Every few years I devote some time on the blog to Feng Shui topics, usually in February because “Feng Shui February” is fun to say.
I don’t know about you, but for me the impact of clutter ebbs and flows depending on my life chapter. I wrote a lot about the power of clearing pathways for positive energy to flow and grow in Blooming into Mindfulness, lessons that applied to my head, garden, and home.
These past three years since the book launch have been a wild ride of growth, opportunity, and purpose work (who knows – maybe my Feng Shui fixes helped out!).
You know what else has grown as I’ve been called to do more work out in the world? The clutter at home! For a surprisingly long time it didn’t bother me, but now those crowded drawers, cabinets, and other “stuff” holders are distracting me. Any distraction means less time and energy available for my fun work, so it’s time to take some action!
I’ve been squeezing in small projects where I can since I only have time right now for tiny bites out of the elephant. But it’s been crazy how even these small space clearing tasks have taken me on a sort of “This Is Your Life” odyssey (for younger readers, you’ll have to google the reference).
Here’s a progress report ten days into Feng Shui February 2019
1. Night Stand
I have my friend Melanie to thank for this project. She had read about my clutter-clearing intention on Instagram (follow me there @marthabrett) and sent me some pics of her own projects. I thought one of them was a nightstand, but it turned out to be a bookcase. No matter! I realized that my own nightstand would be a great place to start.
Before
After
You can see from the clock that it took me almost an hour. That’s because I found a thick pile of college papers I unearthed at some point years ago. Titles ranged from “Freud on the Aggressive Nature of Man” to “The B.F. Goodrich-Robobank Interest Rate Swap and the Bond Option Alternative.” I really did laugh out loud — who would have thought from those papers that I would end up as a meditation-touting creative person and mindfulness teacher?
I found an old journal entry in those papers dated 1988 (I would have been 24 years old) with a line that read, I have never shown talent in artistic endeavors. And another, I feel like a prisoner of my own lack of ability. But then further on, Something in the depths of my inner being calls me at times to write. But I can only write for myself. It’s always been that way.
But thank GOODNESS this followed: There is an urging from some unidentifiable force, telling me that I am capable — that I can express my life experiences in a way that could be called “artistic.”
I want to wrap that girl in my arms and infuse her with love, compassion, and gratitude. And to think that this very week our 30-Day Mindfulness Meditation Challenge circle conversations have been around this very topic. We CAN break holes in outdated, false definitions of ourselves, transcending our inner bully/ego voice by putting it in the back seat. Yay!!
Turning back to funny stuff, this clutter clearing magazine was buried in the mess. It’s from 2012. Bwahahaha!
2. Medicine Cabinet
This was just the start of the bathroom declutter job, but it was what I had time for.
Before
I had no idea so much time had passed since I cleared out old medicine. Along with pills that expired back in 2012, I found this bottle of Tamoxifen, the breast cancer medicine that I finished taking FIVE YEARS ago! Can’t believe that old energy has been hanging out in my space all this time. YUCK!
After removing everything that was expired or that had been sitting there unused for at least a year, then cleaning the shelves and mirrors, this is the final result. Ahhhh…..healthy, pristine, smile-inducing SPACE!
3. Hung and Polished New Art to Enhance Energy and Balance
While working on the medicine cabinet, I noticed that one of the bathroom walls had been without artwork for a long time. I chose my award-winning Hibiscus Abstract because of its earthy feel. Bathrooms have a lot of water energy in them, so it’s good to balance that out with earth elements (plants and brown tones are prescribed for these types of Feng Shui fixes).
My “This Is Your Life Moment” with the art was that the rag I pulled out to polish the metal print was a diaper I had used on my now 23-year-old son. (And no, I didn’t hold out terribly long with the cloth diapers.)
4. Desk Drawer
Since I turned my grown son’s bedroom into my office a couple of months ago, I have my own desk for the first time in many years. It was only last week, though, that I cleared his things out and made it my own. I dumped out the contents of the drawer and threw away every broken pencil and empty pen. Only items I will use made their way back in.
“This Is Your Life” desk story: this was my beloved maternal grandmother’s desk. I feel her supporting me working here.
Now, for the grand finale story of this first Feng Shui February 2019 installment…
5. My Laptop
Quick stats:
Over 1,000 (mostly marketing) emails deleted from my still embarrassingly large unread emails list. Email project to be continued…
Available storage on my hard drive increased from 11.98 GB to 130.05 GB.
And…duh duh duh DUHHHHHH…..
I transformed my laptop desktop from this…..
to this…
LAAAAA! I didn’t take a screen shot of this since the image would have landed on my beautiful clear desktop. It’s been awkward doing PowerPoint presentations for talks and having my super messy desktop pop up on the big screen sometimes. Not good branding for a mindfulness teacher, right?
This. Feels. AMAZING. (And it’s only February 10th!)
So with that, I’ll sign off on this first installment of my Feng Shui February 2019 progress report. I’m already feeling the difference in my space!
I’d love to hear your own stories of how you’re clearing pathways for new growth and more joy this year. Shoot me a note or leave a comment!
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