Every year since I’ve been online (15+ years now) I take some time to reflect on my birthday and see what, if any, wisdom the past year has gifted me. This past year, as weird as it is for me to say, was the most transformational while also the most personally challenging year of the last decade. I’m sharing these concepts, ideas and realizations in the hopes that, since we’re all kindred spirits in some way, they might meet you where you are and be of some service.

Let’s get into life-expansion, shall we?!

1.Transformation can take time. Often more time than I have the natural patience for. So, transformation may also involve a lot of commitment and continued recommitment to goals. Everything I set out to do this year turned out to be so much more of a marathon than a sprint. I had to learn to recommit every day, to shake off all my insistence that things move faster and trust in divine timing.

If you’ve got big things to do, deadlines are great to keep things moving forward, but also, within those deadlines, some faith, patience and flow can be magical forces. I asked myself many times this year why I felt the pressure to be in such a rush, and I had no good answer. When things weren’t critically important, I would just get frustrated i they didn’t move fast enough. Now, I’m far more willing to roll with the process instead of stressing the speed.

2. Wellness is the center of everything.  Everything. And I’m not talking about the “wellness industry” but, rather, mind-body-spirit-space in harmony every day.  Wellness that is a product of living in ways that feel good. There was a dramatic shift this year– after lots of signs from the Universe– to stop talking about anything other than wellness.  We all have a good idea of the many global themes that have blanketed our lives.  It was time in my own life to shift into affirming more wellness, creating more habits that support wellness and giving gratitude for every bit of wellness in life.  A return to daily celery juice, gearing up to do another round of the Medical Medium Liver Cleanse, learning Face Yoga and more lymphatic drainage that is simple (you can start with a daily Dry Brush routine that costs just a few dollars)... essentially there’s no limit to the amounts of wellness that can mix into life. This expanded wellness started for me with a shift in thoughts and words, and none of it involves super-fancy products.

3. Community and synergy are everything. Growing up without a real “group” of friends that I fit into, I never imagined I’d become a member– and guide– of so many big groups.  But, the love and support, the ideas and energy of others in these groups has been the greatest gift this year.  I went on a Scavenger Hunt with a few dear friends yesterday and I was reminded that there is absolutely nothing that could match the experience of real community. I have a list of things to do this year, a list of things to manifest, etc, but my biggest list that I’ve never made before is now a list of people to see and spend time with. 

4. Your personal growth can be the engine of all success in life.  In all ways, personal growth is essential.This year, I learned a refinement– I needed to really look at the patterns in my life and understand how I was responsible for any unwanted cycles that kept continuing. At first, it was unpleasant to look at, but it was freeing. Once I could see my role in creating these patterns, I could make real personal changes.  Some of the changes and decisions I made shocked me because they were so bold. That’s something I’m particularly proud of as I never thought I would break out of certain habits that I decided were “just the way I was.”  Taking responsibility isn’t a form of of self blame and recrimination– it’s empowerment in the biggest ways.

5. Follow the signs and act on them.  This year, I failed to act fast enough on the signs that my old website was falling apart and I nearly lost 11 years of work as a result.  I’m so thankful it was saved, and that this new platform was created with the help of old friends, a deep dive into every facet of the upgrade and a lot of intuitive trust in the process. Now, I’m acting on more signs from the Universe that things need updates, upgrades, all of it…when the signs first arrive!  Little bits of maintenance in all areas of life can make everything more magnetic!

6. Immersion is the fastest way to experience change right this minute, and it’s the best way to create lasting transformation.  Immersion from morning till night in the sights, sounds, thoughts, words, actions, places, topics and even scents that thrill you will create massive change.  At it’s core, that’s what Feng Shui is in this unique Method: an immersion in all levels into change.

This past year, I immersed myself in new ways of creativity. And, I feel like I’m just getting started.  Morning until night I’ve been trying new things, adding new scents and sounds to my space, making art, affirming my own creativity…. and, it’s been epic!

7. Learning is doing. Practice can’t be understated. I say this endlessly in the Feng Shui School of Intention— you can not really learn it unless you do it. I have a geometry compass beside me to draw patterns that I’m reading about and studying in books. I take breaks all day to try new things instead of just watching videos about them.  There’s a big difference between knowing and doing, and this year I reached a tipping point: I had accumulated too much data and took too little action on it in my own personal life. Now, everything is about learning in action in all aspects of life.

8. Rising up to the challenges with a sense of curiosity and excitement has changed me profoundly. Challenges are not something I search for, but I had three massive challenges this year, bigger than I could have anticipated, and all of great importance. Because I had no choice, I decided to face all these things with a sense of true excitement and determination. I learned, on a visceral level, about a whole new level of intention that was untapped within me.  In these many months. I realized how much I could focus, how clear and unwavering I could be, and how much I could actually do at once.  This depth of committed energy is now my standard for all the goals and dreams on my vision boards. If I don’t feel that strongly about any project– passionate enough to commit totally–  I realize I need to re-think the project entirely.

9. Small home projects emanate excellence. This has been the year of small and yet significant home upgrades.  Lime washing the dining room. Repotting so many plants. Curtains in the bathroom. Re-grouting the shower. Deeply decluttering the pantry.  The impact  of these projects has been nothing short of monumental. Each one is a long-lasting display of growth and growing excellence. Your easy home projects can be the secret to constantly feeling more confident and celebrating yourself!

10. Doing nothing is doing something. Your breaks can be your biggest life upgrade.  I’ve realized this many times.  I deeply embraced this and it paid off in the last year.

I have never been more excited for a year filled with spectacularly new projects, sharing very new ways for you to work with this Feng Shui, and all of the love, joy and gratitude that’s ahead. Every single day, every year, I still am in awe that I am able to do this work every day, and I am eternally grateful for you being here, whether for the first time or the 100th time. My biggest goal is to be of greater service than ever in all ways, and if I can help you, please let me know.

xoxo!!!

Dana