JOURNEY in HARMONY with FENG SHUI

FOCUS? Are you kidding? I have too much to do!

“I have so much to do…I can’t stay focused and get everything done”.  I hear my clients — and myself —say this WAY too often. It’s time to find a solution. How can we possibly concentrate on one thing until the task is complete then move on to the next job — this could take hours! Being focused also means paying attention and really listening when someone is speaking — and not thinking about three other things I think I ‘need’ to do NEXT.

It’s time to shift our energy and strengthen our ability to FOCUS.

The state of our home affects your mood, success, energy…in short, our life. Adjusting the flow of CHI (energy) in our home is the practice and goal of Feng Shui. Think of CHI as a breeze coming in the front door and slowly wafting and circulating through all the rooms bringing you life saving breath. Ideally, CHI flows smoothly, evenly, throughout all areas. As we de-cluttering and move furniture, we adjust the flow of CHI energy, and we are also changing our personal energy and state of mind. The ultimate purpose in fine-tuning the CHI in our home or office is to help us aCHIeve our personal goals for a happy, successful, abundant and balanced life.

The movement of CHI is what is important. Rushing and stagnating CHI create distractions and lack of focus.  Stagnating or blocked CHI (as with clutter) may keep us from aCHIeving all we want in life. Rushing CHI moves too fast and may cause too many opportunities to come at once or dash past us so fast that we miss them.

Think of rushing CHI as all the obligations talking to us at once…from our iPod to our broken dishwasher to our CHIld’s hockey game — all wanting attention — NOW! Stagnating CHI, as in clutter, causes confusion and feelings of helplessness. We cannot think clearly, much less concentrate. What can we do to get it all done and not feel guilty?

When we change aspects of our home, like re-arranging furniture, clearing clutter and changing colors, we are changing the CHI and shifting our personal energy at the same time.

Four Simple CHI-Changes to help increase our ability to FOCUS:

1. Clear clutter first — one room, one corner at a time.

• Clutter is distracting – and scatters your thinking taking your focus away from your task
• Clutter is blocking good energy from reaCHIng you – with good ideas for instance and new opportunities
• Clutter drains your energy
• Clutter negatively affects your mood

2. Create a functional, welcoming space to work — especially if you have a home office. It is more challenging to concentrate if you are constantly checking out the tv, moving the laundry to get to your books etc. Try these modifications:

• Light! This seems simple, but often offices have very inadequate lighting. Use daylight bulbs, as they are the least stressful and closest to natural light. Open blinds to add natural light-it is positively energizing.
• Desk placement – be sure you can see the door or entrance to your space easily from your seat. Do not face the wall if possible, or add a mirror so you can see someone coming into your office from behind your chair.
• Color – color affects us, often subtly. If a room is a gloomy color, or needs painting, it will affect how you feel. Re-paint – it’s an inexpensive energy boost. Choose color(s) you love…experiment with something different. Check out on line sites at Benjamin Moore new life and growth.

3. Meditate – and learn what is important to YOU. No need to sign up for special classes. Just find a quiet space, sit with your eyes closed, breathe deeply for 15 minutes each day to clear your mind of everything. It may not be easy to do in our busy lives, but it has HUGE calming benefits for your mental & physical health. In addition, when you are calm maintaining focus becomes easier.

4. Know Yourself – knowing your personality, likes & dislikes, what you do well and not so well and what excites you and gives you strength is how you learn to prioritize your time. Women often find themselves doing so much and often do not remember why they said “sure I’ll help out…sure I’d love to be on this committee.” In part, women get overwhelmed because they find it hard to say no.  Man or woman, make a list of your obligations and weekly to-do’s and read it aloud. You will be amazed at what you have to/want to accomplish each week.  Now re-write your list in order of personal importance-prioritize. Decide to delegate some obligations to others and delete other items all together.  Follow your new list for a week and see how much better you are able to keep on track.

This short blog can only begin to describe the importance of learning how to focus and complete the short & long-term goals in our lives. Taking time to master this talent develops self-respect and results in aCHIeving what is important in YOUR life.

Allow this information move slowly & steadily through your thinking like positive CHI wafting through your home. Don’t let it get stuck among the clutter in your in-box or rush past you out the window. Take time to try out the suggestions that suit you.  I’ll have more ideas next week. Get started, stay with it, check in, and let me know how you are doing. Remember, you are worth it!

Managing your desk clutter =  managing your time

I have lots of paper in my office. I haven’t learned to read everything on line so I print articles to read later. I make notes on post its and I collect articles in print to save. There’s just so many interesting things going on in the world, I don’t want to miss a thing. Does this sound familiar?

Well, I got fed up this week and decided to convert my desk from a “mess” desk to a “success” desk. This meant dealing with the last vestiges of clutter in my life…my papers. It has taken several attempts to clean everything up, but I am happy to report….I won! I created files for my articles, completed the tasks on my my old post it notes, created a ‘read later’ file on line, and finally my desk is my own to arrange as I like. Of course, I am following some special Feng Shui ideas to give me added power, insight, and effectiveness.

The adjustments I used on my desktop are based on the Bagua Map used in Feng Shui. It is the guide to all energy movement in life. I’ll tell you more about the Bagua Map in the future…but for now…just have a little trust. The Bagua square or rectangle is divided into 9 equal areas, three across and three down. The color for each area is shown below. Draw one for yourself, and place the grid parallel with your seat facing your desk. For most desks the career area will be closest to your chair. Use this as your guide to arrange your desktop.

It should look something like this:

Desk Chair will be to this side

Desktop Arrangement

We’ll start along the back row on the far left…

• Abundance & Wealth: place something expensive, gold, or a small fountain
• Fame & Reputation: to brighten your fame, place your business cards in the center back of your desk or a red candle (it works even if you don’t light it)
• Relationships: place a picture of yourself with your partner, an uplifting quote, flowers or names of current business contacts
• Health & Family: In the middle left choose between a photo of your family or a healthy plant.
• Wisdom: And just in front of Health on the left, keep a reference book, or anything that reminds you of wisdom to help in making good decisions.
• Career: Across the front in the center is Career…and the actual center of your desk (just behind Career) are for your computer when in use and writing an organizing projects.
• Helpful People: To the far right in front keep your phone, blackberry, iPod your communication too to reach all the helpful people in your life
• Creativity: on the right in the middle is the creativity area, a good place for current project files.

I hope this has inspired you to take a second look at your desk and make some helpful changes. Understand that you do not have to implement all of these cures. Personally, I like a more open, cleaner desk (even though as I said it has taken me while to get this done)…it feels expansive, lighter, more inspiring and I look forward to sitting down and getting to work.

Try something new, experience the SHIFT and do what feels right for you. That’s good Feng Shui.

February a Month of Love

Life is about our relationships with family, friends, children, co-workers, bosses, employees, doctors, teachers, mentors, lovers, neighbors…the list goes on.

Everyone longs for a special someone to share life’s most intimate and memorable moments. When we think about the ’special’ someone, we are either looking for them or trying to keep the spark alive with the person we share our love.

Here are our two situations:

• How to find the right “someone” for a long, loving and rewarding relationship?
• How to enhance our current love relationship and keep it strong and growing?

In each relationship there are similar truths to understand:

• Communicating openly and honestly develops strong relationships in all areas of life…especially love.
• We are most successful connecting with the right person when we know what is important to us.
• We are happiest and most successful when we know and love ourselves.

It’s important to remember that our thoughts and beliefs create our life’s reality. So check in with your thoughts several times daily and be sure you are maintaining a positive focus on life and your love goal. And it’s so very important to remember that showing the love we have in our heart for ourselves and others is very contagious and will attract other positive people to you.

Try these Feng Shui ‘cures’ and adjustments to help you.

New partner attraction tips:

• Make room for someone else in your home. Is there an extra chair at the table, room in the closet?
• Have a nightstand on each side of the bed…preferably equal in size for balance in relationship.
• Make your bedroom a romantic hideaway. No TV, no computer. Add romantic artwork, soft lights and fresh flowers or plants that symbolize new life & growth.
• Think in two’s – have two candles, two champagne glasses, pair of lovebirds.
• Plan fun events you will be attending with your new partner…make a list and go to some with a friend. Enthusiasm is catching…who knows who you will meet.
• Keep your front door area clean and inviting…you’re inviting in new people, opportunities, and relationships.
• Hang a crystal in the center of your bedroom to balance the energy flow.
• Write out your intentions for a loving relationship…such as ” I am so happy I am attracting a loving, fascinating, supportive person into my life”.

Enhancing current love relationships:

• Make your bedroom a romantic hideaway. Remove the TV, exercise machine and computer. Your bedroom is for sleep and romance.
• Remove all photos of family from the bedroom and add happy photos of you and your partner.
• Add inspiring, romantic artwork, soft lights and fresh flowers or plants that symbolize new life & growth.
• Have a nightstand on each side of the bed…preferably equal in size for balance in relationship.
• Clear all clutter from the bedroom.
• Think in two’s when decorating around your house – two candles, two champagne glasses, pair of lovebirds.
• Plan fun events with your partner…make a list and a date night with your mate.
• Hang a crystal in the center of your bedroom to balance the energy flow.
• Write positive intentions for your loving relationship…such as “I am so happy in a loving relationship with a fascinating, supportive person in my life”.

Have fun making these changes and remember to stay positively loving.

Care for yourself, your life with Feng Shui

Has the current economy negatively affected you? Are you feeling anxious,
stressed and stuck? Do you feel your life is totally out of control? Has
your home become a source of more financial strain and pressure? I have
good news for you. You have more control than you think. One HUGE source of
control has to do with one common, BIG underlying problem – CLUTTER.

Perhaps you haven’t paid attention to the clutter around you. Clutter is
not just an issue of organization; it goes much deeper than that having
effects on your mental, emotional and financial aspects of life.

Clutter is an over abundance of ‘things’ in any area of your home or
office. These ‘things’ all have their own energy and this excess energy
creates stress and feelings of being stuck and overwhelmed. And, I
mentioned finances…well, all of this stuff cost you money to acquire,
right? So, clutter is also expensive.

Clutter is:

- the unwanted gifts you haven’t yet passed on
- the clothes you haven’t worn in years
- the magazines you’ll read – one day
- the overflow of files in your ‘in-box’

REMOVING clutter allows you to:

- create new opportunities in your life – new job, partner, new ‘look’
- experience better productivity – get more done in less time
- feel in control of your life
- focus on what’s important – clarify your values

Cathy Davis, St. Louis, MO www.DavisCreative.com

Identify one – just one – small area of your home that’s a mess and causes
you to feel stressed just thinking about it. Is it a drawer in your
kitchen, that has become a catch all for everything? Is it under your sink
in the bathroom that’s a mess? Well, take 15 minutes and organize just that
small space.

Ask yourself three questions when dealing with every item:

• - Is it something I use frequently? If yes – keep it, if no – toss it!
• - Does it belong in this space? – if yes organize it in the space – if not – re-assign it someplace else, or  – toss it out!
• - Do I have too many of these? – how many pens, utensils, boxes, etc. do you really need and use?

With just 15 minutes a day you’ll start:

• - gaining control of some of your space & life – you’re just getting started
• - easing the congestion in your space and allowing you to find what you need in a hurry
• - reducing stress – a cleaner space is easier to use and feel relaxed in – I know this is just one small area…but imagine when you do this for an entire room…how GREAT you will feel.
• - controlling unnecessary spending for items you already have but cannot find and impulse buying for items you have no room for.

“Clutter has been an issue I have run from almost my entire life. As I began to clear things out,
it was amazing how clear my mind became. I will never look at clutter the same way
again. It’s amazing the difference I feel when I put things in order.”
� Jackie Trottmann, Kirkwood, MO

Are you one of the millions of women working from home? Is the dining room table your desk? Or perhaps the extra bedroom is your ’sort of’ office. Do you have trouble making the transition from ‘at home’ to ‘at work’? Are you having trouble getting the word out about your products & services? Do your friends and family promote your business?

Often when we’re just getting started working from home we tend to think that wherever we plop ourselves down with our work stuff is just fine. We’re lucky to have a place to get started. You may even be lucky enough to have a spare bedroom or space in the basement to set up shop. So we put that desk or table against the wall and pull up a chair, find a book case, some lighting, maybe a table to lay out our work, plug in the computer and we’re in business.

Well, I’d like you to know that no matter where you set up shop (except your bedroom….that room is for other activities) if you follow certain simple principles of good Feng Shui design, you will be enabling and inviting all the success you desire to find you…..even in the back bedroom or your basement office.

3 quick & easy tips to set yourself up for success.

First – desk placement: Arrange your desk as far from the door as you can so it allows you to see as much of the room as possible. Do not place the desk in a direct line with the door. When seated it’s best to have a wall behind your chair and you should be able to see the door easily without twisting or turning. This advantageous position allows you to see anyone coming in the room and helps you feel in control of your space, your business and your goals. Just think of another arrangement where you are facing a wall or a corner and have to turn around anytime someone comes into the room. How does that make you feel….awkward, uncomfortable, ‘up against a wall’, frustrated? Try this new arrangement and experience the change. If a corner desk is your only option, hang a mirror so that you can see what’s going on behind you.

Second – Clutter – on your desk and around your room. Keep your files organized, not in piles. Clutter makes it harder to find things and adds to your stress. Find ways to organize your materials and files.� Clear off your desk at the end of each day and return to a clean, organized, welcoming office space each morning. Just think how you feel walking into an office that is cluttered and a mess. Does it make you want to work and grow your business….not likely! You probably would rather turn around and go shopping.

Third – Increase the positive energy in your office:

• Plants…use real plants if you have natural light as they reduce the effects of EMF’s (electromagnetic fields from computers etc.)
• Hands free phone…trying to prop the phone up with your shoulder against your ear will cause LOTS of muscle and stress problems you don’t need. The stress of holding this position often changes the tone of your voice, it’s distracting to you because you’re wondering when it’s going to fall, and sometimes your caller can sense this too. Make your life easier and focus on the call not on how you are holding the phone. You can also use a head set plugged into the phone.
• Lighting – use full spectrum lighting. This light most closely resembles natural daylight. It is more energizing for you and if you work with colors it is a huge help. You can find these bulbs every where and they are well worth the slightly increased price of ordinary bulbs. Full spectrum tubes are also made for fluorescent light units. If the overhead lighting is not bright enough or creates shadows, add a desk lamp that makes your work area comfortable and well lit.

The results are:

• you feel in control of your space, thinking, planning and business direction
• you have created a positive work environment, distinctly separate from your home atmosphere, that energizes you each day to stay the course.
• your office reflects your professional work and positive outlook that supports you in achieving your business goals.

With all this positive energy surrounding you … success is yours!

Helpful Crystals
I need to hang this beautiful crystal where? why?

Feng Shui is all about �chi� or energy, in all aspects of your day-to-day life. Chi is the unseen energy that we can often feel such as the energy of a brightly lit room, or the breeze on a balmy day. Energy is everywhere, in everything and is also a part of us. On days when we feel sluggish…our chi is low. Other times we are full of life and feeling vibrant – our chi is normal or energized. Optimally chi should travel slowly throughout your home and office to keep your life balanced, happy and healthy.

We can control the chi, or energy, in our homes and our life in many ways. One easy thing to do everyday is to open your front door and allow fresh energy to enter your home. So often we enter and leave by our garage door and we almost never use our front door. This front entrance is the ‘mouth of chi’ to our home and it allows fresh chi to enter your home each day. Think of it as a breath of fresh air, or a drink of water each day…what would you do without it? Windows also bring in fresh chi every day, so open your blinds and windows daily.

Crystals are another way to keep the energy flowing in your home. A Crystal is a multifaceted prism that circulates the energy throughout the space where it is hung. Imagine how beams of light, when hitting a prism, bounce off in many directions. Similarly, these crystals help direct and re-direct the energy in all areas of your home to keep energy flowing and avoid having negative or stagnant energy accumulate. Some spaces in your rooms can have clogged energy because of clutter; and some areas can have no energy movement, which is undesirable and should be corrected. Crystals keep a room from developing that stagnant feeling and thus help refresh your personal energy. You can hang your crystal in the center of the room, or in a corner that may need some fresh energy.

Are there areas of your life that need energizing? Let me know how crystals have helped you.

What would you say if someone asked you what the most important room is in your home? Some might say the family room or kitchen, because those are the rooms where friends and family gather together to bond, relax, and share that all important past-time, eating! According to the principles of Feng Shui, however, the master bedroom holds the most significance for creating a more content and happy you.

Unfortunately, this is often times the last room in the house slated for decorating or a face lift.

When you think of your master bedroom (and Feng Shui), you should think of the Three R’s—Rest, Renewal, and Relationships. Your master bedroom needs to be the place where you can escape and find peace, a place where you can go to re-charge your batteries in a calm, loving setting. The goal is to make YOU feel good!

The first thing to do to improve the Feng Shui in your master bedroom is remove electronic equipment (this means no computers, TVs, radios, etc.). To be really “pure” about it, you shouldn’t even have a clock or clock radio. This could make waking up a bit challenging, so just do what you can.

Secondly, remove photos of your kids or other members of your family and replace them (or keep, if they’re already there) pictures of you and your partner. If you don’t have a partner, then have photos or pictures of things in pairs (if your desire is to attract a partner). This is a whole topic in and of itself for a later time, but this will get you on your way.

For the third improvement step, paint the room a restful color that you love and de-clutter the room in the process. Clutter is energy…and not good energy! You don’t want this energy vibration in your master bedroom when you’re trying to attract a feeling of renewal and relaxation.

Using the principles of Feng Shui in your master bedroom shows respect and love for self. When you lay on your bed, look around and take in the “energy” there, how does it feel? Which one of these three basic improvements will you find most challenging and why?

Feng Shui Tip on Love and Clutter

Perhaps in Feng Shui terms these two words, “love and clutter” don’t seem a likely pair…but I believe I’ve found how they directly relate to each other. Feng Shui is about providing good energy and balance in life. Love is certainly good life force energy. Clutter is having too many items in a space. These items can be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Clutter creates stagnant or stuck energy. So why are these two words a good pair? I believe its love that can clear out the clutter.

In talking with friends and clients lately I realize a theme has been recurring around discussions of clutter in our offices, basements, bedrooms and our lives. We look at our clutter and say “boy, I really need to do something about this”. Yet months, maybe years go by and the clutter remains. I’m wondering why we let this clutter stagnate in our lives.

Want to save time? Have more time? Sure we all do. Time is the number one priority we women want more of in our lives! De-cluttering can be time consuming, difficult, emotional, confusing and boring too. But the rewards in clearing your clutter and getting control of your space and your life are absolutely transformational. You get in touch with yourself, your priorities, your family/friends, your goals and your happiness in life. You feel less stress, have more time for fun and experience greater self esteem. That’s the love I’m talking about. Love for yourself and your life! Now that’s great energy!

Recently I began sorting items in our storage room. We kept things for the larger home we were going to buy but decided we love where we are so it’s time to downsize our clutter. Clearing my own things brought some new clarity to the “clutter transformation” process I teach. For my clients and myself, I attribute success in clearing the clutter to “love”, self esteem, respect, admiration, self-confidence and all the words that describe how we feel when we love someone. And in our de-clutter process that love must be for our self.

When we clear and re-organize our spaces…bedroom, basement, office and thus our lives we are literally taking the time to care for and honor ourselves. We are taking the time to live in the here and now…to be present in our lives. Too often, especially as women, we care for others and leave our needs until later… and later never seems to come and when and if the time does come, we’re exhausted. This creates a big imbalance in our life. Taking time to clear our clutter means we are taking time to show love and respect for ourselves, our life. Good energy will flow and everyone will feel it.

When we show ourselves love every day we don’t have clutter. And if our spaces get cluttered, we know it’s time to take a break and show ourselves some love. Then we’ll be ready to clear out the clutter and get back to our fun life.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with love & clutter…

The New Year is upon us. Everywhere we read about being in a time of �change’ and everyone wants to move forward with an optimistic outlook. I was briefly watching television Tuesday morning, feeling rather sluggish, and I was about to turn off the TV when some scenes from the inauguration of our 44^th President caught my attention so I continued to watch. After a while I realized I was feeling better, I was standing straighter, and I was increasingly aware of new creative ideas. All the positive energy of the event was touching me.

Those thoughts and feelings inspired me to write this blog about understanding two important concepts in Feng Shui, energy and change plus three ways to help you achieve positive change in your life and keep an optimistic attitude all year long.

First, let’s start with the front door of your home, known as the �mouth of chi’ in Feng Shui. It is here where positive “life force” energy enters your home and life everyday. Be sure to keep the front area of your home clear of clutter and make it look inviting. In this way you invite fresh, positive energy into your life daily.

Secondly, we’ll consider energy flow. Imagine the energy, you can think of it as fresh air, which has just entered through your front door, traveling around in your rooms. Can the air (energy) reach all areas of your home? Or is it blocked by too much furniture and clutter? Often rooms are too crowded and cluttered and the energy stagnates there. Being in such a room can unconsciously make you feel tired, frustrated, and overwhelmed.� By moving, removing and de-cluttering the furnishings in a room you change the energy, or feeling, in your space. You experience a more positive outlook, clearer thinking and more relaxed feelings. Don’t tackle the whole job at once. Start by re-arranging and de-cluttering in just one room. When finished, sit in your room with its new “Intentional Design” look and see how you feel. I know you will be pleasantly surprised.

Thirdly, and this is also part of step two, choose to surround yourself only with the things you love. Being surrounded by “stuff” you don’t like brings your spirit and feelings down. The key to effective Feng Shui re-design and de-cluttering is to only keep items that you need, use and love. If something doesn’t fit into one of those categories, you need to pass it on.� Donate it, sell it, gift it, or throw it out. If you’re unsure of an object, put it somewhere you don’t see it for a week. Do you miss it, or feel better without it around? Your answer is in how you feel. Divesting yourself of unwanted “stuff” gives you a great feeling of personal power and control of your life.

The beginning of a new year is a good time to take stock of your home and belongings, both old and new. You may have new “stuff” from holiday giving or an antique hand-me-down from Grandma or, just as challenging, what about that present from your loved one that just doesn’t “feel” good?� Leave a comment below and tell me what items you are removing from your environment!