Sometimes we just don’t have a beautiful expanse of clear space to live and work in.
Most of us don’t have that pristine clarity in our bustling homes and jam-packed lives. It is up to us to make the room.
If you have lots of interests and a busy schedule you likely fall into the category that I fall into: “ I want to do this (whatever it may be ), but I just don’t have the time.” I’d say this about exercising more, going out more, projects that have lingered forever un-started…
It occurred to me that if I wanted the time, I had to make the time.
But how do you “make” time?
I tried forcing myself to stay up late, I tried asking my friends to make me accountable and I even tried “praying” for time. I know, I know… it’s all too much. And it didn’t work.
To make the time, I had to make the space. The two are very much related.
So I started simply with a little feng shui for myself. I made some changes in my home and a few tweaks in my own life were easier once I made some physical room with a good de-cluttering.
My own exercise routine is rolling easily, I’m out twice as much, the passion projects are all falling into action, the house I want to buy is hopefully not too far on the horizon… All that stuff I love that I had to make some room for is now happening.
Here’s what I came to understand for myself when I tried and tried, failed and failed and then finally succeeded in making room to do more stuff that I loved. It has helped my clients… and hopefully it can help you, too, in making room for your own loves!
FIRST: It has to make me feel amazing in the doing or I will not have the time in my busy life to do it. No matter how much I “want” something or “love” it, if the process feels totally forced, its just not gonna stay in my life.
What I realized: When I am super-busy, I will only make time for things that result in making me feel amazing no matter how “good for me” they are. I wake up at 5:45am to go to my Buddhist temple most mornings. I go = I feel amazing. I never miss the time to work on this blog and talk to all of you. I do it = I feel amazing.
But…. Writing a memoir about the dark times in my life, as much as I love the writing- not an amazing feeling for something I want to “fit into my life”. Either I need to change my thinking about it or realize I will not do it right now. Dating people that I wasn’t excited about just to be doing it- not really something to feel passionate about. Again, either it becomes really fun, or it is not going to happen.
I went through my short list of things that I always talk about doing and yet didn’t find the time to do. It became really clear which ones were excitement-provoking! Those are for now. The rest will come in time.
NEXT: I had to set up shop for what I actually wanted to do.
Every day that passed that I did not have proper sneakers gave me a reason to avoid hiking a bit longer even though I love to do it.
Every moment I blamed my breakfast-free days on not having a Vitamix to make smoothies (Really? Did I really need a Vitamix to eat breakfast?!) I wouldn’t have breakfast.
To start painting, I needed paint, brushes, canvas, and the space to do it cleared at home.
If you don’t have a clear desktop, that might be the place to file, dump and de-clutter.
If you have no pens and want to hand write poetry, you aren’t set up to create what you want!
If you want to start dating and you have no clothes you feel great in, your closets are your playground to re-vamp.
If you are looking to lose weight, hit the kitchen and do a big de-clutter… then start stocking what you need.
Clear whatever space it takes to easily do what you want to do… and set up shop!
AND: I had to rest to keep my mind and body together. Pushing myself to a limit is not an option.
If I get going on something, I can easily be up until 4am on a day that I shouldn’t be up that late. Passion is awesome, but sleep is even more awesome in the long run!
Unplugging everything electronic at least an hour before bed is a habit you might find immensely helpful in resting more often. My bathtub is now my pre-bed sanctuary rather than the Internet that would keep my mind racing.
I am continually astonished by how much more I can “fit” into my life when I rest.
So… if you want to do things you truly love or feel a passion to try, you absolutely can get started right now. You may only get 30 minutes a day to run, to practice piano, to meditate or make art… but that 30 minutes well-spent will feed your whole life immensely.
That’s kinda how passion tends to work. It grows as you cultivate it. Here’s to everyone getting started now…and making the room to grow!
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!
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