How to Get The Most Out of Summer with Feng Shui

Summer is here, ladies & gents! I’ve decided to write a little something for every season based on Feng Shui principles and how we can use Feng Shui and the current season to increase the success in our lives, whatever our goals are. But first, here’s a little bit of background on what Feng Shui is….

Feng Shui translates to “Wind and Water”. It is the practice of balancing energy, both seen and unseen. We can use Feng Shui within our homes or work spaces and also within our bodies + minds.

The balance is of the Yin and Yang, or feminine and masculine. Every character trait, essence, action and item possess either a yin or a yang quality. The study of Feng Shui teaches us how to utilize everything around us to serve us (and all) in our life balance. I believe it is the magical supplement to personal development and psychology that allows us to be in our excellence- mind, body and soul.

It’s been a true honor and pleasure teaching and utilizing Feng Shui for 9 years, because I have been able to shift my mindset and environment to shift my life experience, sometimes instantly. Anytime I am out of balance, I go straight to Feng Shui principles to see what might be off in that area, where I can put more attention on and how I can tweak my surroundings and thoughts to manifest my desired lifestyle. No doubt there are a lot of factors at play to change a life, circumstance or challenging situation, but Feng Shui has ALWAYS come through for me more than anything else. Plus, much of the mindset and manifesting tools that I use as a coach are in alignment with ancient Feng Shui principles. It all comes together seamlessly, which is why I am so passionate about sharing this wisdom with as many people as possible. 

• The first time Feng Shui worked for me was producing instant income for my husband and I, along with a brand new career! 
• The second major time Feng Shui wow’d me was how I used it to move from LA to San Francisco and land my dream home, city and network. 
• The last time it has helped me manifest something major was my recent unexpected luxury trip to Ireland.

There have been so many smaller things that have transpired because of how I implement Feng Shui in my living spaces like harmonious relationships when there was only tension and transition, healing from an illness quickly, improving the quality of my business + clients, keeping the flow of money coming in during a stagnant time (or several) and igniting new romance in my life after separating from my husband. 

Life changes, sometimes very fast, so what I love about Feng Shui the most is that it helps us be resilient in our adaption to life. Not only that, but empowered and inspired! There is so much Feng Shui can create for us, because energy exists all around us and remember Feng Shui is the practice of balancing this energy. It’s basically making the “energy” noticeable and meaningful for you, so that you can do something with it in this physical experience on Earth. 

Summer

The Summer season is all YANG energy, masculine, loud, creative, colorful, hot and social. It’s all about action! It’s really fun to harness the energy of each season because again, it helps us experience life better and more easier as we go along with the natural “flow”. The more we can surrender to the flow, the easier our lives become. It’s like path of least resistance, which is so successful, it is how nature operates. 

The way we can use summer to our benefit in Feng Shui terms is to get out of our comfort zone! Be more creatively expressed, take some risks, move more, be more social, invite more activities in our lives, commune with nature more or live life more “loudly”. Don’t hesitate and think of one of my favorite phrases ‘Carpe Diem’ which means ‘seize the day’. Summer is the time to activate your passions, as the element fire rules this season.

Dive into your bliss and follow it fiercely.

In your home, light more candles or the fire pit more often. Bring in some warm tones, unless your location is extremely hot, in which case you can balance that energy with some cool colors. Make sure to have inspiring art or objects around you so you will constantly feel inspired to get out and do something.

What’s the first thing that came to mind that you want to do??? *comment below*

If you are left feeling super curious about how and why all this Feng Shui stuff works, I invite you to take action now and sign up for my upcoming 9-week virtual Feng Shui program, Around The BaGua.

In this online program, we will meet weekly to discuss every area of life, how it relates to Feng Shui and how to enhance your home + beliefs to create the life you are looking for. It’s a mix of ritual, ancient techniques and mindset makeovers that will up-level every area of your life, if you let it. This program comes around just once a year and there are many happy students who shared their journey. Head over to the link below and read more about it + register to claim your spot as there is limited availability! 

What it takes to get & stay MOTIVATED

Let’s talk about motivation. The majority of people who don’t achieve their goals or dreams say it’s because they can’t get or stay motivated to do so, to take the actions needed or to have the mindset that keeps them going. I have been teaching hundreds of women over the last 6 years how to get organized in their home, life and schedule, but I want to share a personal story about motivation that may have a bigger impact on helping YOU get and stay motivated.

Come on a little journey with me…

In 2008 I got in a near fatal car accident, flipped my car over on the freeway and walked away nearly unscathed. The diagnosis was a spinal spasm, which never really got treated because of insurance drama, even though I wasn’t at fault. Over the years I would dabble in chiropractic, massage, core exercise and stretches to help my back, but as you may or may not know, dabbling is never effective.

I have also not had the best relationship with food or exercise, ever, and when that accident happened, I knew something new and powerful was stirred in me. I awoke to a new leaf on life, however, I still didn’t give my body the attention it was screaming for.

When I joined a national networking group, Polka Dot Powerhouse one year ago, my life changed dramatically again. There were powerful, like-minded women owning businesses and working together and having a ton of fun and success along the way. I was hooked! It was then that I met Dr. Nicole, who I immediately fell in love with. She is a vibrant, kind and amazing soul. She is a chiropractor and it seemed everyone in the group had great success working with her. I had always wanted to try chiropractic again, since nothing was working for my back, especially since the muscle spasms were happening every couple of months and putting me out of work for weeks at a time.

But, my pattern was dabbling, so I chose the story that I couldn’t afford it and I didn't need it. I’ll just keep dabbling in getting a massage when my back flares up and going for a long walk once a week. I was and have been avoiding my health, focusing on helping others before me once again. As a Feng Shui consultant, I create balance and harmony within a space to have healthy energy flow in life and at home. It’s ALL about paying attention instead of avoiding or ignoring. I realized I was totally avoiding my well-being and blocking energy flow in my body which of course translated to my life experience. I realized two months ago that I needed to get serious about ALL parts of me, not just my spiritual, mental and emotional intelligence that were in tact. My physical self needed some major love and attention, and beyond the basic self-care practices that I had been doing. 

If you know me, you know that I am all about synchronicities and signs. I never just do anything for the sake of doing it anymore. I allow myself to be divinely guided and only commit myself to something that feels totally aligned and right. Well, how Dr. Nicole and I came to work together was beautifully synchronistic. Her office had a fun holiday ladies night gathering which hosted a plethora of vendors who gave away free services or discounted products, Dr. Nicole being one of them. She was offering a free spinal scan and exam for $40. SOLD. Right then and there, I knew things were going to change. That session was so illuminating and enlightening for me to fully understand WHY my dabbling to “fix” my back had never worked. The structure had to be addressed. She was able to explain exactly how chiropractic can help (everything I had suspected all along but was scared to admit it). I also appreciated her positive energy and intuitive nature, which was important to me.

I also want to share that I harnessed Feng Shui (intuitively) right after this event. I felt the sudden urge to clean underneath my stove which happens to be in my health area of my home. I wasn’t thinking “oh, this is in my health area, I better clean it.” I just got the urge and took action immediately. 

Well, Dr. Nicole turned out to be the exact investment I needed to take charge of my health. In 5 weeks, my strength, inflammation and range of motion has dramatically increased. I feel lighter, more mobile and physically aligned. Plus, I have been on point with healthy nutrition (naturally, without force or deprivation) and self-care that supplements the internal structural reinforcement that is happening. I actually WANT to eat right, move more and stay aware of body sensations. I’m motivated. And I’m getting results all over the place.

My point is, this was the RIGHT leap for me, the next level of evolution in my self-care that drastically improved all areas of my health. It was scary to jump in, but the water actually felt perfect. I honored my intuition and that’s when everything opened up. When I saw results, I felt motivated to keep going, to keep showing up, to try new things, to naturally be drawn to what will support me and to focus on the well-being, body flow and alignment that I had been searching for. It was NEVER this easy, it was always a huge challenge for me to do this. It’s easy now because of the consistent inspiration and improvement I have been receiving for these last 5 weeks. 

We must first be INSPIRED before we can be motivated and take action.

That means we need to deepen the meaning of WHAT and WHY we are participating in. We need to connect what we want or need to do with our core values and biggest priorities before we can expect to be motivated. IN-spiration comes first. We will stay motivated when we see the results from practicing, which gives us energy and faith to keep going. Every little step forward gives you more motivation, and to take each step, we must trust the inspiration, the signs, the synchronicities that guide us. Also, as you can see, Feng Shui helps too ;)

This is why doing things out of obligation, societal “should’s” or from others people’s goals won’t EVER motivate you. 

If you are reading this, something is being asked for your attention in your life. You are now being called to invest in something bigger than you have been, because that next level of you (when you reach your goal) is going to ask you to take a different and more powerful approach than what you have already been doing. What is it for you??

• Perhaps it needs to be an investment in your health like me through a self-care modality, a health coach, a gym membership or class. 
• Perhaps you need an investment in your love life by way of therapy, online relationship courses, relationship coaching, more date nights, etc. 
• Perhaps what is evident in your life is an investment in your career like school, training, or certification. 

What are you being asked to invest in that will up-level your life? The signs are present, my love. 

This is also how coaching works. When I invested in a life coach, life coach training, Feng Shui certification, priestess training and a Queen Initiation retreat, they were major leaps that I had to make which I knew would propel me forward, giving me the exact support I needed to run my business the way I wanted and needed to and keeping me accountable and motivated the entire time. 

What happens in a coaching relationship is incredible INSPIRATION by way of connecting deeper to yourself, identifying and clearing blocks and finding new, soulful ways to achieve your goals. That is why people who invest in coaching are actually investing in themselves by expediting their future. People who allow themselves to be coached experience massive motivation and clarity. 

Would you like to explore if coaching would be right for you right now? I offer complimentary INSPIRATION SESSIONS for women that want to gain more clarity about what is blocking their success and find a new and better way to move forward whether that is with me or on their own. It’s pretty powerful. Click the button below if you would like to claim your personal one-on-one time with me. 

Do you need to amp up your self care? This is the secret to lasting success and fulfillment. Join the #SelfCareChallenge and I, along with the other 13 Self Care Ambassadors will tell you all about it! The revolution starts February 1st, 2017. CLICK HERE to join.

SPECIAL INVITATION: Time to up-level your life!

Hello beautiful!

How was your summer? I took a break from blogging and retreated to do some inner work on myself. I’ve hardly been on social media this month, which is saying a lot! It’s been a lovely experience these last few weeks, and I can sense there is lots more to come. Here is a photo of one of my more memorable moments while I was on retreat in Connecticut last week in the middle of a women's circle (I'm in the pink).

This year has been one of the best years of my life and I can feel more abundance and opportunities unfolding now still. This month is also a powerful energetic time. Expect to have the opportunity to transform your way of life and way of being in the comings weeks. Hey, and if you’ve already had some shifts, I’d love to hear about them!! 

---

Today I am entering back into the blogging atmosphere to not only re-commit myself to YOU, to showing up for you and myself in a more powerful way, but also to finally invite you to something special and close to my heart. 

You are cordially invited to join the second round of my now signature program Around The Bagua: 9 Weeks to Energetically Uplevel Every Area of Your Life! This is a virtual group Feng Shui program with soul.

The launch of this program is timed divinely on purpose with the energy of this month. I am calling in women who desire to shift their inner and outer world and who want to stop being stuck, disorganized, low energy, broke, lonely or all of the above. I have been called to offer this program again NOW because there is a need I see amongst my tribe, friends, family and society this year that needs the information, tools, support and fun that (my kinda) Feng Shui can provide. 

You see, I got involved with Feng Shui when everything in my life was utterly disastrous. I was broke, jobless, on the brink of divorce, stuck in toxic relationships, estranged from some family members and was in a near fatal car accident. Nothing in my life had meaning and nothing I did was working to make anything better. When I joined a class with total strangers, my whole life completely turned around based on the powerful teachings of Feng Shui and the connections I made with my space and self that were based on the Feng Shui principles. I got my power back, found my purpose, started making money, created my business, saved my marriage, released friends that no longer served me, healed my relationship with my family and found my joy again. If it wasn’t for Feng Shui, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It changed my life and was the catalyst to truly stepping into my destiny. 

I know those of you reading this may not be at this low of a level, BUT, my point is that Feng Shui and it’s principles are powerful and when used in conjunction with mindset tools, organization, success techniques, magic ritual and sisterhood, it makes us UNSTOPPABLE! 

So, think about your big goal right now, your new years resolution or your intentions you just set for the new moon. What if you could add INSTANT meaning and energy flow into your self and space to manifest this? That is what’s possible in this program. Around The Bagua guides you in getting unstuck and creating success in your life and business so you can truly THRIVE. Whatever goal you have, you can cultivate with the tools and techniques that will be taught in this program.

I PROMISE.

And, you will have the soul-support of a new sisterhood of like minded women and me to help you along the way (a priceless gift that will absolutely change your life).

If you resonate with this, if you feel the energy during this month already and are feeling called to step into something transformative so you can take your life to a new level, then please join me for this program. 

You can learn more about the details here: http://www.michellepowell.me/aroundthebagua

We start September 18th and there are limited spots available. This will sell out, so make sure you jump on this chance if you are even considering it. I would be happy to speak with anyone about this to see if this program would be a good fit for them. Simply go here to schedule your time with me or shoot me an email.

CLICK HERE for more detailed information on the program and to claim your spot. 

YOUR TURN!

I would love to know, what are you looking to shift in your life??? Comment below!

Classical Feng Shui + Chinese Astrology with Janet Louie

One of my favorite things as a business owner is collaborations. I love having the freedom to choose who I work and collaborate with, so I'm super passionate about showcasing other entrepreneurs that compliment my work. Today, check out the interview with my colleague, Janet Louie. It's my intention that you learn something new today and are inspired by all the information that is presented to you (I was!).

Janet Louie owns Golden Phoenix Feng Shui and is a certified Classical Feng Shui Consultant who works with the Chinese metaphysics, modern day practices to help her clients improve their luck, prosperity and health. I was fascinated by all the different aspects of her business from Ba Zi to EMF testing and so I interviewed her so she can tell you all about it too! 

In This interview, you will discover what Classical Feng Shui is and what all these unique services are in case this is something you want to further explore. 

Janet is also giving us some takeaway tips! Listen in to learn about the annual flying stars of 2016, the year of the fire monkey and where the best place is to put your desk or bed. She also tells us what industry will prosper this year, based on Chinese astrology. Plus, a few more goodies that I promise you have never heard of and will be so intrigued by.

YOUR TURN!

After you have watched, please share what you found most valuable from the interview in the comments below!

Set Yourself Up for Success with Soulful Goal Setting

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How was your 2015? I am hearing a mixed bag of rock bottom and the best year ever. Regardless of what happened this past year, you are more wiser and capable to continue moving towards your ideal life & space NOW (which is TOTALLY possible, btw). I feel strongly that it's up to each of us to create the life that we want to experience and that it really takes a lot of support to uphold such dreams. Why not start the year off doing both ~ dreaming my dreams and supporting you, my tribe.

I believe in fresh starts and powerful intentions to create the reality that we all want. New Years resolutions have a bad rep, so I would love to offer you a simple framework to banish overwhelm yet still challenge you to reflect, focus and start planning your year now while the energy is high, in order to set yourself up for success later. This is a ritual that is customized to YOU, based on what I personally do every year both on NYE and New Years Day. If we don't put effort into planning in a way that feels easy and aligned with who we are, nothing will ever get done. So, darlings...take some time right now to set yourself up for a successful 2016. Think of this as soulful goal setting. When you're done, comment below as I would LOVE to hear what you came up with and hold your intentions with you.

Reflect

We can't claim our future without completing our past. Similarly, we can't complete our past without reflecting on the realities and events and understanding them fully. Look back on your year and actually write out what happened. Reflective journaling can be a powerful exercise to clarity. What went right? What went wrong? Was there an overarching theme that was present? Where were you out of integrity? When were you proud of what you did, and why? and most importantly, what did you learn?

Celebrate

List out your accomplishments from the year and celebrate yourself! I KNOW there is at least 15 accomplishments you can come up with easily, but try for 20 or 30! Challenge yourself to see more of the good, the positive, the glass half full than you have before. Open your own eyes to the power that you have come into. These can be anything from a career advancement to something good you said to something you didn't say (that's a hard one, huh?) to a challenging situation that you accomplished. Month by month, revel in the magnitude of your amazingness. One rule: NO thinking about failures here. Focus on celebrations. 

Release

You may already be thinking about your failures or shortcomings...now is the time to transform them into lessons and use them as fuel to fire up your confidence in 2016. What are you ready to release about yourself: your beliefs, your environment, your relationships, your commitments or your actions? Write them down. Bonus points if you burn them for significance sake! Remember, don't judge any emotion that comes up either. You are completely allowed to grieve here.

Intend

Now that you have clean energy, you can move forward into your desires. WHAT DO YOU WANT?! Claim it by setting powerful intentions for this coming year, as if they already happened and you are reading them on NYE 12/31/16. Keep them positive (as in avoid any terms that include "not" doing something, debt or losing weight, as these automatically imply that there is something wrong with you, which there isn't). Bonus points for adding in specific details and descriptive words that make the intention viscerally palpable. Then make sure you remind yourself of these intentions often. Energy flows where attention goes.
(This is the kind of thing we do every month in Monthly Moon Magic with Michelle.)

Symbolize

Using your top 1-3 intentions, dial down to the feeling those intentions bring you. What's the essence or vibe they give off? In other words, imagine yourself fully immersed in the reality of each intention...what does that feel like? What are the descriptive words that represent that reality? Write these down. Next, what physical items represent these feelings or descriptions to you. For example, I wrote down that my intentions for my career feel like flow, light, connecting, easy and sparkly. I thought about that and found a beautiful mirrored glass mobile that I can put outside my front door to represent all of those vibes! I was so excited. What's closest to us has the most impact on us, so why not surround ourselves with our intentions in tangible form? 


I hope this gives you some simple framework for setting up your goals in a way that feels possible and inspiring. Again, I would love to hear your goals and intentions, so please do share them with me if you feel called. 

Sending you lots of sparkles today, as you set the tone for the year to come.

PS: If you are interested in joining me for the Virtual Group Feng Shui Program, we start in January and there are only 4 spots left! Also, the tuition is still on special sale!