JOURNEY in HARMONY with FENG SHUI

How are you doing? … Can you FOCUS?

Have you noticed there are so many people talking about FOCUS? Actually people are talking about how they lack the ability to focus. More people are noticing that we no longer feel in control of our multitasking lives. Is that how you feel? Were you able to begin using any suggestions I gave you in my last post? Were they useful or were you too busy doing 10 things at once?

I noticed something recently myself and I want to share my experience – I had a problem with my internet provider setup so Tech Support helped me get everything fixed. The provider has up graded their site and when I got everything fixed I looked at my new sign in page. I could hardly tell where to sign in as there were so many ads, options and toolbars I was getting blinded by all the flashing, scrolling, multiple options on one screen.

I searched my new screen to write some emails but the email function was certainly secondary (or more correctly probably #9 out of 10) to all the ads and options I had available. How many of these options do I actually use? Almost 70% of them are unnecessary clutter and I can’t turn most of them off. The snarly guy sneering at me to re-finance, and the flashing diet miracle make me squeeze my email message between them to write. While trying to write they are like a circus flashing at me enticing me to ‘CLICK HERE”. And we wonder why we can’t focus? Duh!

It takes effort to stay focused these days! And the benefits of being mindful of what we are doing at the present moment are HUGE!

Here’s some easy examples – there are so many more:

1. You actually appreciate the food you are eating, the book you are reading, the relaxing bath you are taking

2. Your can calm & clear your mind to think in depth about a situation that requires your attention – and find the right solution.

3. You can finish projects you started last month, week, year

4. You can relax and really listen to your children, spouse, partner, friend

5. You can pay attention to (or discover) what’s really important in your life…

Can you clear out some of the clutter in your life and be mindful today? Let me know how you’re doing…..

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.

Have you made your New Year’s Resolutions yet? You know the usual ones, lose weight, get a better job, exercise more, improve whatever!!! Or have you already forgotten them? Each year we mostly feel we try, try, try and then give up …. usually before January’s end.

I’ve been thinking about the feelings of futility many of us have with this custom and have decided to try something new this year. And, I’m hoping you will try it too. My resolutions/goals this year are to focus on appreciating my life: what I am grateful for, what I do well and what I like about the person I am. Then, I will set my goals for 2010 to begin in February. I know I will be clear, focused and confident I am on the right path for me in 2010.

So, the list begins like this:

3 things I am grateful for:

3 things I do well:

3 things I like about myself:

It may take only a few minutes for you to make this list or it may take days. I suggest you carry the list with you, post it where you can see it daily, make copies…ask your family or friends what they think of it if you like. Read it every morning, evening & before you retire.

Take the rest of the month to feel really good about yourself. See where this attitude takes you. Make notes on how you feel. Try and do a few new things in January… or not. It’s up to you. Just relax and really enjoy the beginning of this fabulous new year 2010.

Next month let’s compare notes on how you feel. See how well you keep this resolution to be positive about yourself and your life. Will it last longer than New Year’s Resolutions from years past?

I’m waiting to hear from you.