While “nothing lasts forever” is a phrase all too familiar to many of us, some things are built to stand the test of time while others feel certain to last a season. Your creative empire can be a family, a business, a life that you are proud of, a cause that you champion or an obstacle that you overcome.  Creativity is all of life. Every single moment of every day is created.  We sometimes think of only “the arts” as creative endeavors, but all of everything is creativity.

Things fall apart. They fall together.  We make decisions to create both. While I’m fairly sure for myself that there is no way to control what happens at every moment, you can control how you react and how you decide based on what is presented.  You can reach in directions you want to reach and you can turn negatives into positives.  Today’s feng shui is all about building a creative empire, your creative empire. That empire, however you define it, is built on your vision, your passion and your decisions.  That empire is built in the real world rather than hoped through wishes alone, though wishes are great fire for the cause.  To make it all happen, start with a stable base and keep building on that foundation.

The pyramid above is all about Self-Actualization. Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs.  (You can learn more of its genesis right here.) In essence, it is the simplified blueprint (I stress the word simplified, as not everything in life is this clear-cut) of the stages people take from the bottom of the pyramid to the top in any area of life.  Self-actualization is not an ethereal concept- it is a place where you are established and where you thrive and have the ability to help others to do the same.  This pyramid its the nuts and bolts of how many thousands of people created self-defined empires that fulfilled their personal mission.

The idea is to start at the bottom, fulfill each level and work up from there.  Skip steps and you may be building a house of cards that will crumble.

 Start with basics. At the bottom of the pyramid is the basic stuff- what you need to live.  These basics at the very bottom like good food, sleep and wellness for yourself.

Every creative endeavor requires mission, passion and vision grounded in very simple terms.  Adding a new routine to feed your creative self continually can be as simple as making sure you have a daily or weekly or somehow regular way to feed your creative machine.  It can be a journal, a morning routine or daily meditation, a yoga practice, an art practice…. anything you do to feed your artistic/creative soul…and keep it up.

Secure what you are making. Next up on the pyramid we find security. These are the “safety net” needs that keep us together and able to weather life more easily.  Financial security, your feeling of personal safety, good health, an organized “ducks-in-a-row” life.

Creatively, think about how to create a safe space to make things and allow them to grow, protected as they go.  Create more and more security for yourself in endeavors by doing your homework and THIS exercise can help you secure a safe creative space to explore new ideas without outside criticism.

Also, try to own your property as a means of some security.  I know we all love social media, but social media comes and goes. I just had a pretty powerful Tumblr with loads of followers that just got deleted.  I knew I didn’t own it, I’ve seen tons of Tumblrs get deleted out of the blue and so I had protected myself from its potential demise by starting this blog.  Own your blog domains.  Own your book rights. Own your intellectual property. It’s not a perfect world, but this step really helps.

You may not have an absolute plan of what to do to get to where you want to be, but a blueprint also gives you more of a sense of where your energy is going.  Sketch out what feels right on paper of in your mind.  Refer to it, change it or scrap it and start over as you figure out your creative ways.

And, of course, if you are striking out on a purely creative endeavor that is yet untested in financial terms, do not disparage ways to make money that feed your dreams.  That’s all part of the securing of your vision.

Community! Community! Love, family, community, intimacy.  Once you have the ducks in a row, reach out more and more.  This does not mean that your family, love  and your community don’t matter until you have your life beneath this level set up, but it does mean that when you have the ground under your feet more solidly you can really engage with this dynamic so much more in life!

Creatively, as it is said, find ways to be of service to others.  Give, connect, share, reach out and connect to your world. In many ways, community is the ultimate energy of everything.  We are all connected. We are much more effective as a team. Building powerful community, team-mates, collaborators, friendships… this is wildly important.

It is amazing to have a vision to fulfill- but the day to day action of adding walls, windows and furniture to that blueprint are all creative processes that you have to continually build and maintain.

Respect your crafts and gifts.  Self esteem, self respect… mastery. Become an expert in the areas you love.  Build more upon your sense of self.

Creatively, master what you love.  Sink in the hours, absorb the knowledge and do the practice it takes to really own your field through and through.  You can check out the 10,000 hour rule right HERE for more inspiration from Malcolm Gladwell on being a master in your own way.

Dive into the beautiful even more. Make it matter. Aesthetic needs refine your life.  Cognitive needs (like our need for higher meanings in what we are doing) drive us forward. As you move up the pyramid, life has more balance, grace and synergistic connection.  Beauty really flows from this stable place.

Creatively, fine tune.  It’s when blogs gets a face lift, when businesses get more shiny branding, when artistic endeavors flourish on a grander scale.  If your creative mission and purpose is building a family, maybe it is the time for the family to engage more in grand-scale culture, to refine your home decor or to travel more?  How can you create a more meaningful life and how can you add more meaning to what you are doing? Philanthropy? Giving more to others?

And… keep pushing the limits and stay challenged.  People think that the top of the pyramid is the end, but it’s just the beginning,  The idea is that when you get to the top, you can now HELP OTHERS and in the helping of others, find your own transcendence.  It’s a beautiful concept if you ask me.  Of course you can help others along the way of every day of life, but once you get here, you can really devote yourself to this dynamic in a brilliant way.

You can apply these creative building ideas to any endeavor. You can apply this pyramid to every aspect of life, and I find it is most helpful when I  have problems getting past a certain point in any project or area of life.  Simple yet profound, it really helps you get grounded and make things happen in a way that feels amazing…!

If you’re looking to build anything in feng shui in my way the ultimate start is to create a lot of clear, clean, oragnized space!  The Catalyst Camp is the ultimate space-maker, and it is coming for the New Year!!! The FREE de-cluttering video series kicks things off with tons of space-making in simple and powerful ways…!  You can learn more and start right the free videos as soon as they arrive right HERE!

xoxo Dana

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And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101.  Its the guide I made for you to create your own personalized feng shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks.  It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do.  Its filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer feng shui and live with more flow.   Learn more about the 8-week feng shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE…   And, as always, please let me know what happens!  xoxo Dana