I thought I'd share a fun, recent, personal Feng Shui tale, and perhaps it will inspire you, your home and your lifestyle in some way.

There's a deck off my bedroom that I had always imagined would become a personal oasis, but in all the years we've lived in our home, that particular space had not yet held that exact energy until now. 

Up until last year when our bunny passed away, she had lived on that deck for ten years, and although we loved her tons and it was HER oasis, it didn't necessarily look or feel that way visually to me, as it was wrapped in wire fencing, and covered in her chewed-up hutches, scattered toys, fur, poop and hay.

So, after she passed, and for the past year I temporarily "borrowed" some furniture from the backyard as a placeholder until I felt ready to work again intentionally with the space.  A few weeks ago I finally felt a burst of inspiration to evolve this deck, and I found a Facebook Marketplace listing where someone was giving away an outdoor furniture set that was EXACTLY what I had envisioned. 

The seller and I set up a time for me to come by the next day, so I cleared the placeholder furniture off the deck to prepare for its arrival.  And then I received a message from him saying he gave it away to someone else!  

I was so bummed!

But I figured this was a lesson in letting go, testing my patience and trusting that something better was waiting for me, so I processed the disappointment and irritation, and let myslef integrate the lessons instead.

And a few days later, the "something better" came.  And it wasn’t in the form of furniture. 

The Universe has its own ideas of what we truly need!

I woke up one sunny morning, looked out the glass doors onto the deck, and realized, "this could be a REALLY fabulous oasis to do workouts."

And after an injury last month, I hadn't really gotten back into a fitness routine.  So, in divine timing, it was an inspiring environment change that offered what I needed to get me going again! 

And now for the past few weeks, I've been bringing out my yoga mat, equipment and laptop to follow a workout routine, and feeling like I am in a total oasis.  I've been SO excited to do my workouts. 

There is no "making myself do it" energy.  I LOVE that the dream of the "oasis deck" I once envisioned has taken on a new form... still an oasis, but for serving a purpose I needed other than lounging (which I have created other spaces for, because that’s important too). 

And as I always speak of "becoming and creating our own paradise," using the space in this new way offers that on every level to nurture my physical, mental and spiritual wellness.

And how perfect is it that the exact spot where I set my equipment is in the area that in Feng Shui energetically relates to health, and to our physical wellness, strength and vitality.  The ideal energy there for harmony is often represented by greens and blues, reminiscent of the energy of trees and blue sky.  (Basically, my view and even the reflection in my laptop.)

So, I'll share a few of my own takeaways and reminders from this particular experience, and highlight the value of working with energetics from the inside-out AND the outside-in:

• Just because something doesn't go your way does not mean that you're unlucky or that something was "bad" or "wrong."  Even though I was initially irritated by the way the guy handled the sale, the big-picture outcome for me and my environment was totally dreamy, ONLY BECAUSE the sale didn't work out and I let it go.  (And maybe I'll still find a few small, intentional pieces for the perimeter that will be able to work around my workout space, to make it even more oasis-y.)
• Trust that the Universe generally has better big-picture plans for you than anything you've thought of.  If you're energetically open and tending to alignment inside and out, you get to experience so much more of it.
• Processing and letting go of disappointment and other heavy emotions always welcomes in a change of some kind that's trying to make its way to you FOR YOUR HIGHEST GOOD (perspectives, people, timing, items, experiences, ideas, etc.).  
• While our tendency is to often fill open space right away, ALLOWING yourself to live with open space in your environment can have its benefits too.  It may take some adjustment by your nervous system if you’re not used to having much.  (I never thought to use this deck in this way until I actually allowed myself to live with it totally empty for a little while.)
• A change in your environment can make a huge difference in your lifestyle and wellness routines.  Creating spaces that INVITE you and EXCITE you to take care of yourself offers you so much more ease, consistency and vitality.
• Connect with nature every chance you can!  You COULD exercise in a gym or living room, but if you CAN exercise outside with a warm breeze, trees, blue sky and the sound of birds, why wouldn’t you?  Nature heals and connects you with yourself.  (Same goes with where you choose to work, play and relax!)
• Your home has infinite potential in how it can be used to support you.  Allow it to evolve alongside you, and to be a lifelong PARTNER in nurturing your mental, physical and spiritual health.  If it’s not EMPOWERING your wellness, what IS it doing?
• If your home has spaces that aren't used, that can become energetic stagnation that shows up in some area of your life.  Create a reason to visit that space regularly or a way to keep the energy active if you're not using it.   And if a space drags your energy down, change it to the best of your ability.  If you feel you can't do anything physically different, find things to appreciate about it, so that you shift your ENERGETIC EXCHANGE with it to the higher frequency of gratitude.

I'll obviously have to modify my plans again when cold and wet weather returns later in the year, so I'm already imagining what versatile solutions would allow me to easily switch it from "summer mode" to "winter mode," and back again (kind of like those who live in places that require separate summer and winter wardrobes!).

So, as you reflect on your inner and outer environments, and consider your current lifestyle, what's ready to be let go of? 

What's ready for a new perspective? 

What are the next shifts you can make that support you to BECOME and CREATE your own paradise? 

(Your paradise is already inside; working with your environment is one path that helps guide you toward actually feeling it as a source of truth.)

As always, explore the ever-growing offerings on my website for supportive resources, from my free mid-later life community, to drop-in meetup groups, to private sessions, and more.

Sending love, peace, beauty and wellness to all,

Sara

www.lovehomelifecenter.com