In 2012 the Chinese New Year  begins on February 4th.  That will be the time when annual Feng Shui energy shift occurs, affecting the energy patterns of each and every building and its surroundings.

Advice For The New Year:                                                  

Watch Your Temper

Be Wary of Relationship Issues Particularly Infidelity

It’s a Good Time to Look for Mentors or Coaches for Help in Business

The astrological predictions for 2012 points to a transformational year of extremes – both the good and the bad.  We will see many changes in the world, both political as well as economic. 

On a personal level, watch your temper as the Star of Aggressive Sword makes its appearance to bring animosity and violence.  The conflictive energy can lead to external conflict in the world. Harmony may be hard to find.  Relationship problems could also increase due to the presence of the Star of External Flower of Romance.

On a positive note, the Star of Powerful Mentors will bring career and business success to those who work for it 2012.   Ask for help and you will receive it!

Next Time…what to do in your home to protect it from negative influences in 2012.

The feeling of harmony starts with a thought. When your thoughts are grounded in love they create beneficial energy in your body.  Aligning your thoughts with your highest self puts you in a powerful place to create your life rather than allowing life to create you.   You feel energized and inspired when your thoughts and actions correspond to your values and goals.

How do you Feng Shui your Soul?  The most important ways are:

1- Letting go of the past;

2- Loving yourself unconditionally;

3- Acting from your Highest Self, or Love;

4- Trusting in the benevolence of the universe; and

5- Living each day of your life in integrity with your Soul.

Remember ~ “There is no planet sun or star [that] could hold you if you knew but what you are.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Just as the quality of light in an environment creates energy, the  light inside us all is key to inspiration.   Inspiration means, quite literally, being in Spirit.

Being in Spirit can be described as feeling grounded or being in the present moment.  You’re in the flow.  And when you’re in the flow, you’re open to new ideas.  Ideas simply pop into your head.  You may receive an answer to a problem, insight into a new way of doing something, or a fresh approach to a dilemma.

Inspiration is always available to you. It’s the perpetual light inside of you.  Sometimes negative thoughts cloud over the ability to connect to inspiration.   Negative thoughts can create a writer’s block or burnout or depression.  Regardless of what we call it, the problem is that we’re not connecting with our inner spirit or light.  The problem ISN’T that we don’t have any more light.

When I hear someone say “I’m not creative”  I think,  “That statement couldn’t be further from the truth.”  Every one of us is creative because we are spiritual beings.  You may not feel inspired to decorate a room, or paint a still-life landscape, but that’s not the essence of creativity. Creativity is the result of connecting to inspiration. It can be manifested by deciding to take your dog to a new park or picking colorful files for your office or simply cleaning your home differently than you usually do.  Creativity is not reserved for the arts. 

Think of each day as a creative experience, it is yours to paint the way you choose.  If you connect to inspiration you will absolutely have a fulfilling and energized day.  You can bring new energy and ideas to the mundane.  You create the day you want to have by your choice of either connecting to Spirit or by blocking off your light with dark clouds of anxiety or living in the future or in the past.  Inspiration is found in the present moment.   This is where ideas spring forth.  In this state of being you can connect with your inner self which inevitably connects you to inspiration.

Feng Shui involves creating balance in one’s environment. Every aspect of a room affects the way you feel in the space.  Colors, shapes, lighting, and furniture arrangement work together to create a harmonious feeling or conflict with each other to create a feeling of unease.  When buyers feel comfortable and relaxed they connect to a space.  Feng Shui helps balance energy so the space not only looks appealing, but offers a sense of comfort.  I refer to it as the “Ahh! Factor.” 

My company, Balanced Living Properties has become successful by incorporating Feng Shui principles to create a unique model for the business of buying and selling property.

Before putting a client’s home on the market, I stage it.  I emphasize its attributes by arranging furniture, adding color, and creating  good flow.  I showcase the home’s potential, allowing buyers to envision their dream home.

Feng Shui  puts people at ease in their environment.

 Oprah Winfrey employs her own personal Feng Shui Consultant. Major corporations such as Microsoft, Citibank, Chase Manhattan, Hyatt Hotels, CNN, ABC, IBM, Boeing, ATT, Disney and Trump have also been finding the ancient Chinese theories about flow and aesthetics of space to bring them success.

In fact, Hong Kong Disneyland‘s main gate and entrance was positioned in a north/south direction for good luck based on the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui.

Donald Trump said, “I don’t have to believe in Feng Shui, I do it because it works.” 

Balanced Living Properties takes a heart-centered approach to working with buyers and sellers, creating win-win-win scenarios and transactions grounded on goodwill.  Find more information at www.balancedlivingproperties.com.

Have you wondered why you feel more comfortable in certain areas of your home than others? Have you ever rearranged your office and had more energy afterwords?  Do you know why you choose to sit where you do in a doctor’s office?  You may not realize it, but you are experiencing the effects of Feng Shui.  Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging the physical environment to ensure energy flow and balance.

You can feel the effects of Feng Shui whether you believe in it or not.  Environments with good Feng Shui naturally feel more comfortable.  For example, homes with lots of natural light sell faster than homes that are dark inside.  A bed positioned against a wall rather than in the middle of a room allows you to sleep better.  And you may be unable to relax in a house on a busy street than one located on quieter, winding street. 

Feng Shui works with qi (or chi).  Qi is the underlying essence of all things.    The goal of Feng Shui is to enhance good qi in your space while keeping out detrimental qi.  According to Chinese principles, Qi has direct impact on your health, wealth, and relationships. 

Feng Shui will help you feel more relaxed and peaceful in any environment.  Applying the principles of Feng Shui can ensure an optimum environment which will support your health, wealth, relationships and over all well-being.  It’s already working in your life, why not make it work for you?

 1- Don’t allow the furniture arrangement to block room flow. Awkward furniture placement can make a room feel smaller than it is. Remember that several people will be in your home at the same time when viewing it.

2- Don’t overlook the front door. It’s vitally important to make a great first impression. Clean or paint the door, polish the hardware, and illuminate the entry area. Make sure your house numbers are fresh and appealing.

 3- Don’t use highly scented room fresheners. Instead, move to an odorless home or use natural air fresheners like fresh flowers, cut-up fruit, cinnamon, or fresh-baked bread.  People wonder what heavy fresheners are covering up.  Don’t forget that you can bake refrigerated rolls or cinnamon buns minutes before a showing.

 4- Don’t assume all home stagers are the same. Every one brings their own personality and natural abilities into staging. Look at their portfolio.

 5- Don’t show the home when it’s not in tip-top showing condition. You only have one chance to make a great first impression.

6- Don’t paint walls sterile white. If you’re going to repaint, use a color that is more appealing to buyers.  Warmer whites and warm beiges add life to walls.

 7- Don’t use quick fixes that have the possibility of breaking when  buyers are in the home.  Buyers will take it as a signal that there may be other things that aren’t what they appear to be.

 8- Don’t remove all your personal photos. Leave two or three out. Buyers like to see happy faces of the owners of the house.

 9- Don’t forget that selling a home happens via two factors: Asking Price and Condition. You must lower your sales price to meet what the market dictates. Buyers aren’t concerned with how much money you spent on it if they feel like they’re not getting value.

10. Don’t wait to lower your sales price. It’s best to move on to your next home and get your new life started.  Trust that this is a benevolent universe and you will be okay financially even if you lose money on the home.  Stress builds up during the showing process. What price would you put on good health and serenity for your family?

10 Do’s

1- Purchase the best quality carpet pad which makes any grade of  carpeting “cushy.” Buyers will feel great when walking on it.

2- Take the time to paint walls, trim and ceilings that are dingy.  Keeping adjoining rooms in the same color palette makes your home feel larger and flow easier. Neutral colors like warm white or warm beige are the best to use. I always recommend Barely Beige by Benjamin Moore.

 3- Slipcover mismatched furniture in a room that isn’t unified. Remember, the items in a room should relate to each through color, style, proportion, and pattern. If a room feels uncomfortable to you or “off” it’s going to feel uncomfortable to buyers as well.

 4- Test all door and cabinet knobs. Replace mismatched or inexpensive hardware for a quick update.

 5- Let the sun shine in. Natural lighting is a huge selling point and can overcome other issues with the home. Heavy drapes are in the minority.

 6- Freshen up closets with closet organizers to maximize storage space. Make sure that buyers can see the back of closets and pantries.

 7- Consider the appropriate level for finishes in kitchens and bathrooms. Buyers in mid-priced neighborhoods aren’t looking for high-end finishes.

8-Clean every surface until it shines.  Windows are important- no streaks! Consider investing in a professional window cleaning service to get the best results.

 9- Edit furniture and accessories in each room. Less is more.  Buyers want to see the home’s bones and not so much of your decorating personality.

 10- Install new light switch-plates Worn or out-of-date covers lack attention to detail.

 Next time…10 Don’ts! when selling your home.