I have spent the better part of my life, making sure everything was in its place. Even when I was quietly dismantling my life, things were neat and tidy. I am sure it is part of the affliction that was passed on to me from my parents. When things were at their worst as a kid, if the house wasn’t neat, there was hell to pay when my father got home. Order…it was all about the visual of how neat and tidy the room was as my father walked into it. I imagine there was a lot of chaos going on in his head, that having a neat space to look at made all the difference. It became an ugly monster, so before I compost his behavior, I’ll just say that yes, I am a neat freak and I am at the point in my life where it is time be a little bad.

As someone who is always looking at ways to improve themselves, I have been digging a little  deeper into the issue of whether there is a link between neatness and success and believe it or not, there is some truth to that. But what about the artists who have their work spaces that look like a train wreck yet the work they create inspires millions? Or the outstanding historical slobs?  Einstein, Roald Dahl, Howard Hughes, Henry VIII… messy individuals who could’ve cared less what society thought about being neat and tidy. So where’s the happy medium for you? I’m hardly one of these notables but in my own little world, I am a successful business woman in the service industry. When a client comes to my businemyofficess  for a retreat, I want them to breathe a sigh of relief and feel a sense of calm. They can’t be walking through my shit while their trying to get rid of theirs. So, the front of the house is almost perfect but the back, where I create, is actually a little gross. It’s where I get to be bad. It’s where I curse like a sailor and leave out of date food in my office refrigerator. Months of receipts lay waiting to be filed and the little nest of crap next to my computer gets a little bigger every month (but I straighten it daily). My secret messy environment has led to a more creative workflow. I own my dual personality. It is way too easy to allow one’s self to judge and be judged and be trapped in the stereotypical views that other people have about being organized. Shouldn’t we all be better than that?

The conclusion…there is nothing wrong with being organized and there is nothing wrong with a little mayhem either. I have found a way to allow my (behind the scenes) messy environment to inspire others. For me, being bad is the balance between organization and disorder and when I am bad…I’m even better.