New Year, New Order

Hey everyone!  Happy New Year! 

Sorry I was incommunicado the past couple of weeks - my son was home from University and I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

And now it is the end of the first week of January and I am desperately trying to catch up with everything!

I don't know about you, but every time I take down the Christmas tree and decorations - and you know how many I have - I feel an overwhelming desire to purge and bring order to my universe after the chaos and gluttony of the holiday season.

And as is my wont, that typically includes everything in my life - clothing, body, space.

I am about to turn 53, I am about to have my first book published, I am doing things in my life that make me happy and am surrounding myself with people in my life that are of a like mind and all is good, except...

I need to get back into shape. That isn't just weight loss, it's getting stronger. To help me on that journey, Barry bought me a fitbit for Christmas - I love it!

I am back doing my yoga regularly, lifting weight again, meditating daily and walking, walking, walking. I am not snacking. I have already lost 3 pounds and I feel great!

I have also, on top of everything else I've been reading, feng shuing the whole house.  Do any of you use feng shui techniques to help the energy in your space?

Last fall I took an online course from Kate Northrup about Feng Shui and loved it. Her course focuses mostly on the wealth and prosperity sections of the bagua map, but I wanted the whole meal deal, so followed up and read a great book by Terah Kathryn Collins that Kate recommends and since then have been going room by room to make the changes.

I need to keep that good energy flowing in our house! I am nowhere near done, but each room I do gives me a real sense of peace. While I liked the konmari method, it was a bit too Spartan for my tastes. Feng Shui help you focus energy to feel content and prosperous in all areas of your life. Everyone's approach will be slightly different and there's nothing wrong with that.

In particular, I wanted to focus on the health and family and career areas and have been making my own little shrines and removing things that have bad energy.

More than ever, I feel that the transition I have been undergoing these last few years is finally slowing down and I am where and with whom I ought to be. It is a lovely feeling and one I want to cultivate!  I will let you know if the Feng Shui helps!

And  am vowing to buy nothing superfluous clothing-wise this year. I really have too many clothes as it is, and I am getting off the hamster wheel of shopping in 2016, less about my pocket book and more about being more frugal and leaving a smaller footprint on the planet. I will keep you posted on that!

Finally, today is David Bowie's birthday AND the release date of his newest album!  We love David in this house. In fact, we danced to his wonderful song, Wild is the Wind at our wedding many years ago.

So maybe that's where I'll end. Who knows where the winds of life will take us this year? I can't wait to see!



Have a great week!

xoxo wendy





 

Feng Shui and Feet

And not necessarily in that order!

There is something about the end of summer that makes us want to get our house in order, literally and figuratively.

I recently redid my office layout, because I was facing a corner. If I turned left, I could also see the trees, but it was always disconcerting when someone walked into my office!

In Feng Shui, our office desks are supposed to be situated so that we are facing the door.  Our spaces should be clear of clutter as well, since that is supposed to help the energy flow.  My desk was cluttered and even had my black beast of a printer on it, so I was always struggling for a spot to set out my papers.

I love how I've rearranged everything and I can tell you it is pure bliss to work in here now!

Love that early morning sun!
 

And a bouquet of fresh flowers, along with other plants, makes the space
more enjoyable
 

I added a small bookcase in here for my everyday writing books
 

Now when I sit here, this is what I see...



A clear space is a thing of beauty...

I am also in the throes of preparing for my trip to Paris.  Wait, that's not entirely true. I haven't thought a whit about the trip yet (except for reservations made months ago), but I have been obsessed with my feet.

I love to walk.  But my poor flat feet are wretched walkers, and many the trip has been marred by not wearing the correct footwear.

I am taking 3 pairs of shoes on the trip: a pair of walking sandals, a pair of ballet flats, and a pair of flat boots for late evenings and in case the weather is colder up in Belgium.

The challenge with walking shoes is that they tend to be butt ugly. My search took me all over the city for the flat boots, since I already owned the first two items. No way was I ordering online - the Canadian dollar is wretched and returns are a pain!

My footwear on the trip?

Taos walking sandals.  So comfortable!

Naturalizer N5 ballet flats.  Again - you feel like you are wearing slippers.

Naturalizer cycle N5 low black boots.  These are really comfy and I would wear these with a couple of knit midi dresses in addition to pants.

Now that I have my feet sorted out, everything else is gravy. 

How about you?  How are your feet holding up these days? Anyone else use Feng Shui in their home?

xoxo wendy