By first developing an attitude for gratitude, you too will be able to identify the financial power spots of your abode and better appreciate the plenitude all around you

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Finances are constantly on my mind. I can’t afford expensive changes such as repainting my house or changing out my furniture. Can you suggest specific things that I can do that directly affect the financial and wealth aspect of my life (that won’t cost a lot)?

Concerns about finances, love, career and health are at the top of most people’s list. When I read your question, Elena immediately came to mind. She received a personal consultation as a gift, and when I saw her, the first thing she said was, “If you are going to tell me to purchase anything, I can’t afford it.”

Elena was a single mother of two children, doing her best to manage her life on a low-paying job. She was overwhelmed with life and felt hopeless, and, although happy to have me there, she thought that nothing I could suggest would help her situation.

“Inner” feng shui

To optimize the results of the home changes I wanted to suggest, I knew I had to address something else: her attitude and way of thinking. Most people do not realize that feng shui has just as much to do with one’s mental and emotional states as it does with arranging the environment. Based on our initial conversation, I knew little would change if Elena made no internal shift as well. Feng shui encompasses everything in the environment, including the people who occupy it. When you are willing to look within and make some changes, the results are always optimized.

Start with gratitude

Before we got started, I asked Elena to take some time each evening to appreciate the good things that happened to her that day, no matter how insignificant. If Elena could celebrate being rich in health, friends and family, or even the clean air she was breathing, it would help her open up the energy to receive more of what she wanted. Although her focus was on money as the desired abundance, to get the energy moving, she needed to enjoy the abundance that was already present. Developing the habit of gratitude can help you transcend anything that happens during the day.

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I explained that if she kept focusing her energy on all the financial challenges she faced, she would attract more of the same. After our “inner feng shui” talk, I offered the following suggestions for her home that might be useful for you.

Find your financial “power spots”

To start, stand at the front door facing into the house and identify your wealth area: the back left hand side of the house. Then, in key individual rooms, find the power spots: the left corner farthest from the door. Now equipped with this information, do the following:

• Clear out the clutter from these areas. Clutter is a sign of stagnant energy. Even just moving the clutter out of the financial power spots will help to activate a shift in energy.

• Fix or get rid of anything broken. See if anything in these power spots needs fixing or removing. Is a window stuck or painted shut?

Do you have a broken chair, clock or lamp in the area? Even a squeaky chair should be oiled.

• Enhance these areas with prosperous symbols. Symbols stimulate our subconscious. In your power spots, place a “lucky bamboo” plant, jewelry box, photo of your dream car, or anything that symbolizes wealth to you, including a piggy bank that you can add loose change to each day.

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• Use wealth colors to accent this area. Use green, purple and gold “wealth” colors in this area to symbolize abundance filling your home.

• Clear out your “money holders.” Your money holder is a symbol of value, so clear your purse or wallet of non-essential items, symbolizing unclogging the flow of wealth in your life. • Be conscious of how you store your cash. Be purposeful in how you physically organize your money.

• Open your eyes to abundance. Abundance is everywhere. Take time each day to notice the amazing array of plenitude around you, from the fruit and vegetables at the market to the gracious people you encounter.

• Let abundance flow through you. Like time, appreciation and love, money is a form of energy, and hoarding works against a greater flow of energy (or, in this case, money) coming in. So live generously and give of your time, energy and appreciation when you can.

Elena slowly changed her thoughts about her life, attracting a better paying job that came “out of the blue.” Support came from areas where she least expected it, and she started to feel more optimistic about her life. Elena was no longer blind to the abundance in her life. Do you know where yours is?

Gain freedom and independence

The garage symbolizes your freedom in all situations outside the home. When is the last time you parked in your garage? A garage used for storage creates energy that takes away from your independence, tying you down. What can you get rid of today? Move it directly to the curb for imminent donation.

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Alice Inoue is a life guide at Alice Inoue Life Guidance, LLC. Alice shares her wisdom as a professional speaker and personal consultant and offers a series of instructional DVDs and award-winning books on feng shui, happiness and spiritual life wisdom. Visit www.alicein spired.com.