On the third Wednesday of each month, ICA students gather for bookclub – a chance to make new friends and enjoy informal learning. London based ICA graduate, Julia Griffin, reports on Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
Are you working with clients who are moving house, bemoaning a chaotic workplace or struggling with disorder in their lives? This book may be your ideal read.
Japanese born, Marie Kondo, is a highly successful author with a large global following and multi-million dollar business. Kondo is described as an expert, influencer, consultant, decluttering expert and coach and she has won worldwide fame via celebrities like Ellen Degeneres. Her work has even been immortalised on Netflix!
“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.”
Kondo’s books have caused waves in the coaching industry because she taps into a decluttering movement lead by the Millennial generation who seek deeper and richer experiences in a world obsessed with materialism. Devotees may train to become a certified KonMari Consultant and, judging by her graduates, they are working on a truly global stage including Canada, Australia, the United States, Russia and Europe.
“… when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.”
What did our book club members think of the book? This was an easy read and most people loved it. The book provided a welcome opportunity to learn more about Shintoism which shaped Kondo’s upbringing and outlook. Ever keen to put words into action, book-clubbers also took the opportunity to tidy household drawers, sheds, desks and closets. Who doesn’t love a good purge? While everyone found decluttering both appealing and satisfying, it provided an unusual way to investigate goal setting, habit, attachment, fear, gratitude and long-lasting change.
“People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking.”
Does The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up belong in the top shelf of a coaches bookshelf? The answer came back as a firm “Yes!” Professional coaches could see the value of her approach and perspective. The book may prove useful to a range of clients experiencing clutter in both work and home settings and the text naturally leads explorations of order, harmony and peace. Marie Kondo’s book not only sparked joy but it sparked a great book club – full credit to her!
