The other morning I recorded a podcast episode on the 5 things I’ve done so far in January to set me up for an epic year. However, since that episode has come out, I’ve done a few more things that are kind of important so I wanted to share them in blog form with you to give you a little something extra. you can listen to episode 231: 5 things to do in January for your best year on the blissfully ambitious podcast here.
I am just going to start out by saying dry January isn’t one of the things I ever partake in. Mostly because my birthday is on January 8 and I love to celebrate with some champagne. I love espresso martinis in the winter and in our family we have many, many other birthday celebrations that Valentine’s Day is typically the day when we get a break from all of the holiday bustle.
One important date in January that you should know is January 22nd, the Lunar New Year, aka the Chinese New Year. 🧧 I always celebrate this holiday because I live by Feng Shui principles and if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know how important I believe it is to have a high vibrational home.
It is believed that the wealth gods travel up to heaven the week before the New Year and then bring back wealth to clean and organized homes. So, the day before the New Year hits, you want your home to be spic and span. I typically like to use this week to do a big spring cleaning. So the morning of January 22nd, you want your home to be super clean and organized so that all the good energy comes to your sanctuary.
The 3 main areas I like to target:
The front door. In Feng Shui, the front door is the energetic opening for wealth to come into your home. I have an entire ebook on how to create an energetic vacuum and usher in more wealth through your front door. 25 practical ways to attract money using feng shui.
The kitchen stove. So, the kitchen is a major source of wealth because the stove is also an energetic portal for wealth. So make sure that your kitchen is spic and span and clean of any dust, grime, residue, etc. You want this area to be so so clean
Windows. Typically, we all neglect windows but the windows are how energy and sunshine comes into the home. So you must focus on getting your windows clean too!
Once you get your home cleaned up get ready to do some fun, high vibe things. Sage your space, burn sandalwood incense, grab a bowl of 9 oranges or lemons and put it in your kitchen or dining space. Now your home will be ready to usher in the year of the Water Rabbit. Make sure you are on my email love letter list, I usually share more details on these things in my love letters.
Another thing I LOVE to do on the lunar new year is start a new journal. My collection of guided journals are the perfect thing to start you off in the habit of prioritizing yourself and your spiritual wellness. The Daily Bliss journal is what I will be starting out this year with, again.
Now lets get down to the 5 things to do this month for your best year ever…
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Set your intentions seasonally. Instead of coming up with a word of the year like so many people do, why not break down your year by months? In January, I like to focus on the 3 months ahead and create a word or vibe for the month. Then, I break down the month with a few intentions. For example, this year for me, January will be all about Elevated Minimalism. So, my intentions were to be focused on doing less but doing it really, really well. After I made a list of the things I wanted to focus on, I narrowed down that list and set the intention on ways I can begin doing those things better.
Try doing this for the first 3 months of the year and see how intentional and focused you become. This will help you set yourself up for a really calm, less stressed and blissful year.
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Create a vision board. I am a Capricorn so naturally I like to be very systematic with how I approach things so I can be sure it is always a success. With any project I go into, I like to create a vision for it. When you create a vision, you get to narrow things down, reduce the extra noise and clutter. This helps you go into a project with clarity and will help you to be less likely to spiral out into indecision and overwhelm.
I began using vision boards with my interior design clients as a tool for self help / success. We wouldn’t just create a vision for what items we would add to a room, we could visualize how we would want that room to feel. I noticed just how much more my clients would have confidence and peace of mind after creating a vision and then I created a vision board method that would help anyone have more mental clarity and peace in their lives. Check out my vision board workshop experience and see for yourself the life changing effects of a vision board.
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Tie up loose ends. Listen, at the start of your year you should do your best to write out a master list of all the things you need to set up so that you can get those things out of the way. Dentist appointments, car maintenance, birthdays to shop for, etc. Sometimes, I can be so forgetful to do things if I don’t put them on my calendar so I like to make some time to just get all the things I need to do on my calendar.
The way this exercise will declutter your mind is life changing. When you know all those extra things that need to get done are scheduled, accounted for and planned out will help your brain to feel like your life is organized. This will help your mind to be free to focus on bringing your best self to all of the things you need to do and you will do them better.
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Get your home together. A full, overstuffed home is a repellant for new things entering your life. Everything in your home, should have its own home and a place. As a mom of a toddler, on any given day there are toys spread out all over the place and sometimes it makes me want to pull my hair out and scream. So, investing in bins, baskets and other items that help you create more organization and flow to your space will help you keep your mindset and vibe high. Do your best to surround yourself with harmony, calm and flow.
On that same note, be sure to add color to your home! What colors are you currently drawn to? That will lead you to know what your soul is craving. Love pinks and greens? Your heart chakra is seeking to be opened up and wants to invite more love in so add these colors through plants and pillows to help boost your mood. Obsessed with black? You may love more professionalism and structure in your life. So break out some black photo frames and create an art wall to help your visionary come out. Whatever your soul needs, your home will help you to surround yourself with that energy. I teach more on this in my course High Vibe Home: heal your home, heal your life + manifest your dreams.
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Quit consumer culture. Aka stop shopping so much. Shopping is typically a distraction from the things going on in your life that you need to focus on like cultivating your relationships, exploring your city and committing to your health and wellness. Prioritize your life before you start filling up your life with more ‘things’. When you focus less on consuming things, you will be shocked by how much more present you are in the life you already have.
If you get in the mood to shop, why not shop your own closet? I can’t tell you how many times I found new things while going through my own closet.
If you must buy something new, one thing you may want to try is the in/out rule. If I bring something home, I immediately have to look for something to get rid of.
Okay gorgeous, there you have it. A few things to do this month that will help you start your year off on the right foot. Be sure to check out my podcast episode where I dive a little deeper into each thing and give you some more personal stories. Hope you enjoy. Sending galaxies of love your way.
