Change Your Thinking, Change Your Surroundings, Change Your Life (Part Two!)

Take a moment right now to picture yourself thriving in your career – imagine the complete experience - the power you feel as a success, your creative ability, how productive you are, and how much others appreciate you. Feels good, doesn’t it?

When our living spaces support our desires, we can create change that not only lasts, but also helps us achieve a sense of balance and harmony in our lives. Think of the inside of your house as your spirit or personality and the outside as your bone structure. The shell of the house is the introduction to who we are. The inside is where we express ourselves.

To create surroundings that support you and your desires, you have to move in emotionally, not just physically. As you review each of the stages I’m recommending, try to actually envision your space in your imagination; personalize my recommendations in your imagination and then implement them.

Step 1 - Front Door for Fortune

You’ve heard me mention the importance of front doors before and I’m going to mention it again. The front entrance of your home is the doorway of opportunity. This is your welcoming committee to the world, the threshold of all good things. When you look at this space, ask yourself what you can do to encourage prosperity, abundance, and serenity in your life right now. Pay attention to the ideas that come up for you. One of the first steps is to make sure the area is clean, well lit and beautiful! (This goes for your office doorway as well).

If you desire career opportunities, consider installing a water fountain or water feature near your front door (or the entry to your office), to attract and circulate abundant opportunities around you.

Utilize color to enhance your desire or goal.

• Red calls attention and uplifts opportunities and prosperity.
• Green represents wealth, health and nature.
• Gold represents prosperity.
• Black represents career.

If you live in an apartment or condo and can’t change your front entrance, then enhance your entry or foyer. This is the passage from the outer world into your inner world. Focus on creating an atmosphere that welcomes you, inspires you and encourages what you desire. Add a vibrant plant, fresh flowers, a table for your keys, a fountain, a light, etc., there are many things you can do to enhance this space – what is important is that you create a space that welcomes you and speaks to you of abundance. (After all we want our career to be an experience of abundance!)

Step 2 - Desk for Success

Your desk is the heart of your office. How you position it is vital to the success you experience.

• Make sure that you have it positioned in such a way that you have a solid wall behind you.
• Open space in front of you- so that you have full view of the entire office or room
• Do not place the desk in the direct path of the doorway.

This is known as the command position. In this position you have complete control over the office and the work you do. The placement of your desk is critical to the success and prosperity you enjoy in your professional life. If your desk is turned away from the door, facing a wall, your vision is literally blocked – so are your future opportunities!

Your desk shape is also important. Square, rectangular or curving desks are ideal. An “L” shaped desk (which is very common now that we all use computers), is less desirable. This shape is viewed as incomplete. To complete an “L” shaped desk, imagine where the fourth corner would be, and then place something there to symbolically complete the space. Often a plant or floor lamp works well.

The size of your desk should be appropriate to the space it’s in and the work you do. A large oversized desk that cramps the space in an office is not desirable, nor is a small desk if it’s too small for the job. Think of it as the Goldilocks desk. You don’t want it to be too big, you don’t want it to be too small, you want it to be just right!

Keep your desk clear of clutter and well organized, this way you’ll be inspired when you enter your office, not drained or discouraged. In fact, a cluttered, messy desk indicates a pattern of postponed decisions – why? Because we tend to avoid it and in so doing we also avoid the work we have to do.

Step 3 - The Future is Now

Look back over your answers from last month's article. If your goals and desires included improving your prosperity and abundance, pay attention to this step.

If your goal includes getting a specific job, being promoted or improving your financial situation, enhance the area of your office associated with Career. This is the center front section of your office space; often this is where the door is located. (To view the various energy centers, click here to download a FREE Bagua Map)

Utilize the colors white or black, incorporate a fountain or something that represents water. (A small black tortoise, a picture depicting water, a glass sculpture, a mirror, etc.)

If your goal includes improving your reputation, or becoming well known, center your enhancements in the Illumination and Reputation center of your office. This is located in the back middle section of the office, as you stand in the entry. It is directly opposite the Career area. Incorporate the color red, and/or items that represent fire (candles, light fixtures, etc.), or are triangular in shape.

If your goal is mainly to acquire money, improve cash flow, or to gain better control of finances, focus your enhancements in the back left section of your office. This is the Abundance center. Incorporate the colors red or purple, add items that speak to you of luxury, abundance and wealth. This could be a lovely piece of art, a picture, fresh flowers, or a vibrant plant. A wonderful enhancement I personally have had great success with, is to place a vibrant, healthy plant in the back left corner of my office, with a lovely mirror on the wall behind it to multiply the beauty and abundance the plant represents. Before making any enhancements in this area, it is important that you clear up any unresolved money issues you currently have. Balance your checkbook, pay your bills, etc., then make your changes.

Bonus Step - Create a Good First Impression

Everything you do markets who you are and what you do. Your first impression also determines if you’re worth the fee you’re charging.

How do you present yourself to those around you? Family? Friends? Colleagues? Does the way you dress give the impression you desire? Does it represent who you are and what you do? Does your hair and make-up project success? If you consider yourself a professional, take the time and effort to look like one. Is your normal expression a slight smile or frown? Decide how you want people to see you and then create the necessary changes to support your desire.