Pearl Girls: A Cluttered Life

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Cluttered Life

image: greenhousearts.com

by Margaret McSweeney

Last week I was officially diagnosed with something that I had suspected for awhile: Adult AD/HD – not the hyperactivity type, but the “inattentive” type. As I discussed my childhood with the doctor, I realized that my whole life I have had to work extra hard to stay focused and organized. In debating whether or not to share this information, I decided that perhaps my candor and transparency might help someone else who is going through the frustration of trying to balance the challenges.

Just because someone has AD/HD does not mean that he/she is not intelligent or able to succeed. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from college and earned a master’s degree in international business; I lived in Brazil and even worked my way up to become a vice president at a very large New York City bank. In retrospect, I realize that I always had to work a bit harder to stay focused – As a student, I would constantly misplace notes and papers from class, and as an adult, I constantly misplace the keys and my children’s papers from school. So right now, I would like to say a special “thank you” to all my friends from elementary school, high school, college and graduate school who shared their notes. In addition, I would like to say a special “thank you “to other moms who have faxed over school papers and cheerleading forms I have lost. Thank you for your patience, understanding and support.

As I approach the second half of my life (I will be 49 in March), I look forward to having more focus and a greater productivity – both personally and professionally. I even plan to “declutter” my closets along with my characters. Yes, as I rewrite my first novel yet again, I plan to simplify and streamline the story. I will tackle head-on the clutter in my life that holds me back. A friend of mine mentioned to me about how her friend filled up a glass jar with pieces of paper of things that needed to get done around the house. Then, each weekend, her friend would pick a piece of paper from the jar and focus on that project. Will you join me for this challenge, too?

What would you like to “declutter” in your life? What projects would you write down on those pieces of paper to put in the jar? What does your jar look like? Are you going to decorate it? Where will you keep the jar? Please send pictures along with your progress. Together we can leave behind a cluttered life.