Your Home Can Help or Hinder you Landing a Job

Is your home cluttered and dirty? Is your home unwelcoming? If you answered yes to either of these questions and you are looking for a job, your home could be hurting your chances at success. Clean, remove clutter, and organize your home. Next, use the magic of Feng Shui and simple manifestation techniques to help you land the job of your dreams!

A home that is dirty, filled with clutter and unorganized is not a happy place to live in. The energy is stagnant and negative. Consequently, the people living in this environment will suffer. Clutter will literally bog you down and you will feel stagnant, unable to move on in your life. It will make you inefficient, because you are constantly searching for things. Stress, because searching for things causes anxiety. Lack of productivity and energy, as negative energy of clutter depresses.

This environment is hardly conducive to aiding you in a job search. If you are living in these conditions, begin by cleaning your home thoroughly.

Next, get rid of the clutter. Clutter is anything that isn’t used or liked. Sometimes, we hold onto stuff for sentimental reasons. Clutter can also be just too many objects on a given surface. If you collect stuff and don’t wish to get rid of those objects, another option is to rotate them. For instance, if you have six objects on a side table all vying for attention, store three away for half the year. Now, the three objects will look nice and you won’t have that cluttered look.

If you have things around that aren’t being used or enjoyed, that stuff is not giving off good energy and will make you feel stagnant in your life.

If the prospect of organizing is akin to a trip to the dentist, start with a small space. If cheap psychological tricks—like rewarding yourself for a job done—work, employ them. Conversely, do not try to organize a space so large that the project could take weeks—forcing you to look at depressing piles of things waiting to be organized or removed. Take that large space and divide it into easily managed projects.

The payoff for a clean, organized home or workplace free of unwanted clutter is immense. The energy in your home or workspace will change—stale and negative energy will be replaced with positive, powerful, life-enriching energy. The space will feel lighter. And that good energy will make you feel more energetic and happier. When you know where to find your belongings, you will find yourself with more time—to be more productive or to actually relax. Finally, a clean home—one that is as free as possible from dirt, mold and allergens—is a healthier space.

Once your home is organized and clean, you are ready for the fun and exciting part of your journey—using Feng Shui and manifestation to help you get your job. The following is a basic introduction to Feng Shui.

Bagua Map

It is beyond the scope of this posting to give more than a rudimentary explanation of Feng Shui, but I hope this will interest you to study this remarkable practice further. Feng Shui is based all about energy, or chi and the placement of objects to increase good energy.

There are two levels of Feng Shui; the visible and the invisible. Moving, removing or adding objects is visible, but changes also occur on the invisible level. When I go to my chiropractor because my back hurts and he realigns it, I instantly feel great. One reason is because the pain is released, but the other reason is that energy is now flowing properly throughout my whole body, so it adds to my sense of well-being. When an object is in the correct place, it too exudes positive energy, which radiates and fills the space. When a room is in proper alignment, you cannot help but to feel good in it.

To help you find a job, you will concentrate on the Career, Wealth and Helpful People categories. Picture the Bagua placed over your entire home or a single room. The door to the home or room must be in one of the three quadrants—career, knowledge or helpful people.

· Water flowing represents cash flow:

o Put a water fountain in entry room of your home..

o Put a water fountain in the wealth corner of the home or in the wealth corner of a room, like the entry or bedroom.

o Photograph or art depicting water

· Flowers

o Put fresh flowers anywhere in home for bright energy and to uplift spirits

· Fresh plants and bird feeders outside represent growth—as in career

When you add any of these objects, visualize yourself accepting the job of your dreams. Look at these objects on a daily basis and keep those positive thoughts in mind.

By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet, copyright 2007

Roasted Kale

This recipe is addictive. Eat with your fingers like french fries! One bunch 2 people.
Preheat oven to 425.
Kale, spine removed, wash and dry very well.
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Sprinkle some salt and pepper on kale and coat with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake 510 minutes, turn kale and bake approximately 10 minutes. Kale should be crisp but not brown.

Tuna Steak with Sesame Seeds, Roasted Broccoli and Black Japonica Rice

This is a simple and delicious meal. Japonica rice and wheat berries are nutty and chewy and this dish works really well with the tuna. Black sesame seeds taste the same as white, but look far more dramatic. The peanut oil withstands high temps and works well with seeds.

Tuna Steak with Sesame Seeds
4-6 ounces tuna per person
Black or white sesame seeds (black available at Asian markets)
Oil to cover pan, I prefer peanut
Salt & pepper
Wasabi Mayonnaise
Heat a cast iron pan until hot. Mix sesame seeds, salt & pepper and coat tuna with mixture. Cook until medium rare, 2 minutes a side.
Serve with wasabi mayonnaise--purchase already made or make your own.

Black Japonica Rice
1 cup rice
¼ cup wheat berries
2 ½ cups chicken or vegetarian broth
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon butter
Salt
Sauté onion in butter until wilted, boil water, add rice and berries and simmer on low, 50 minutes. Sit 10.
Roasted Broccoli
1 head broccoli
2 cloves garlic, minced
lemon, juice and zest
Salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425. Cut florets from stems, trim tough part of stems and slice into bite sized pieces. On a baking sheet, combine broccoli, garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil. Bake in oven 20-25 minutes, until broccoli begins to brown, stirring once or twice. When broccoli is done, toss with lemon juice and zest.

Corned Beef Leftovers

Irish or not, many of us make corned beef this time of year—myself included. If you don’t know what to do with leftovers—or if you want something new, read on.

I buy corned beef once a year and usually make it with the traditional stuff—cabbage, potatoes and carrots. This year, my husband and I weren’t into the boiled stuff, so I got a small hunk of free-range corned beef and made Reuben sandwiches.

I’m obsessed with the desire that all dishes I make for a meal playing nicely with each other. My husband and I were thrilled with what I paired with the sandwiches—roasted kale. If you have never had it, you are missing a real treat. The kale gets crispy and you eat it with your fingers—like French fires—only better and far more healthy. This recipe is addictive!

Roasted Kale: for two

Preheat oven to 425.
1 bunch of kale, remove spine
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper
Wash and dry very well. Sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper on kale and toss. Coat kale with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn kale and bake approximately another 10 minutes. Kale should be crisp and lightly brown, but not burnt.

Reuben—per person
¼ pound corned beat, fat trimmed
1 ½ slice of swiss cheese
Sauerkraut
2 pieces rye bread

1000 Island dressing
Mix approx. 2-1 mayonnaise and ketchup. Add some diced pickles.

Preheat oven to broil and rack on top rung. Put bread on an oven safe rack. Put meat on one slice. Cheese on the other sclice of bread and top with sauerkraut. Broil until cheese melts. Add dressing, and put two sides together. Yum!

Cioppino Recipe

This dish is so easy to make and delicious! Serve it with a good bread and either salad or throw a bunch of spinach in the dish. Use a nice dry white wine like Unoaked Chardonnay or a Bordeaux.
½ lb shrimp
½ lb scallops
2 cans clams
½ head of garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper
Handful parsley, chopped
Baby spinach, optional
Sauté garlic, add clam juice and reduce to about half. Add wine, tomatoes and spices and cook 5 minutes. Add seafood, cook 3 minutes or until done. Add parsley and spinach, allowing spinach to just wilt. Serve with bread.

Your Home as a Safe Haven

In these times of economic upheaval, it’s tough to keep stress levels down. Most of us know some ways to keep stress in control; eat right, get plenty of sleep, exercise, meditate. But, did you know that making your home a safe haven can also be extremely beneficial?

The other day, Oprah had Peter Walsh, the organizational expert on her show. The segment was about clutter and how it’s the last thing we need in troubled times, as clutter makes us feel unsafe and anxious.

As an eco-friendly interior designer and Feng Shui expert, I have had the honor of helping many clients transform their lives by changing their homes. Living in a home filled with positive energy, with beauty, a home that is clean, organized and clutter-free makes the occupants feel safe. In safety comes freedom; freedom to be creative, to be motivated and energetic.

Best of all, it doesn’t need to cost a fortune to create your sanctuary. I recommend the following steps to create your safe haven:

· Eliminate harmful products and replace them with eco-friendly ones. This step will improve your health and the health of the planet.

· Clean your home well and get rid of clutter! This is huge and you can even make money by selling your stuff! A clean home is a healthier home and just feels good. Clutter, as mentioned previously, causes stress, confusion, depression and lethargy. Get rid of anything you don’t love, need or have used for over a year.

· Clear your home of negative energy with smudging or dowsing. See a previous post of mine on smudging.

· Get rid of processed food and eat wholesome and organic.

· Allow energy, or chi, to flow unobstructed throughout your home. Don’t crowd furniture.

· Use color to your benefit. The cool colors, like blue and purple, are great in the bedroom because they lower blood pressure and help us relax. Social rooms, like the kitchen and living room, benefit from the warm, expansive colors like yellow, red, and orange.

· Place objects in the Bagua to attract whatever you want—love, money, fame.

· Balance each room with all four elements—earth, air, fire, and water.

· Houseplants add great energy and suck up indoor air pollution.

· Treat yourself to flowers every week—simply my favorite way to make my home feel like a sanctuary.

· Learn to decorate with confidence! Don’t worry about what’s in style—decorate to please your unique style.

One last suggestion--have fun while doing this! Transforming your home into a sanctuary is really enjoyable—something we all need a bit of now.

By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet.

Interview on The Benefits of getting Rid of Clutter

Love To Know posted their interview with me about the benefits of getting rid of clutter. I discuss the benefits of cleaning and getting rid of clutter, how to decide what is clutter, and tips on getting rid of stuff. Get an early start to spring cleaning and read interview!