Via Daily Transformations

Here we are in smack dab in the middle of winter; the holidays are past and spring seems eons away.  What better time to do a little Feng Shui work on your home, office and life?

Feng Shui is the 5,000 year old art of placement.  Since it’s been proven that everything is ultimately energy, it makes sense that where you put your things, how you think about them, and what you do with them; matters.

This ancient science is taken so seriously in Asia; there are laws that limit the amount of feng shui cures, such as mirrors; big businesses can have on the outside of their buildings.

Ready? Let’s start with your office since you face it everyday.  Clutter, dirty cups, stacks of paperwork and an unappealing environment is not going to make you jump for joy each morning when you walk in the office.  (home offices count too)

We want to create a space that makes you feel excited to enter and facilitates a feeling of success. A well lit, pleasant, healthy space is going to make you more productive and positive, which of course equals better productivity and ultimately; more $!  Clutter and disorganized spaces bring your energy and your mood~ down!  Energy gets stuck, the flow is blocked and ultimately it shows up in your paycheck.

How do you feel when you walk into your office?  Is it well lit?  Are your windows clean?  Looking through dirty windows can cloud your thinking and affect your mood more than you realize. Make them sparkle.

Is the room dark?  Lamps can be cheap to buy and lighting is an effective way to brighten up the space.  Consider track lights on a dimmer switch.  What color are your walls?  All white?  While that’s great for brightness, consider painting one wall a beautiful color that makes you happy. Find a piece of art that inspires you.

Clear out everything that isn’t either loved or used.  In other words~this is your workspace.  This is your domain.  Everything in this room should be a representation of who you are or who you want to become.  A photo or piece of art that was given to you, but not truly loved; is going to bring your energy down on a subtle level.  When someone gives you a gift, it’s yours to do what you want with it.  If you don’t love it, lose it.

The love it or lose it rule also goes for pens that drive you nuts, pencils that you’ve gnawed on and cheap desk items that don’t represent prosperity.  Think of  successful executives; their tools are beautiful and well tended.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money anymore to find things that represent beauty and prosperity.  Let’s face it; looking at a small, yet beautiful pottery bowl filled with paper clips is going to make you feel more abundant than a paper clip box with the lid torn off.

How about your chair and desk?  Is the chair comfortable and in good working order?  You spend more hours in this chair than you do your comfy living room couch, so if you can; invest in a good one.  I found a modern red leather chair on sale for 99$ and paired it with a beautiful, well worn, wooden farm table as my desk.  The combo sounds silly but when you walk into my office; it’s a beautiful combo.  It doesn’t matter what you use as your desk or chair, just make sure your reaction is one of pleasure when you use them.

Working in an office with ugly carpeting or tile?  Throw a great rug on top and you’ve just covered the ugliness.  It’s super important to feel good and surrounded by beauty in the place that generates your income.

Now look around.  What needs to be repaired?  Burned out light bulbs, missing parts, broken items and things you no longer use represent poverty.  Fix it, replace it or lose it.  (preferably recycle it)

When was the last time you cleaned your tools?  That’s right; your computer screen, your keyboard, your phone, even your calculator.  Stuff accumulates energy and the last place you want old energy stuck are on the tools you use to generate prosperity. You’ve had lots of calls,  calculated a lot of bills and read many emails on those tools.  I love the feeling of erasing away the past by cleaning these things. My favorite way?  Lavender oil.  Grab a bottle and a cotton ball and wipe everything other than your computer screen down with it.  Lavender will clear away the germs as well as the energy.  As far as your computer screen, get a soft towel damp with appropriate cleaner and wipe it clear.  Ahhh…feels better already.

While you’re at it.  Clear your phone messages.  Talk about keeping old energy! You’ve had arguments, gotten disappointing news, maybe even said things you regret~so erase the memories and old energy.   Go through and write down the old numbers you need from the messages, make a master list of who to call back and erase them ALL.  Same with emails.  If you can’t part with your electronic history, at the very least create email files and file them appropriately.  Load a beautiful screen saver picture and clear your computer desk top as well.  There are weeks I walk in and see a zillion files on top my laptop.  I immediately notice a feeling of overwhelm before I even begin my day.  Make desktop folders and drag those things into neat virtual folders.  Bored on a conference call?  It’s the perfect time to do the same thing with your photos, documents and downloads.  Delete, drag to a file, or organize.

Now let’s talk about your real desk top. Drag everything on to your floor and clean the top of your desk.  Now consider the surface.  Do you like it? If not, think about getting one of those desktop calenders…or if you really don’t like the surface of your desk and can’t paint it; get one of those clear plastic covers and put a bunch of pictures and photos underneath. There~suddenly your desk top is beautiful and interesting.

Now look at the pile of things on your floor.  One by one put your “newly cleaned” tools back; phone, computer, pen and misc.containers, pictures, etc.   As you arrange them, remember that the far left hand corner of your desk is your money corner.  Consider your phone or your desktop computer screen here.  The far right hand corner is your relationship corner.  This is another great spot for a phone or a file holder of potential clients.  Either corner is also a great location for a beautiful plant or vase of flowers.  What is important is to create an arena for peace and happiness.  It’s funny to think about your office this way at first, but simple things such as a beautiful plant, a fresh flower, or an inspiring photo of a place you want to visit on your desk space creates an environment that you want to inhabit even making bill paying a tolerable event.  When home at my desk, I  make myself something yummy to drink, light a candle, put on classical music and make paying bills a ritual.  Life is meant to be enjoyed; Feng Shui can make even the mundane beautiful.

Now, look at the remaining things left on your floor.  These things need to be touched only once.  Pick something up, and either read it and toss it,  transfer the information to a file, or place in your Day-Timer on a to do or call back list.

Touch it once.  Use this rule and you will never have a pile again.  Bills?  If you can’t pay them immediately, put them in one of two files; due on the 15th or due on the 30th.  Piles of paper feel overwhelming and reinforce that you’re out of control.  Piles of paperwork create clutter and clutter blocks the flow of prosperity.  Whenever I walk into a cluttered home, I can guarantee that the occupants are either overweight or having $ troubles.

Have 1 or 2 healthy, vibrant plants in your office.  Keep them well groomed of brown leaves and as you water and mist them, imagine your prosperity thriving like the plant.

Consider a water feature in the money corner of the room.  Fountains that allow water to pool are especially good for creating prosperity and the trickling sound of water is soothing to hear.  Chimes hung in your money corner  or near the door of your office (remember to ring them daily) also stimulate $ energy.

Where is your desk?  You should have a clear view of the door when you sit at your desk. It’s an old feng shui rule~you don’t want to be startled suddenly by someone walking up behind you while you’re working or on an important call.  If this isn’t possible, at least have a mirror on your desk or on your wall so you can see behind yourself .

What are your hidden money secrets? Do you worry?  Do you hoard?  Consider the hidden places in your office.  What are your closets and drawers like?  Do your files contain things you no longer need or use?  Stuffed drawers and closets hold old non productive energy.  It’s a boring and labor intensive thing to do but seriously consider cleaning out those hidden places as well.  They are affecting you~I guarantee it.  I’ve doing Feng Shui for private and corporate clients over 14 years and miracles happen when people go the extra mile and clear out those hidden spots.  The public may not see them, but you know they’re stuffed and a mess.  This weighs on you more than you realize.

When was the last time you went through your bookshelves?  Books represent knowledge and if those shelves are stuffed with old books you no longer use; chances are your ideas have become stagnant.  Donate them to someone that can use them and open yourself up for some new energy and new information.  If you’re like me and you love your books, at least make sure they are current with who you’ve become.  For example: if you’re no longer in debt, you don’t need all of those how to get out of debt books!  Pass them on to someone that needs them.   Make sure your shelves are up to date with who you are and who you want to become.

When you’re complete, air the place out.  Throw open your windows, burn some sage to clear the space and say a blessing.  Reward yourself with a beautiful new coffee mug or tea cup.  No worries on spending a little extra money for it, you’re about to make a fortune!

~all photos by freedigitalphotos.net

desk organizer, plant,and coffee stained notebook by nuttakit, rocks and candle by Carlos Porto, statue by Lobster20, computer by graur razvan ionut, money in the nest by renjith krishnan and cup by Michelle Meiklejohn