You are such a breath of fresh air - thanks for helping me get unstuck.
The high points:
- Meticulously organized. Obviously. And I want to help you discover the level of organizing perfect for you.
- Don't believe in status quo or doing things a certain way because you "should," "that's how it's always been done," or because it's what society expects.
- Teach with TCU Extended Education and the Fort Worth Writer's Boot Camp.
- Published author.
- Co-founder and former Marketing Director of Save Our Symphony Fort Worth.
- Prior award-winning careers in professional ballroom dance and event management.
- Bachelor's in Advertising and Public Relations from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, TX.
- Studied philosophy and theater at Austin College in Sherman, TX.
- Love cooking and eating indulgent food, yoga, dance, champagne, whiskey, and cursing. And not necessarily in that order.
The full story:
Hi, my name is Melinda, and I’m a full-blown, Type-A, over-achiever.
In undergrad I took a full course load while holding 3 offices in my sorority, performed with the dance team, worked in the costume shop of the theater, was active in various other campus organizations, as well as acted in plays and co-produced benefit rock shows back in my home town over an hour and a half away.
In my first job out of college as a ballroom dancer I taught up to 25 students at a time, creating dance programs to meet each students needs. I also taught group classes, continued my own dance training, rehearsed for performances, and helped out with the business side of the studio.
In one of my positions as an event planner, I planned and managed over 80 events per year. Most Saturdays I had 2-4 events at a time. These events ranged in attendance from 100 to thousands of people with about a kajillion moving parts. One event I planned, a mere 3 days after a major presidential fundraiser I managed, was a 9-hour event for over 3,000 people and included a Cirque du Soleil style performance.
Even today, I run this business almost exclusively as a one woman show - helping clients, writing books, creating programs, managing the marketing and graphic design, researching the latest and freshest ideas, and more. And I still make time for things I love like yoga, cooking, dance, and performing with one of my very favorite arts organizations, the Fort Worth Opera.
Fort Worth Opera's production of HAMLET, Bass Hall, 2015. Photo credit: Paul Moseley via Star Telegram
I even make the time for a Netflix binge here and there...House of Cards, West Wing, and Mad Men, I’m looking at you.
OH! And champagne. There's always time for champagne.
So how do I pull this all off without letting things fall through the cracks or pull my red hair right out?
Simply put, I’m organized, dahling.
Organization is the special sauce that allows you to do everything you want with ease.
I’ll say this though - being organized isn’t a virtue. My industry tries to make it sound as though organization is this be-all, end-all thing, and if you’re not then you’re a bad person.
That’s bullshit.
Organization is a tool. It will help you get where you want to go more efficiently and with more ease. It’s as simple as that.
What isn’t as simple is discovering what your own organizing style is...especially if you grew up in a disorganized home.
That’s where I come in. Together you and I will work to discover your own personal organizing style so that you too can fit everything you want out of life into your schedule.
What do you want to do? Maintain a neat and tidy home that refreshes and recharges you? Start a business? Write a book? Stay on top of your family’s things and schedules? Have more meals that are homemade rather than take-out? Attend three parties in a single evening? Maybe you’d just love to create some space in your schedule to take better care of yourself?
No matter what it is you want to do with your time, space, and life, organization will help. By setting goals, getting clear on your priorities, clearing the clutter, and creating streamlined systems, your life will be able to better flow with ease.
Imagine how fabulous it will feel to thrive rather than merely survive.