It seems here in Virginia at least, we went right from Halloween to Christmas! Hooray for Capitalism, right? But what happened to the tradition of giving Thanks? Why is the media and your corner coffee shop seemingly ignoring a day that could be steeped with thankful traditions that might help us out of the mess that so many countries are in now?

I doubt my sickness of how we celebrate Christmas with all the red, green and glitter, is related to my introvert preference. So I had to do a little research about this ignored holiday.

-  Sports – Did you know football at Thanksgiving actually started in high schools? Then it expanded to the NFL, UFL or whatever leagues. It's big games, and bigger audiences.

- Company attention – I noticed in our local Starbucks, they did briefly celebrate it with some window decorations in lovely orange, brown and yellow warm colors. Even some of their drinks had glowing names, like Pumpkin Spice latte. But, I guess they had to quickly give way to the bright and cheery red and green, more lively colors and names – Peppermint Mocha, or Gingerbread Latte. Most department stores went directly from Halloween costumes to cheery tree ornaments.

-  The history channel didn't even have a feature on Thanksgiving that I noticed. Maybe because it wasn't really the pilgrims who originated it? Turns out it was the Native Indians who began a tradition of sharing long before the settlers even go to America. But I still kind of expect the "history channel" to step up the attention on it's traditions and meaning.

-  Eating too much – One of the blogs I subscribe to put things into perspective for me. Enjoy this one time of the year you likely over eat. You probably don't overeat every day. Just one day in the big picture isn't going to cause your jeans to be too tight or for you to tip over on the scales. Just be grateful you can enjoy the bounty and tomorrow, eat right.

- Shopping – Oh this got attention. Black Friday to Cyber Monday. Bah Humbug! I opted out. No shopping for me and not even a special for you. Not because I'm not grateful for you, but because Thanksgiving is NOT about the best deals.

This holiday's main attraction these days is more about eating too much, have-to-watch football, and a start of Christmas shopping madness.

Isn't it really about gratitude? Will we ever stop every once and a while as a country, or a world, to be grateful, to express gratefulness, and to give it attention? Are we dooming Thanksgiving to be ignored by the media for what it might be? Or is it up to us as individuals, on our own, to make it a ritual more for gratitude, reflection and enjoyment of simple things, instead of football and frenzied shopping?

What do you think?

Do you prefer to receive or give for Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Bah Humbug! Time to opt out. is a post from: Courage Coach for the Reluctant Marketer

Getting more organized has been energizing for this introvert! I've always liked the metaphor that clutter is to our lives like cholesterol is to our bodies: it clogs us up! Starting with our kitchen counter tops put my husband in high spirits – he's a neat, obsessive, extrovert, Virgo around clutter. His desktop and drawers are always neat. One week after my cleaning up, he was still checking in on my office and saying how much he likes it. But one month after my initial clutter cleaning, I am still staying organized. Maybe it's here to stay.

Every night before-clutter-clearing, I would leave my office with my desktop looking like the photo here - or worst. And because I have a bookcase, a credenza, a filing cabinet, and two small shelving units and yes, it also meant that every one of those surface tops in my office was in disarray.

Getting organized and leaving some empty space has proved to be quite a positive experience.

Can I offer a few findings that might, as one of my subscribers who emailed me said, give you that kick in the butt for your cleaning? Or maybe even give you a chuckle?

1-    Get rid of anything that you haven’t used in a year, maybe even six months. I don't need to keep overhead transparencies that I stopped using about 10 years ago, and when it's likely overhead projectors aren't even made anymore. NOTE: I subsequently learned it's also a good idea to ask people if they have a need for anything in good shape you are tossing that you believe to be outdated. Some private schools actually do still use overheads and need transparencies.
2-    Use the technology you have. Is there any reason to keep a printed copy of the workshop participant materials when I already have them on my computer? It's useful to scan relevant documents onto your computer – tax forms for example – if you know you do have to save them for a period of time.
3-    If you feel fairly certain you can research and find it online, toss papers that you might be stacking for "read later." For me that cleared up at least one-third of a credenza drawer.
4-    Emotions are cleaner. Yep; I am still getting upset when my husband doesn't listen to me. I really believe this IS a guy/gal phenomena. It's just not as irritating. When vendors don't return calls as quickly as I expect, I'm not getting as upset. And, when things go better, I can feel my better emotions more strongly. That's so much more the place I want to be.
5-    Letting go helps you to trust yourself and others more. In particular I had lots of reports, printed emails, paper work on top of the large, flat surfaces of my desk, credenza and bookcase shelves. I find it quite encouraging and uplifting that when I finally did act to clean up, I just trust that if I need that information again, it will find me. It usually does.

My final step in my plan to clear clutter is to tackle a storage room in our garage. It's become like the often talked about "junk drawer" that some of us have, me included. But fortunately, my husband and I are both in agreement that it can wait: it's organized and there is a good amount of empty space that we are able to walk comfortably in it.

Let me know if you are getting your space more organized, what have been some of your lessons?

Or maybe you are just inspired to do so? After all, look at me now:

clutter free desktop

Introvert lessons from clutter chaos to clutter control is a post from: Courage Coach for the Reluctant Marketer

As both an introvert and a highly sensitive person I've been slow to get a new routine while my mom is visiting. But with my energy at an almost all time low, writing bubbled up to the top of my list. It seemed an appropriate day, National Pig Day in the USA. Whew. Here's looking at those Three Little Pigs to get piggish about being more of an introvert. Which little pig are you?

"The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do." Some who are more introverted go along day to day believing there must be truth to all the common criticisms of our type – we're shy, aloof, anti-social and more. So going through the motions of a more extroverted society as we have in the USA is the easiest thing to do. Even with the ability to think these criticisms (myths) through, it's often just easier to go along: party, network and push ourselves. Attending to who we really are and what we may need doesn't fit in when you are on cruise control. I think I've been this first little pig at various times in my life, all to cause me problems. Remember how the straw house was the first one to get blown away by that wolf?

"The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house." This introvert person found some great ideas to help him move along more successfully in life. The thing is, while he didn't just go along with the extrovert way, he learned how to act like an extrovert; you know – work a room, give a back-slapping and spiel all over you kind of networking elevator pitch. The seductiveness of it all. Without thinking things al the way through and acting on the little inside voice of warning, I can say, I was this pig for quite some time.

"The third little pig built his house out of bricks." My kind of pig! Go Piggy! When it comes to business, he thinks through his strategy, and he listens even more so to his true inner guidance. In life in general he is regularly recharging his energy, as he is aware and respectful that it is what it is. He asserts himself by saying "No," if needed. He plans for those required times of socializing – whether it's a family reunion or an association meeting – with purposeful alone time before and after. It's also a good idea to occasionally sneak in an unneeded trip to the restroom during activities with a good deal of extroverting. The wolf couldn't blow down this house.

Even the moral of the nursery rhyme has wisdom for the introvert, "The way to get along in the world is to do things as well as you can." Operative phrase is - as well as you can, not like someone else.

Be piggish today my introvert friend – it's National Pig Day and the Three Little Pigs want to play. When that hungry wolf knocks and says, "Are you in?" just answer that you prefer to rest right now. Or do something creative to raise your energy - that was my choice. What's yours?

Introverts and the Three Little Pigs: Happy National Pig Day is a post from: Business Sales Coach for Introverts and Shy