How to go with the positive flow

QUESTION: A lot of negative things keep happening to me. I know I should be more positive, but I feel like giving up. Is it my feng shui?

Life is hard for many, either physically, emotionally, mentally, vocationally or financially — basically across the board. I can go in so many directions with this answer. However, I’ll begin by explaining that in feng shui, when we adjust the environmental energy flow, sometimes no matter what is done to the outer environment, unless a corresponding shift happens in the inner environment (mentally, emotionally or spiritually), no positive change will occur.

Sometimes we have to choose to see things differently by shifting the flow of energy in our minds. Perhaps you can try an “inner” feng shui adjustment. Our thoughts and perceptions about our challenges can make all the difference in how we experience our lives.

“Nothing happens to you, everything happens for you”

The first guiding principle I teach is, “Nothing happens to you, everything happens for you.” This means that the things in our lives that we perceive as being “negative” actually serve us in some way, and until we can see the hidden benefits, we will feel that we are having a negative experience.

With hindsight, we can usually see how those challenges benefitted us. For example, we all can relate to the premature ending of a relationship or job, which, when viewed in retrospect, turned out to be a good thing.

Stopping a chain of “negative things”

When “negative” experiences happen over and over, however, it can be overwhelming, making us lose sight of the bigger picture. It’s natural to want the “negative” to stop, so that we can get on with our lives, but if you balance your perception by looking for the positive in every negative, the negatives become opportunities for growth.

When a string of negative things happen, it’s easy to keep talking about how difficult things are, perpetuating their negative trajectory. For you to change that energy pattern, ask yourself what you are getting out of it. If you are getting sick a lot, perhaps that is your body’s way of getting the rest it needs. If you constantly have costly car troubles, is it helping you get clearer on your financial situation? If your friend is flaking out on you and missing commitments, is that helping you to value your time more?

Change creates change

Letting go of our old patterns and interrupting our negative energy through “inner feng shui” is sometimes the best way to find our way out of a “bad” situation.

Do you have a question for Alice? If so, send it to alice@yourhappinessu.com. Alice Inoue is the founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Happiness U, where you’ll find inspiring classes geared toward personal growth and self-development. YourHappinessU.com.