Don’t worry; I’m not going to have you jump into any major de-cluttering projects yet. But I do want you to begin to be more mindful about your living environment and how it is affecting you. Here are three helpful exercises that take only minutes a day, but are incredibly valuable as you begin your transformation.
1. Tidy Up!
2. Top 3 Tasks
3. 10 Minutes of Movement
1. Daily Tidy Up
Get into the daily habit of giving yourself 10-15 minutes to tidy up. Make it part of your schedule—for instance, tidying up after breakfast so you can start your day fresh. No matter what your daily routine is like—whether you generally go to work or stay home—this exercise has tremendous value. When you feel good in your living space, you feel supported, happy and positive. You feel good about you! You then carry that positive attitude out into the world and throughout your day. Taking the time to tidy up before you leave home means there is no stress and no unfinished chores hitting you as soon as you walk through the door. You can enter your haven, feel safe and supported, and let the weight of the day release. You can begin to experience how connected your life is to the state of your home.
A. Empty the sink—no dirty dishes and give the kitchen counter a quick wipe.
B. As much as possible, pick up the stuff on the floor—toys, dirty socks, kids PJ’s.
C. Make your bed.
D. Open the drapes and crack the windows.
Action is the key to success, so start today. That’s it to begin with! Just four things!
Let’s talk about why each of these things is important…
A. Empty The Sink
An empty sink means no dishes to do when you get home. Yeaahh! Wiping the counter means no obstacles getting in the way when you are ready to prepare your next meal.
BEFORE PHOTOS: Messy Sink and Kitchen. How do you feel when you look at these photos? Heavy, Stressed, Confused?
AFTER PHOTOS: Clean Sink & Kitchen for a fresh start. How do you feel when you look at these photos? Relieved, Light, Refreshed?
B. Everything off the floor!
It’s an easy place to start because the floor is easy to focus on and tends to accumulate the most junk. When you get everything off the floor, your house will start to feel less cluttered and less messy. If you have time, grab a broom and quickly sweep. The kitchen is a great place to do this. Sweeping gets the energy up and moving away from the floor. In Bali, they sweep everything, every day, for this very reason. If you are feeling stuck, get out your broom or vacuum and get you and the energy in your home moving.
C. Make your bed.
I make my bed every day. I do it for me, as a way of preparing for the day ahead, a metaphor for smoothing out the messes and the bumps. Sometimes I even visualize smoothing out the day while I’m smoothing out the blankets. It’s also extremely nice to crawl into a made bed at the end of a long day.
BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS: How do you feel when looking at one or the other?
D. Open the drapes and let the sunlight in
Sunlight is healing and energizing; it also lifts our spirits.
Crack the windows or open them wide (doors too) and let in the fresh air and SUNLIGHT.
This is SOOOO important!
Easy to do and super refreshing for you and your home.
Whenever you can do this simple task, do it.
This alone will improve your life and your health immensely.
Take a minute to write down your “before” thoughts about doing the daily Tidy UP.
Are you feeling apprehensive? What’s holding you back? Are you feeling resistant? Describe what you are feeling.
Do you feel any tightness in your body? Where? Chest? Stomach? Take a minute to tune into that sensation. See what memories or images rise up. If you can, write them down.
Post a reminder about the daily Tidy Up in a place you are sure to see it. It‘s easy to forget new goals until they get absorbed into your regular routine. It can be difficult to break old patterns and develop new ones. Everyone has the best intentions at first, but as soon as new ideas and goals lose their freshness, the old habits start to creep back in. Hold yourself accountable with kind reminder notes around your house to inspire you to stay on track and remind you why you started this journey in the first place.
Once you’ve done the Tidy UP for 6 or 7days, write down your “after” thoughts. Any changes in how you are feeling? Lighter, freer? Happier? Gaining control? Gaining clarity? I’m hoping that good things are happening!
Once you gain control of the chaos within your home, the chaos within your life will settle as well. Clarity and purpose will trickle back in, and you will see that you are a significant player in this world who matters and who has so much to offer!
2. Top 3 Tasks
Another very helpful habit to get into is setting a plan for your day. I have found that with the chaos of being a mom, wife and business owner, things can spiral out of control very quickly. If I take two minutes every morning (maybe while I’m drinking my coffee, or perhaps while I’m waiting for my daughter’s bagel to toast) to write down the top three things I need to accomplish during the next 8 hours, it gives me focus and clarity in a world that sometimes lacks it! Then, when I actually complete those three tasks, it gives me a sense of accomplishment, which holds so much value. Feelings of accomplishment give us a tremendous sense of self-worth.
3. 10 Minutes of Movement
It can be super tough to carve out time to take care of ourselves, but it’s so important to our health and to the health of those around us, especially our families. If you can’t do it for you, do it for them. Setting an example for your family is incredibly impacting, and it will affect the choices they make for themselves in the future.
Ten minutes, that’s all I’m asking! Take 10 minutes each day to move and stretch your body. Do it any way that feels good to you—just do it, and begin to make it part of your daily schedule. Perhaps right after Tidy UP—the floors will be clear, so plenty of room to stretch out!
A little recap:
1. Tidy Up!
2. Top 3 Tasks
3. 10 Minutes of Movement
Now that you’ve mastered the basics, you're ready to get your SHWAY ON! Feng Shui doesn't have to be confusing. You don't have to know one Feng Shui principle to feel the benefits...that's why I like to start with the basics listed above...because it allows you to feel the POWER that your space holds...You are living in a POWERHOUSE and it is up to you to either benefit from that incredible power or allow yourself to be completely undermined by it. It really is your choice so why not harness the power?
If you are ready to move forward here is an instant download of the most important tool in the Feng Shui tool box...
The Bagua Map (pronounced Bah-GWA).
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Learn more about how to apply the Bagua Map to your home and uncover all of the Feng Shui magic today! Click Here for more in depth information.