After reading "The Declutter Workbook - 101 Feng Sui Steps to Transform Your Life", I was inspired to start practicing Feng Shui in my own house. I realized that I've been doing the "let's unclutter" method over the years so reading the book on how to organize my home and life wasn't news to me, but I still managed to take something out of it. For instance, the meaning behind it. I've started with the bathroom cabinets. According to the book, “your make-up and beauty products enhance the person you are today, not a few years ago, so they need to be loved and up-to-date, and complement your clothes.”
Ok, let's do this! I thought it was was going to be somewhat quick, maybe 30-40 minutes but it took me almost 2 hours. That is because not only did I take everything out of the bathroom cabinets & wiped the shelves down, but before putting it back I sorted it into "Still Need It", "Expired", "Why is This Here?" & "Give Away" groups. The "Still Need It" items got wiped, cleaned and put back, the "Expired" ones thrown away. (and yes, make up and creams do expire), "Why is This Here?" group got moved to where it actually belongs, and "Give Away" group? Those guys got special treatment :)
After evaluating my jewelery, nail polishes, and even untouched make-up, I decided to host a 'Jewelery Swap' party with my girlfriends. Each one of us would bring some of items that she no longer uses but can't throw away, and after laying all the items on the table, each one of us can pick something she likes from each other's collection. That way it still brings joy to someone, without being wasted, and the stuff that no one picks can get donated!
Result: Feeling more organized, calm and excited to declutter the rest of my house =)
For more creativity & inspiration, visit my site http://www.olyaschmidt.com
It heals wounds. It flies by so quickly. Sometimes it stands still. And almost always we don't have enough of it. We desperately try to find more time in our lives. Time to complete those never-ending tasks, time to see people we haven't seen, time to spend with our families, time to relax. Before we know it our entire life has already happened and yet we forgot to find the time for the most important thing- enjoying life.
Yes, certain things have to be done. Appointments need to be attended. House needs to be cleaned and family members need to be looked after. We can't put our lives on hold in order to find the time to enjoy life and we shouldn't have to in a first place.
It's the little ways of noticing those beautiful moments of life that matter. Little ways of dedicating some time of the day for your favourite things. Read the book you've been wanting to read for months; take that dream getaway; organize & redecorate your living space the way you want it; call up the friend you've been meaning to see for a while; start working out. Whatever you've been wanting to do- do it now. Because there is no time like the present moment. After all, we don't know what tomorrow will bring, so might as well live your life to the fullest TODAY!
Seize the moment. Be open to new experiences. Observe your surroundings. Read. Listen. You never know when the inspiration will strike. I find myself getting inspired from all sorts of things. Here are some examples:
Movies. Be it romantic comedies like "Julie & Julia", "Notebook" & "Time Traveler's Wife” or mind-boggling masterpieces like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Prestige" & "Inception" or the touching true stories like “Eat. Pray. Love.”, “Invictus” & “Blind Side” I often get so wonderfully lost in the motion picture, that it takes me some time to get back to reality. Maybe it's the nature of us, Pisces people, but I believe that movies can be a great help when it comes to finding inspiration, motivation and new perspective on life.
Cooking. Sometimes when I try out a new dish, either with a help from a recipe or just creating it as I go, I find myself being so inspired by the process, it makes me feel like Julia Child in the kitchen. And most of the time, such waves of positive energies transcend into other creative outlets.
Books & magazines. Craft magazines, books with positive quotes, Inspirational stories, they all are a great source of empowerment. Among my favourites are “Martha Stewart Living”, “7 Life Lessons from Noah's Ark” by Michael Levine, “You Can Heal Your Life” by Louise Hay, and “The Language of Courage & Inner Strength” by Blue Mountain Arts. These are all wonderful readings to ignite that spark of creativity and inspiration you've been looking for.
People. I just love watching people sometimes. I don't mean it in a creepy kind of way, just observing the social interactions, emotions and gestures. It could be anywhere: business partners walking by the coffee shop where I'm sitting, children playing in the playground, old couples having lunch at the restaurant, families shopping for groceries. People are fascinating to me.
Unconditional Love new Moms have for their Babies. My friend Jena recently had a baby boy. When I look at the photos of her and her new son, I see the happiest woman on Earth, whose heart is filled with love & joy enough for the whole world. How can you not be moved by that?
Aromas. The smell of something I like can instantly change my day from mediocre to a happy one. It could be the summer's rain, favourite pastry or smell of the new book, aromas often bring me into a happy state of mind.
The Joy on the faces of Newlyweds. Seeing how happy the newlyweds are just make my heart skip a beat, and more often than not, I'm moved to happy tears. Movies included. This world needs more love.
Gorgeous Nature. I live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth- Vancouver, B.C., where the combination of the mountains, breathtaking ocean, green parks and beautiful city scapes can be seen all at once. What's there more to say? I enjoy every moment of it.
Music. Anything from Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" to Disney's "Under the Sea", from Beach Boys' "Wouldn't it be Nice" to soundtrack from the movie "Inception", listening to my favourite tunes automatically surrounds my mind with optimistic thoughts.
Inspiration can be found in everything and everyone around us. Most importantly, it can be found within us. We are the greatest source of inspiration for ourselves. Open your mind, your heart, your eyes, and you will see it. It's there, waiting for you to use it =)
Be it romantic comedies like "Julie & Julia", "Notebook" & "Time Traveler's Wife” or mind-boggling masterpieces like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Prestige" & "Inception" or the touching true stories like “Eat. Pray. Love.”, “Invictus” & “Blind Side” I often get so wonderfully lost in the motion picture, that it takes me some time to get back to reality. Maybe it's the nature of us, Pisces people, but I believe that movies can be a great help when it comes to finding inspiration, motivation and new perspective on life. 
Sometimes when I try out a new dish, either with a help from a recipe or just creating it as I go, I find myself being so inspired by the process, it makes me feel like Julia Child in the kitchen. And most of the time, such waves of positive energies transcend into other creative outlets. 
Craft magazines, books with positive quotes, Inspirational stories, they all are a great source of empowerment. Among my favourites are “Martha Stewart Living”, “7 Life Lessons from Noah's Ark” by Michael Levine, “You Can Heal Your Life” by Louise Hay, and “The Language of Courage & Inner Strength” by Blue Mountain Arts. These are all wonderful readings to ignite that spark of creativity and inspiration you've been looking for. 
I just love watching people sometimes. I don't mean it in a creepy kind of way, just observing the social interactions, emotions and gestures. It could be anywhere: business partners walking by the coffee shop where I'm sitting, children playing in the playground, old couples having lunch at the restaurant, families shopping for groceries. People are fascinating to me. 
My friend Jena recently had a baby boy. When I look at the photos of her and her new son, I see the happiest woman on Earth, whose heart is filled with love & joy enough for the whole world. How can you not be moved by that? 
The smell of something I like can instantly change my day from mediocre to a happy one. It could be the summer's rain, favourite pastry or smell of the new book, aromas often bring me into a happy state of mind. 
Seeing how happy the newlyweds are just make my heart skip a beat, and more often than not, I'm moved to happy tears. Movies included. This world needs more love. 
I live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth- Vancouver, B.C., where the combination of the mountains, breathtaking ocean, green parks and beautiful city scapes can be seen all at once. What's there more to say? I enjoy every moment of it. 
Anything from Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" to Disney's "Under the Sea", from Beach Boys' "Wouldn't it be Nice" to soundtrack from the movie "Inception", listening to my favourite tunes automatically surrounds my mind with optimistic thoughts. 
