Are you in a stagnant environment? Get a jump on the new year and flourish by making small yet inspiring changes around the home
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: (This week’s question is from Alice to you!): Now that we are just about a week away from the end of a year, can you look around your home and identify what is “old” and what you are ready to reposition or even get rid of?
The middle of the holiday season is the easiest time to consider conscious change in our environment because our homes go through a shift in energy when we put up our trees, menorahs and other decorations. What are you ready to move or let go of in your home? Ponder that over the next week or so. What you decide will help you tremendously in the upcoming year. You don’t want stale energy to follow you into 2013, do you?
Moving the energy
During the holidays, we reorganize our homes to accommodate festive decorations, so the energy gets moved around. Not only does it refresh the environment, but it helps us get into the holiday spirit. Usually Christmas or Chanukah changes made to the home are uplifting and positive for all in the environment.
Change and flow
Feng shui’s underlying theme is based on change and flow. Many homes I visit are beautifully arranged and decorated, and some might even say “feng shui perfect,” but they have looked the same for dozens of years, not necessarily supporting change for the inhabitants.
I like to remind my clients that everything in our lives is in a state of constant flux. We evolve and grow in so many ways throughout the years that we are more than likely not the person we were five years ago, last year, or even last month. If your environment stagnates because of a lack of change and rigid structure, you lack the foundation to flourish and support change as easily. In other words, the environment needs to change in order to support the changes you want to make.
What can I change?
Here are a few things to consider over the next couple of weeks, especially when you are putting away the holiday decorations and “getting your house back to normal.” No time is better than the present to consider new options. Ask yourself these questions:
• What can I donate or get rid of while things are in a state of flux? (Prepare for this by keeping some large boxes and bags available to pack things in, and remove them from the house before the 31st.)
• When I remove the Christmas tree or the menorah or other holiday decor, rather than put back what was originally in that space, can I put something new there? • What can I change at the entry of my home so that all who enter are greeted with a sense of renewal? What intent do we want to set for the new year and how can I symbolize this?
Small change in my home makes a big difference!
The other day, a friend gave me a beautiful 2.5-foot topiary as a gift. I could find no place in my home to put it that looked “right” because it was too tall for my shelves and too small for the floor. I finally decided to place it on a hip-high table at the entrance. I had kept the same distinctive decor on that table for more than two years, but when I placed the new tree on it, I was delighted. Even with all of my feng shui experience, I didn’t realize that the energy from my old table adornments was stale. Just placing the new item on the table was invigorating.
Now, every time I enter my home, I feel uplifted and ready for something new. When the topiary expires, I will not replace it with the original statue that had been there. I will put something new and inspiring in its place to support all the changes I want to make in the upcoming year.
Not just food, but things in our homes expire too
When you last redecorated your home, you aligned and adjusted it to suit you and your family at that time. You may have had the perfect duvet, a wall color that suited you, pillows that matched perfectly with the painting on the wall, a new carpet, even new plants, but whatever it was, it was perfect at that time. It is important to acknowledge change in our lives. It keeps us in the moment and mindful of our journey. Things are always great until it is time to change.
Even our concept of what is perfect changes as we do. Are you now tired of the color on your walls or of your bed linens, or have the pillows lost their appeal? Stay present and make choices that better align with who you are in the now. If you find yourself making many changes, it just might mean that you are evolving at a rapid pace.
Use your home to support your life. Change doesn’t have to be dramatic; even the smallest bit of change counts. Give yourself the gift of support through your home!
Prioritizing during the holidays
Although this may not sound like “feng shui” advice, it will relieve stress, so it counts! Give yourself a break from the mental chatter that says you have to get “everything” done before the new year. Identify what does not have to be done and let it go until then. You have enough to do this week! Enjoy the season.
Alice Inoue is a life guide at Alice Inoue Life Guidance LLC, a company committed to assisting people in living empowered lives. Alice shares her wisdom as a professional speaker and personal consultant, and offers a series of instructional DVDs on feng shui, as well as her award-winning books on feng shui, happiness and spiritual life wisdom. Visit www.aliceinspired.com to read her blog, sign up for her newsletters and download useful feng shui tips.