Did you know that your home physically reflects what you are experiencing in your life right now?  What is your home saying about you?  Is it a happy, comfortable, inspiring place to live, or does it feel cluttered and stressful?  Everything we choose to surround us with affects us emotionally, whether we know it or not (and YES, you did choose to accept everything in your life right now - maybe not consciously, but you did).  

Do you love absolutely everything in your living spaces? When you walk into each room, do you feel happy and welcomed, surrounded by colors and objects that you love?  Or, do you still have the same bedroom furniture from your first marriage, that ended five or even ten years ago? Are you inspired to live your best life (as Oprah says) when you are in your home, or do you feel like there is always unfinished work to be done and a twinge of regret because you aren't doing it?  Has your home become a family heirloom storage facility and you're feeling obligated to keep everything, but at the same time, you are feeling overwhelmed by it all?

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art and science of placement that is becoming more and more relevent for our western society.  Its basic philosophy can help us westerners deal with the stresses and imbalances we are experiencing in our lives such as health issues, career frustrations, relationship challenges, as well as almost any situation you are struggling with and would like to see improvement in.  

Feng Shui thought is that energy (or chi) is all around us, it can be slow or fast, strong or soft, and positive or negative to our health and vitality. Cluttered, dirty spaces can cause this energy to stagnate and give us a feeling of lethargy or even cause depression.  Well lit, uncluttered and open spaces give us room to breath and move.  They create an atmosphere of inspiration and positive energy!

Each time you bring an item into your space, or when you decide to de-clutter, ask yourself these questions to see which type of energy it's creating for you:

     Do I love it?  Do I need it?  Does it reflect who I am now in my life?  
     
     Does it act as an environmental affirmation for me?

     What positive and/or negative thoughts, memories or emotions do I associate with it?

     Does it need to be fixed or repaired, and am I willing to do so now?

     If I moved tomorrow, would I choose to take it with me?

     If it is time to let it go, am I going to sell, lend or give it away, and when?

By taking the time to answer each question honestly, you will be on your way to clearing out any unnecessary items in your environment that may be taking a negative toll on your life.  

Please visit my blog @  www.feelgoodinyourspace.com  to learn more about the basics of Feng Shui!