[The Swedish Organizer] Creating Space, Vol, 11: Skillful Life Navigation Requires Both a Compass and a Map. 🗺️


Creating Space · January 2025 · Vol. 11

Skillful Life Navigation Requires Both a Compass and a Map.

Welcome

Reset.

It's a powerful word.

But it's an even more powerful action.

We need to unplug and reboot from time to time, just like our devices. Otherwise, we'll freeze up.

Every end-of-year is a natural reset point.

We all know that, especially those of us who work in the organizing and productivity industry.

Most people pause in late December and take inventory of their life.

“Where am I going? How am I doing? and how far have I come?”

All these are valid questions, and having that check-in with yourself is so important.

Any opportunity to reflect is good.

That being said, I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you that once a year isn’t enough.

Every January, all of us organizers feel the influx of New Year’s resolutions in the air.

People are excited and engaged to meet their goals.

They commit. But only for a second or two.

Come February, those goals are long forgotten. Motivation is dead. They have officially quit.

And then when December rolls around again, they wonder why they didn’t meet any of those goals.

It’s a fascinating cycle to watch, but also incredibly annoying for me as a Coach.

Needless to day, December was an irritating month for me.

I try not to get too frustrated, but when you observe the same destructive pattern over and over again, one can’t help but sigh aloud.

Many content creators share their annual reviews online, and I enjoy reading them.

However, I feel like there is one unspoken part that nobody talks about…

Those of us who successfully meet our goals check in with ourselves far more often than once a year.

That’s how we accomplish more, and that fact needs to be crystal clear to anyone who needs help with goal-setting.

I’ll say it again. Once a year is not enough.

That’s an all or nothing approach, and it doesn’t work.

I check in with myself once a week, and that works.

When you regularly check in, you sustain motivation, notice the changes, and make progress in a whole different way. You end up actually meeting your goals because they become real.

When you don’t check in often enough, you either forgot what you were doing and don’t many much progress at all, or you travel too far down the wrong road before you notice that you’re off course.

In 2025, I invite you to check in with yourself more often - both in life and in business.

We need reflection routines to anchor ourselves to our goals, and then we need to regularly take small steps in the right direction.

This is what my entire Mindful Monday Mapping framework is based on.

You see, solid decision-making based on both the bigger picture and the data we need ultimately leads you to the outcome you want – guaranteed.

Your destination is your north star, but you need both the compass and the map to find it.

When you utilize both well, you can skillfully navigate life.

With that said, I'd love to hear from you: How often do you check in with yourself?

Hit reply and let me know.

❤️

Recent Press

How to Organize your Life: An Expert's Guide

in Productivity Advice


In this roundup article by The Vitallist, I share what a difference it makes to have an organized and uplifting workspace.

After all, life is a full-sensory experience.

Upcoming Events

Featured Event

Welcome & Onboarding Call

Join us for another Welcome & Onboarding call on April 10th, 2025 at 11 AM Central US time. Whether you are a new, returning, or prospective student, join us live to meet the Coaches and get help on to get the most out of your learning experience.

All are welcome (members and non-members). You do not have to be an enrolled student to participate.

We'll cover:

  • What's new in our online courses
  • What course might be suited for you
  • How to navigate the academy
  • How to best stay connected in the community
  • How to plan your learning journey

No Need to Register.

Simply click here when it's time to log on.

This meeting link may be shared with anyone.


Upcoming Events:

Please note that all times are shown in the US Central Time Zone.

Check local time zones here.

Recent Past Events:

*Please note that this event is hosted by or exclusive due to a third-party collaboration.

**Please note that you must be an enrolled student to watch certain replays. For questions on enrolling or access to any call, please email support@theswedishorganizer.com.

***Direct meeting link. No registration needed.

Freebies & Low-Ticket Offers

The Bookend Approach to Productivity (Mini-Course)

Learn how to close open loops to supercharge your days (Only $47!)

New on YouTube

December 2024 Productivity Report

Skillful Life Navigation Requires Both a Compass and a Map.

December brought blessings and resets. Check out the full report now, either over on the blog or over on YouTube.

Watch it here:

video preview

In this video, I:
→ share why you have to anchor life with reflection routines
→ show you how to think about your goals and track progress
→ explain what stats I focus on and how I'm doing

New & Popular

The Organizing Formula is now a full video course!

Yep, this fan favorite is back and better than ever! Not only is it free over in our Academy, it's free over on YouTube as well, so that more people can enjoy it.

Parade named this course one of the best free online courses to take back in 2021, and it's finally gotten its long overdue upgrade, so check it out when you have a moment. I'd love to hear what you think.

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more videos like this!

Wanna Work Together?

Let's Make It Simple!

When you need a little extra help, it can be hard to know where to start, so in true organizing fashion, I've put together a handy dandy flowchart to guide you through the decision.

Click the button below, and let it guide you to the best opportunity.

Content By Others

What I'm Reading Right Now:

  1. 5 Winning Strategies For Productive Meetings In 2025. By Forbes.
  2. Here’s Why People Are Working Smarter, Not Harder, as Workdays Shrink. By Inc.
  3. Productivity hacks that we can learn from our favourite fictional characters. By CreativeBoom.

New IG Content

Follow the fun over on Instagram.

And while you're there, don't forget to join our Broadcast Channel "Getting it done!" We've got some great things in store for 2025!

Follow My Adventures

Until Next Time, Stay Productive!

Our mission: To create more space in both your life and business, so that you can leverage your time, work less, and enjoy the lifestyle freedom you deserve.

631 Fairway View Drive, Algonquin, IL 60102
· Unsubscribe · Preferences ·

· Academy · Community ·

Help us spread the word and create more impact:

If you know of someone in need of better skills when it comes to organization, productivity,

project management, digital asset management, and work-life balance, forward them this newsletter!

Want to discuss a private project or your creative direction?

Visit https://book.theswedishorganizer.com for a complimentary Discovery Call!

Was this newsletter forwarded to you?

Get your own subscription here!

Missed a month?

Catch up on past issues here.

AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:

SOMETIMES, I RECOMMEND THIRD-PARTY SERVICES AND PRODUCTS THAT I FEEL WILL HELP MY AUDIENCE. IF YOU CLICK THROUGH AND MAKE A PURCHASE, I WILL RECEIVE A COMMISSION.

@ 2009 - 2025 The Swedish Organizer, LLC. All rights reserved.

Caroline Guntur

Hi there! I'm Caroline, a.k.a. The Swedish Organizer. My passion is to help creative entrepreneurs get their ducks in a row and finish what they start, so they can work less, play more, and have time for what matters.

Read more from Caroline Guntur
2025-01 Creating Space by The Swedish Organizer - Resolutions

Creating Space · January 2025 · Vol. 12 A Resolution is Only One Step Towards Meeting Your Goals Welcome What Else Do You Need? The topic of business systems may not be the most glamorous one out there, but there's nothing better than being able to step away from your business without guilt or fear. That's what I was able to do this past month. There's nothing more powerful that that feeling because it represents true success. When you are in business for a long time, there are be times when...

Welcome & Onboarding Call Replay - 2025 (Q1)

Hi Reader, Today, we hosted our first Welcome & Onboarding Call for 2025. 🎉 Thank you so much to everyone who joined us live! Normally, we don't record these sessions, but we had so many updates to share that we thought it might be a good idea this time around. Click this link to watch the replay. If you are a member of our community, we have also added it there for easy access (see Announcements tab). If you watch, you'll get to: Meet the Coaches & Team Hear what courses we offer (and who...

The Swedish Organizer - Welcome & Onboarding Call (2025 Q1)

Hi Reader, Did you know that we hold quarterly Welcome & Onboarding calls for new, returning, & prospective students? Yup, we do. Over the years, we have seen that there are three types of people on our mailing list: Eager Beavers These are the students who join us for everything we host (as often as possible), and who are eager and excited to learn - fast. They love self-development and discovery, but often feel a bit overwhelmed with where to start... there are just so many possibilities!...