This morning I went downstairs to make my breakfast. Rather than the usual ambivalence about what I was in the mood to eat, I felt a sense of inner peace and ease. Today wasn’t noticeably distinct from other days, yet it seemed tangibly different. There was more openness. Why?

Well I’d spent a good portion of the weekend clearing my kitchen. I went through all my teas and spices (of which there are many) and dismantled my smoothie station of piled up containers on the corner of my counter to see what I had and where it belonged.

Things need a home base – a place where they belong or they will tend to pile up. So I rearranged my storage space to get rid of the dumping ground I had created. I put things out of sight and mind where previously they had been taking up energetic space. They were still accessible, but now neatly organized.

Imagine my sense of accomplishment (and joy) at tackling a project that that had been on my to list for years, but somehow kept getting pushed aside. Other seemingly more important priorities had taken precedence.

Once I decided “this is the weekend!” that was it. The kitchen is the nerve center of my house and was also central my efforts to eat healthier and cook more. Improving that one area has now allowed me to approach the new year having prioritized one of my important goals -improving my health and wellbeing.

In true feng shui fashion, this intention guided me. I knew what I wanted to create, started planning and then got to work. While more remains to do (clean out the fridge, clear more space), I already feel the tangible difference in my mindset and ability to cook yummy meals by having clear and uncluttered counters.

Intentions Create Opportunity

I aspire to minimalist decor – white counters, pale grey walls and calm meditative spaces. Yet, truth be told, I’m more of an earthy maximalist who prefers a riot of colors and being surrounded by collections of objects from my travels that bring me joy. I’m a “more is more” girl, though I am trying to limit myself to keeping only those things I really love and using what I have as much as possible.

My point being that we have to be true to ourselves.

We can’t force ourselves to be something or someone we are not. Unless and until we choose to change.

We get to make conscious choices about what we will tolerate and accept in our lives and also decide when it’s time for a change. Then once we become motivated to act in alignment with our desires, everything starts to shift.

I had been tolerating lots of stuff in my kitchen until I decided that I could no longer. I committed to envisioning and creating what I did want and developed a strategy to improve my situation. While I’m still implementing and there’s more to do, taking that first step gave me a small taste of success seeing what I have started.

Experience Immediate Benefits

Seemingly minor or relatively insignificant changes can be much more powerful than we realize. It starts by making that important initial decision to change. I knew that shifting my physical environment would set me up for other positive new habits and help the momentum to keep building.

My new year inspiration for you is to look at aspects of your life and work that have been a source of frustration, disappointment or annoyance. Consider whether it might be time to address them and stop tolerating less than you desire. Know that you can transform your situation with the intention to create something better.

It starts with making the choice that you are ready for a change, then taking an intentional action to do things differently. So what might need to shift?

Where will you focus?

I would love to hear if anything comes up that you may be ready to change. Perhaps it will it be in your home situation, relationships, health, work, money or community. What one thing can you do to shake things up and move things around a bit? I’d love to hear what you decide.

If you would like support for your process, please reach out to find a time to connect. Maybe a CLEAR session could be just what you need to review your space and drive changes from the outside in. It’s low risk and high impact – changing your environment will change your experience in big and small ways. And of course, I’m also available for transformational coaching to guide meaningful growth towards your vision and impact.

Whether you reach out for support or not, I encourage you to identify what you want to shift and develop a plan to move towards your goals.

To welcoming in new possibilities,

Lenore