“Knowledge is rumor until it’s in the muscle.”

-Papua New Guinean Proverb

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging one’s living environment in order to support one’s overall health, well-being, and thriving. Our living environments affect our overall sense of security and well-being on both conscious and unconscious levels. Feng Shui can support us in achieving our goals and can assist us in ‘anchoring in’ new habits and beliefs about ourselves.

What if you are longing for transformation but you don’t have time to Feng Shui your whole house? What if you are up to your ears in other commitments, and the idea of changing things around too much in your living space is totally overwhelming? What if you have already despaired of making your goals a reality?

Don’t worry! The places and items that you spend the most time around have the biggest impact on your wellbeing, so implementing some small shifts can still yield impressive results. As my Feng Shui teacher, Karen Rauch Carter, reminds her students, “a thumbtack on the surface of your chair has a bigger impact on your wellbeing than a thumbtack on the surface of Mars.”

This month, give the following categories/areas a bit of extra love and attention, and you’ll be amazed at the shifts that start to show up in your life.

1. Your Thoughts.

Our thoughts (especially habitual thought patterns) impact our overall well-being. If you can, notice your first thought upon waking. If your thought is based in stress, anger, or fear, take note of this. You can always set (or reset) an intention to shift your thoughts to those that benefit you. I like to write an intention statement the night before so that I can wake up with a clear focus for my day, and you might try this, too, especially if you are a non-morning person like me! My thinking and level of focus are both clearer right before I go to bed.

2. Your Food.

You are what you eat! Bring some gentle curiosity to your consumption habits and see if you might be able to support your body better by switching it up. Rather than swearing off ‘bad’ foods now and forever more (which tends to not work anyway), begin to diversify your meals and experiment with snacks and dishes that taste good to you and also include a wide range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Be patient with yourself and cultivate compassion for the part of yourself that just wants cookies.

3. Your Clothing.

When you pick out your outfit for the day, take time to consider how you want to feel in your body. Use your clothing as an opportunity to express yourself and also to up-level your attitude and sense of possibility. As you dress, thank your body for all it does for you, and consider your outfit as a celebration of and gift to your body.

4. Items You Use Daily.

If there are items that you use and interact with daily, find a way to upgrade these or give them some extra TLC. For example:

Find a way to spruce up your keys, and set a specific intention associated with your keys so that every time you see your keys or unlock your door, you are reminded of your goals. This could be wiping them down with a soft cloth; removing those old, battered membership cards for places like Walgreens that you never use because they have your phone number already; or adding a keychain that you really love.

Is your phone in good working order? Remove unused apps, clear out old photos, and keep it clean and charged up. If you’d like, you can even spring for a new cover that resonates with where you want to be in your life.

What is the current state of your wallet and/or purse? Empty your whole wallet and wipe it down with a soft rag. Thank your wallet for all that it does for you. Throw out or recycle unused membership cards, obsolete receipts, and any other items that you no longer need. Carefully replace only the items that you need and use.

5. Your Passwords and Settings.

Choose a password that reflects the aspiration or goal that lights you up the most. Then, change all of your online passwords to this new password, and set your accounts so that they don’t save and pre-populate your password. Each and every time you log in, you will be reaffirming this commitment to yourself. (I adopted this practice from Denise Duffield Thomas.) When you are done, email me to let me know your new password. (Just kidding!)

Change the background image on your phone and the Desktop ‘wallpaper’ on your computer to an image that reminds you of what you are working towards. Make sure it is inspiring and energizing to you.

Set reminders so that you get an affirmative message delivered to your phone each day or each week. I have a few reminders that go off at random times throughout the month, and they never cease to cheer me up and make me laugh. They say things like “You’re awesome!” and “You rock!”, which is silly and also highly effective in keeping me motivated.

**If you decide that you would like additional support with getting your living environment to better support your thriving, I would love to support you! I am opening up some new slots in my coaching practice starting the week of February 10^th, and Feng Shui is one of the modalities that I use to support my clients in reaching their goals.**