Ever have one of those weeks where everything that can go wrong does, and your nervous system is just alarms blaring? You try to stay positive and keep it all together, but it feels like life has other plans?
Why do I feel like this is a déjà vu? That’s French for merde….not again.
This week definitely handed that to me. Remember, last week started in the ER? and then somehow each day managed to get worse, but I keep my head high because I like to think I’m an eternal optimist. Living in a foreign country is wonderful, Paris being no exception, but when a week like that hits (and they always do), it can be hard to find your center.
You can call a friend, but what if every one is busy? What if what you really need is something that brings you back to center?
In my “merde” moment, I remembered something I always tell my clients: when your inner world feels too chaotic and too much to handle, pivot and start working on your outer environment. So that’s what I did – I went back to my Feng Shui roots and started to clean and organize my home.
I talk about this often, that our outer world reflects our inner one. The simple act of dusting baseboards, shining mirrors and putting things in order takes the anxious energy out of your body and gives your eyes a calm place to rest.
So how are YOU feeling this week as we slowly move toward winter?
If you’re feeling off, here are 3 EASY tips to use your space to get you back to center:
- Carve out some time to tidy and clean your home – It doesn’t have to be big project. In regard to how much to put aside, I like bursts in multiples of nine, as it’s an auspicious number in Chinese metaphysics. 18, 27, 36, 45 or maybe even 90 minutes if you’re feeling ambitious. Set your timer and you may even want to set 2 timers, one halfway so you don’t get caught at the end with an unfinished mess.
- Set your intention to clear and shift your energy – This is very important because, intention is everything. You get to guide your energy toward your goals. What are you looking to shift? How are you wanting to feel after you’re done? Relaxed, clear, happy, grounded? You get to choose.
- Turn up the music and move that stagnant chi – Find music that matches your mood and energy and makes you smile. This should feel like ease and not torture. You might even find yourself singing and dancing as you go, which I highly recommend. But if silence is what you prefer, choose it with intention.
And 1, 2, 3, that’s it! As for me, it worked! I cleaned slowly and intentionally, grateful for those pockets of time I could dedicate to me. Because in the end, that’s what this is all about – giving yourself the simple gift of time, attention and tenderness.
Next week I’ll share what happened once the outer calm returned, and how I used that quiet to reconnect with my own energy again. Have fun and can’t wait to hear how you shifted your energy.
