Working World

This country is in the middle of an energy crisis (duh!). But when I talk about an energy crisis, I’m not referring to the skyrocketing price of gasoline. In feng shui terms, energy = chi. Chi refers to our physical and emotional energy level. With the economy sluggish at best, we are all feeling the pinch and pressure, and that is just one more burden to add to our stress levels. Stress saps our strength and depletes our chi.

We need to take inventory of our working space and eliminate things that bring our chi down, and add elements that will raise our spirits and feed our good chi. Feng shui downers to get rid of? Anything you hate, such as ugly furnishings, broken appliances, tattered wallpaper, negative people and, of course, clutter — press DELETE. We often use expressions such as “tired” to describe décor. If you’re working and living in a tired looking environment, no wonder you’re down!

BOOST YOUR PERSONAL ENERGY

As always, removing trash and clutter from your desktop and your room is an immediate mood lifter. Once you’ve cleared it out, what’s next? Raise your spirits and lift your chi by adding positive influences. Like what? Well-placed art on the wall (positive sayings or images only) is a definite chi booster. So are thriving plants and fresh cut flowers.

Surrounding yourself with beauty and style that makes you smile will also benefit your feng shui well-being. Small additions like a bud vase and an inspirational picture can do wonders toward lifting your spirits. Being in a state of chi-fullness is what allows good feng shui to happen.

It’s been proven that light deprivation causes depression, so make sure your workspace is a well-lit space. Another chi-zapper is dehydration. Drink water throughout the workday and you’ll notice you’re not as grumpy as usual.

Want to know a feng shui secret? Red is an activating — thus energizing — color. So adding touches of red to your office space and/or wearing some red garments when you’re feeling blue may help you get the same psychological boost of energy that a cup of coffee does.