We were lucky to catch up with Star Hansen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Star , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I discovered my purpose when I was 24 years old. I had left college early to follow my heart and pursue acting, but along the way discovered that I was a healer who could help people transform their lives through their physical spaces and the process of organizing. Because I was so young and didn’t finish college, I felt like an impostor. I worried I didn’t have enough credentials (or life experience) to be taken seriously. I used to go to clients wearing a blazer and glasses (even though I only needed them for driving), in the hopes that people would take me more seriously. Then as the social media world exploded and it became common to expect before and after photos to “prove” your skills, I felt the impostor syndrome hit again. Anytime I looked to the outside circumstances to establish credentials and worth, I felt like I didn’t measure up. But in my actual work and life, I saw the powerful impact I was making in people’s lives. So, I switched how I measured my worth. Instead of determining my worth from the outside in, I started to look inside. I used the clarity, focus, and peace of mind I felt when I was working with people as evidence that I knew what I was doing. Instead of focusing on sharing beautiful before and after photos, I started keeping a folder filled with client testimonials and texts, sharing not how organized their home was, but how happy they were in their life now that they had learned so much through the organizing process together (rekindled marriages, new jobs, long-awaited vacations, etc.). Joy, clarity, and my intuition became the measuring stick for happiness, rather than how I looked “stacked up” next to my peers or other people. If I ever forget, I just look back at some of those text screenshots or go take a walk to re-center back on what is truly important.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
As a Clutter Whisperer and Certified Professional Organizer©, I help successful, badass people who feel like a hot mess to figure out why their clutter isn’t going away so they can finally clear the chaos, and live a life of freedom, joy, and peace. I’m the organizer you call when nothing else works! When clutter keeps coming back over and over again, it’s trying to tell you something… and if you listen, it will unlock your greatest potential in life. If you’ve got clutter, you’ve got an (untapped) superpower, and I’m here to help you realize that power and take your life to the next level. I help people to use their clutter to transform their lives through my Chaos to Calm Organizing Community (www.starhansen.com/community), speaking engagements, workshops, and my bestselling book Why the F*#@ Am I Still Not Organized?
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
As a Clutter Whisperer and Certified Professional Organizer©, I help successful, badass people who feel like a hot mess to figure out why their clutter isn’t going away so they can finally clear the chaos, and live a life of freedom, joy, and peace. I’m the organizer you call when nothing else works! When clutter keeps coming back over and over again, it’s trying to tell you something… and if you listen, it will unlock your greatest potential in life. If you’ve got clutter, you’ve got an (untapped) superpower, and I’m here to help you realize that power and take your life to the next level. I help people to use their clutter to transform their lives through my Chaos to Calm Organizing Community (www.starhansen.com/community), speaking engagements, workshops, and my bestselling book Why the F*#@ Am I Still Not Organized? (www.starhansen.com/book)
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most powerful things that helped me on my journey were trusting my intuition, saying yes to roadblocks, and kicking judgment to the curb.
When you’re just starting out, it’s easy to feel like other people are doing things better than you are. But the truth is that your only competition is you. And the way to know if you’re on the right track is not from comparing or second-guessing, but by tapping into your intuition. Intuition is the #1 most powerful tool you have for your business. As you get to know yourself, your industry, your clients, and your products, you are unconsciously taking in knowledge that your intuition will share with you when you need it.
As for saying yes to roadblocks, I know this may sound a little strange, but every time we encounter a NO in life, it’s pointing us to our true YES. Whether that be in another direction, or simply by coming at things at another time or in a new way. If we can see the roadblocks we encounter as a clarification of the right path for ourselves, rather than getting defensive or beating ourselves up, we save ourselves the time and pain of thinking that we’re doing something wrong. And instead, we can start to see the way that we’re always on the right track, even when it feels like we’ve hit a wall.
As you create your path in this life, it’s easy to look at what’s wrong. As humans, we’re genetically predisposed to do this to stay alive. But we were also blessed with free will, and the ability to reframe our life and experiences. Instead of rushing to judgment (of ourselves or others), try to lean into curiosity. Differences are one of the biggest things that make this world interesting. Things may not look the way you think they should, but often they’re far more interesting and rich than we first noticed. As Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Choosing curiosity over judgment will help you better face the complexities and challenges ahead, as well as make the journey all the more enjoyable.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Because clutter is never about the stuff, I’m always looking for amazing people to collaborate with who can shed light on the other factors that make clutter and disorganization so challenging. In the last year, we’ve had some amazing experts come to the Chaos to Calm Community (www.www.starhansen.com/community) and share powerful insights into how other modalities and factors can play a key role in getting organized and discovering your genius in your clutter. We’ve had a neuroscientist talk about technology and addiction, an ADHD coach walk us through how to get started on challenging projects and routines (when you want to do anything else), a breathwork facilitator help teach us how to calm our nervous system, and a boundaries coach help set boundaries when other people are making your clutter their business. I’m always excited to collaborate with experts who have insight that can help remove shame around our clutter and enhance our skills around living a full and thriving life. star@starhansen.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://starhansen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/star.hansen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarHansen/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/starhansen/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/starhansen
- Other: Free copy of Star’s Book Why the F*#@ Am I Still Not Organized? www.starhansen.com/book Chaos to Calm Organizing Community www.starhansen.com/community
Image Credits
Adam Hendershott
