Love It or Lose It

Our environments certainly impact our spiritual and emotional well-being, so be sure to surround yourself with items that make you feel your best

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: My friend tells me that she’s heard you say to always “have things that you love around you.” I basically understand this, but wondered if you could expand on this concept a little more.

Iwould love to! I developed my own basic rules for improving environmental energy after years of assessing home, offices and other spaces, and understood that the small things, such as where to place a fountain or what color to paint a room, had minimal impact if the foundational energy was misaligned. Having things you love around you is the second of my “basic rules,” — the first being to minimize clutter.

For anything to last, it must have a good foundation, and having things that you love around you creates a strong energetic base in the environment. Paying attention to this basic rule will make a big difference in the energetic atmosphere that you are exposed to in every moment.

Take a look around

Look around your home. What do you see — things you love and cherish, obligatory or negative items, or items that hold no special memory?

When I visit homes, I often see items on display that I am curious about. When I ask the occupant to tell me about them, sometimes the response is, “Oh, my mother-in-law (who the individual can’t stand) gave us those, but I really don’t like them,” or, in one case, referring to an ethnic warrior mask on the wall, “I don’t know. It was here when I moved in, so I kept it. It kind of spooks me out though.”

In his book, “Power vs. Force,” Dr. David Hawkins, a renowned kinesiologist, states, “Everything in your environment has a measurable vibratory frequency, and energy that either supports you or weakens you.” Relating that to feng shui, a figurine of your favorite animal, given to you by your best friend, whom you really love, would support you energetically, while an odd-looking clock that is not your style, and was given to you by a person who constantly bickers with you, would not.

Remove what doesn’t support you

Look specifically at the items surrounding you, and remove anything that you do not absolutely love, leaving only those items that support you energetically. Items hold the energy of the time and space they were brought into your life. Keep this in mind when making a decision as to whether or not to keep something.

For instance, if you still have items acquired during a time of loneliness, that negative energy is being “beamed” into your environment, affecting everyone present. If you still have an item that represents the “old you,” clear it out, unless you love the memory it holds.

How an item holds energy

Some items in your environment can be considered neutral, unless their history holds negative energy. One example is a CD player.

It’s a neutral item, whose purpose is to play music; but imagine that one day, you and your spouse get into a heated argument.

You become emotional, and, in turning your body, you bump a lamp that falls onto the CD player, leaving a deep gash in it. That CD player still functions, but now its neutrality is diminished, as it holds the emotional energy of that negative interaction.

After that, each time you put a CD in that player, you may be reminded (consciously or subconsciously) of that issue and the argument that ensued. The CD player is now an energetic drain to you.

Gifts you do not like

If you receive something that you don’t like, don’t display it. Honor the intent of such a gift, feel the love behind it, be thankful, and then let it go.

We are always afraid that the gift giver will return and say, “Hey! Where’s that wooly mammoth statue I gave you, and why are you not displaying it?” Putting aside the fact that such a question would likely not be asked by anyone you know, honesty is the best policy. By holding onto something you dislike, you dishonor yourself.

How can I give away a gift?

I often get resistance when I tell people it is okay to give away a gift that you don’t care for. People feel that they are somehow betraying the giver and have an obligation to keep the item.

If you feel that letting go of a gift is difficult to do, take the gift factor out of the equation, and ask yourself, “Do I need, use or love the item?” If the answer is no, you are not obligated to keep it. It is that simple.

A gift should come with no strings attached.

Focus your attention on the gesture and the person who gave you the item, but never allow yourself to feel tied to the gift itself, especially if it is not something you absolutely love.

Remove draining items

Don’t delay in removing items from around you that aren’t supporting you. Start in an area of your home or office where you spend a lot of time, remove what is not serving you, and see the difference you can make with very little effort, and in a very short time.

Alice Inoue is the founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Happiness U, a friendly educational establishment at Na Lama Kukui (formerly known as Gentry Pacific Design Center) on Nimitz Highway. At Happiness U you’ll find dozens of inspiring classes all geared toward personal growth, helping you live a more purposeful and ease-filled life. Visit online at www.YourHappinessU.com.