantic, and optimistic. I used to spend a ton of time “cleaning” because I didn’t know what I was doing. I was mostly moving piles in circles and putting out fires and looking for things. That wastes a ton of time. If you can actually create systems and get the house under control (working together as a family, ideally), the whole mood of the home changes. It’s a game-changer.

(6) A sketch of a heart–representing healthy relationships that fuel the heart and make life joyful. If you’ve been with us for awhile here at LearnDoBecome, you hopefully know that the whole reason we talk about organizing and “living our best life” is because we want you to have amazing relationships. We believe that our experiences with our families and friends are central to the purpose of life. How are we creating strong families? How are we helping others? How are we building relationships that last? So many people miss out on the power of connection because the stresses of life feel too overwhelming. The Command Central changes that!

(7) A sketch of a magnifying glass–representing the ability to focus on what really matters. If our lives are full of “stuff” that we think we might want to read, use, think about, or look at sometime in the future, we will spend the majority of our time managing that stuff. If our lives are free of excess and clutter, and if we are deliberate about where our time and energy is going, we will naturally have the ability to focus on what really matters.

(8) A sketch of a piggy bank–representing systems of safety and growth for managing our finances. Eric and I are gratefully debt-free and in a good financial position at this point, but we’ve had some tough financial times, and “money worries” were heavy on our minds for a lot of years. I didn’t know my Command Central would help with this, but because I got my mind organized, I could spend money wisely, I never had to re-buy something we already had, I remembered to call the insurance company if they overcharged us, and I was able to work alongside Eric to build a business and make investment decisions. So much money slips through the cracks when life is disorganized. A Command Central changes that!

(9) A sketch of a little thought cloud with the earth in it…representing the ability to think bigger and impact the world. We believe that life isn’t about “us,” and we believe that when we are given energy and resources, it’s our responsibility to use them wisely to make life better for other people. As Eric and I are dreaming about the future, we want to help create prosperity in our country and around the world, we want to work closely with non-profit organizations and connect with others who have similar hearts. When getting the mail processed and finding a clean shirt feels like a huge chore, there’s no way our minds can open up to bigger projects. And yes, it feels kind of scary to step into the unknown and try to do something “big,” but it feels SO GREAT to know that your simple efforts can make a difference for others.

(10) A sketch of a paint pallet and a music note–representing space for creativity. I hear from a lot of “creatives” who say that they don’t want to be organized because they prefer to “fly by the seat of their pants.” But guess what? When you have a clear, organized mind–and clear, organized spaces–you have time and energy to compose music, paint pictures, write that novel, start that business, or come up with something that is going to make the world a happier place. I receive so many emails from people who say, “I’m finally writing music again!” or “I just launched a podcast!” or “I just started this new business!” Expressing our creativity is a gift, and I hope you’ll build your Command Central so you can actually DO that on a regular basis.

(11) A sketch of an open book–representing an increased desire to learn and grow. Before my Command Central, I didn’t want to go to any more classes or learn anything else because my brain felt “full.” But our minds are kind of like a vacuum. When it’s stuffed full of dirt and dust, of course it can’t pick up anything else! But the Command Central essentially “empties the vacuum” so that you have space and excitement when it comes to learning!

(12) A sketch of a person driving–representing being in the driver’s seat of your life. No one likes being bossed around and forced to do things they don’t want to do. We like being able to make our own decisions and feel in control of each day. When we lack organization, we’re constantly at the mercy of the day. We jump around responding to calendar alerts and reminders and emails and knocks at the door, and we wonder why we never feel peaceful. I believe that you are the BEST driver for your life, and when you build a Command Central, you can be!

I hope that this sketch and these ideas gave you some hope today. This matters SO MUCH to me because everytime I see someone suffering or struggling, I know that there are ways to make improvements–that aren’t as hard or impossible as they seem. It’s just that no one ever teaches us this kind of stuff…

 I loved this experience that one of our STEP Mastery members shared:

I invite you to think about your life, look at these pictures, and ask yourself which of these outcomes you DON’T want. And if you find that you want all of them, please, please, please build your Command Central!

You can do that through the STEP program–or you can watch all of our YouTube videos, listen to all of our podcasts, engage with the free resources we have, and piece things together a little at a time. The point is that this is possible for all of us, and I want you to feel the thrill that life has to offer you.

xoxo

Would you like more support building your STEP Command Central?

Our signature program, Steps to Everyday Productivity, will help you calm your mind and organize your life with the help of a “Command Central.” Come learn more by clicking this link!

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Our monthly membership–with a powerful community, focused topics, interactive classes, and lots of support–is called ARISE, and it’s a fantastic way to focus on what matters most (even in the midst of a busy life)! Come start your free trial here!