Over the years, people have asked me how I became a productivity & organizing professional. So you’ll find my story below. If you want a resume-like listing of my training, experience, and credentials, you’ll find it here.

There are several defining events that brought me here.

Let me start by saying that for years I was a people-pleasing, perfectionist, firstborn who liked to control everything and risk nothing! Growing up all I wanted was to be a teacher.

When I started teaching young elementary-aged special education students, I thought I would teach until they buried me under the floorboards of the school. Nine years later, with the beginnings of burn-out, I contemplated changing careers, but was gripped by the fear of leaving the known for the unknown. Two years later, after taking some career training, I took the leap from teaching to the corporate world, where I gained valuable knowledge in process development and quality assurance.

But like many, I was laid off after 9/11. Despite my risk-aversion, I moved from Maryland to North Carolina to be closer to family and to Cameron Indoor Stadium, where I’m fortunate enough to have season tickets to Duke basketball. Since I needed to find a new job anyway and I was moving to a familiar area, it didn’t seem quite as risky!

I started a professional organizing firm, despite the fact that I knew nothing about running a business! I’d read about the industry and knew it would be a good fit for my skill-set. Plus, God told me to, so who was I to say “no.” Well… my low-risk self also had a backup plan, just in case I’d misunderstood!

I threw myself into learning mode. Along with learning how to run a business, I wanted to gain all the knowledge I could about the organizing industry. I became a Resource Queen and credential fanatic. Through the years, I became the most highly credentialed productivity and organizing professional in North Carolina and one of the most highly trained in the U.S. My firm, Minding Your Matters®, experienced growth and change, just like any company.

By 2018, I decided I was ready for a change. I was having my own health challenges and dealing with my parent’s life issues, so I began to have the experience of what happens in your life when unexpected events occur. I saw how hard it was to stay on top of things when you are having to deal with way more extra stress or health challenges. I knew I was on to something here. Being the good researcher I am, I read books, consulted with friends and professionals, contemplated possibilities, etc.

Then, one day in mid-February, 2019, it hit me like a lightning bolt: Life transitions coaching from an organizing and productivity perspective. Sounds a little odd from someone who wasn’t a big fan of change. However, since 2016, my family has undergone many changes and life transitions. Between those events, my training, and my clients, I’ve become an expert helping people navigate life transitions.

From the beginning of this epiphany, I was clear about what I’m not qualified to do or wouldn’t enjoy doing. I had no interest in being a life or career coach. I saw how what I went through personally the last few years set me up to be the perfect guide and resource for someone going through big transitions.

Once I landed on that, all life transitions were fair game…with the exception of the actual packing and unpacking of a move!

As I started to shift from Minding Your Matters® to Life Transitions Organizing, I realized I had personal and professional expertise in an often overlooked area – how medical conditions impact a person. It doesn’t matter if it is newly identified or a status change in an ongoing disorder, life is more complex. Whether it’s a situation related to the body or brain, everything is harder.

I got excited as I discovered all of the experiences and tools I’d developed over the years, without even realizing it, so that I could focus in this area. It’s where I can make the most impact!

Then, in 2022, I realized that having “organizing” in the name, people were still calling me to organize their closets! And when I was speaking about “life transitions,” it became too general because my niche is working with women who have a new diagnosis, or a change to a previous condition, that has thrown them into chaos. I began to understand that the old name didn’t reflect the totality of the work and coaching I do. So, I decided to rebrand to JaniceRussell.com.

It’s from this foundation that I’m thrilled to share the Overwhelm Slayer Coaching Program. It was developed from my work with clients, my professional training, and my own life. My multi-faceted approach is individualized so my clients achieve calm and control during their (no longer) life-disrupting situation. They are empowered to take back their life!

While Minding Your Matters® will always be the “parent company” of my organizing and productivity firm, my services are in the Janice Russell Coaching & Consulting branch. I’m excited to share my passion with you!