S2 Ep 77: How Intentional Design Can Boost Your Mindset and Wellness with Lisa Morton

From balancing energies with the five elements to simple tips like using color and lighting to shift the vibe , lisa shares how intentional design can make a huge impact . So , whether you want a productive workspace or a cozy sanctuary , this conversation will leave you inspired to rethink your space .

If you are new here , you're listening to the how we Get Through podcast , a place for you to feel connected through deep and meaningful conversations with healers from all over the world .

I'm your host , jen , a licensed therapist and founder and CEO of the how we Get Through app , and my mission is to bring you affordable and diverse therapy resources to help you get through the hard stuff , all in one place and at your own pace . Welcome to the how we Get Through community . Welcome back to the how we Get Through podcast .

Today we have Lisa Morton on the show . Hi , thanks so much for having me today . Yes , I'm so excited . We had some technical difficulties , but we have made it and , lisa , you also have your own podcast , correct , I do .

It wasn't until , I guess , I went through some major health problems of my own , struggling with my mental health . I was in a really , really bad space . I don't think I had the tools needed for that high stress of a job , so I wasn't prepared . I didn't have those tools in my tool belt .

And then I got to a point where I had to leave and I started my own business doing residential design . But I knew I wanted to do more , so I started studying about holistic design and a holistic approach to a space and setting up your space to support your body , to heal your body .

And then I went down the feng shui rabbit hole and it's just been transformative and just really . It's design but also really helping people . It's really just fulfilling . I'm so grateful for the work .

what was the breaking point for you ? What were you feeling from the demands of the job ?

And , being the designer and being a perfectionist myself recovery perfectionist I wanted , you know , to please them . I wanted to give them exactly what they wanted , their dream project .

And you know it wasn't an issue of say okay , so say , there is a carpet had to be installed in a plane , right , it wasn't like a $3,000 carpet , it was a $30,000 carpet and we're dealing with an airplane here .

There are very , very strict rules regarding the materials that can be put in , you know , so they don't go up in flames , right , like , certain materials have to be used , so we have to avoid other materials and having it handmade .

You know it had to follow the engineering drawings , but if it was off by an eighth of an inch , you had to scrap that $30,000 carpet and start over . Wow it was so intense , it was so much pressure to get . Just you know , your seam on the stitching had to be perfect .

You know you're not living there , but this is where you're spending time with your friends , your family . You are supposed to conduct business and be mindful . Let's make a space that makes sense , not just as nicer looking than someone else's .

We had this office space , this design room , and there is a closet space where we would store design materials and I would go in there and just have an outrageous panic attack and just trying to get through the day . And I knew something had to change . And I was doing all the things .

I was doing the meditation , I was doing the therapy , I was eating better , I was walking every day , doing all those things you're supposed to do , but I just couldn't get there . So I knew I just needed a change of pace . But I just couldn't get there . So I knew I just needed a change of pace .

And so I left that job and I decided to start my own business doing residential design . We'd also moved to a new city , new state , and it was a total reset . It actually was really nice . And then , as you know , I needed a job right , so we started doing residential design . But then I really knew I wanted .

I knew we needed a job right , so we started doing residential design . But then I really knew I wanted . I knew we could put more into it . I knew I wanted to put more into it . I wanted to really help people . And so let's see , it was 2014 . I did my first . I started studying one-on-one , probably 2012 . And then 2014, .

I did my first certification in interior alignment feng shui , and then I went on to do an advanced training in 2018 . And then this past summer , I became a master teacher of feng shui . So now I get to teach other people and I can certify other people in doing this work Awesome .

I was all worried . And then I had this woman call me and she asked me to come to her home and I wasn't sure what I was in for . But I took my bag with all my swatches , tape measure and everything and I showed up and we did a quick tour of the home and then we sat down at the kitchen table .

She sat across from me and she looked me in the eyes and said Lisa , I'm dying . I need you to help me set up my space so my children and my husband can go on living once I'm gone . Right ? Oh ?

my gosh gosh and , like to this day , I get chills , you know I had to like regroup and pull myself together , and it was a beautiful , beautiful project we were able to really , she did need some new furnishings , right . They needed some new flooring . They needed some new , um a new , some new sofas and chairs and things .

So we did that , but we did that with the intention of creating a safe space , a comfortable space . So we utilized the five element of feng shui . We brought in a lot of earth element for grounding , right .

We brought in some wood element for regrowth , because she was adamant that she wanted her kids going on and living their lives once she's gone , and it was just a really beautiful process to bring all this together and for me , it was confirmation that I'm meant to do this .

If the universe put us together , then I'm meant to do this and it's just been going on since then . And now I , you know , I'm teaching , I'm able , you know , I do a lot of virtual work , so I get to work with people all around the world and it's so interesting how people live and their different spaces and trends and styles and colors they like .

It's really cool and interesting journey , but that that one moment , that one client , that one meeting was transformative were there any design elements of her ?

It'd been four rounds of cancer and she wasn't able to do these things . So we re she wanted them to like , really think of all the fun things they did . So we did this beautiful collage while we brought out some beautiful artwork too that they had , like in a back room .

You know how sometimes you take things down , throw it in a closet , you forget you have it but some really intentional things that really shifted the space . So it was . It was balanced because we brought in these beautiful things to make them feel , to make them remember their mother as time went on . But we also set them up for this whole process .

That was going to be very hard for everyone . Yeah , just really wanted to support them .

They're moving into their dream home , they're starting their dream business , they're taking on a new something or other right , and it's really fun to be a part of that .

It can be a template for your next week , your next year , for like who you want to be , which is really powerful . We're lucky we get once . You can take that on and explore that you can set up a space to really support you . You do need more grounding in one area because something stresses you out . You know your office right .

Or do you need , you know , to find extra relaxation in , maybe , your living room where you sit , relax and watch TV because you're struggling ? Relaxing right ? When we can influence our bodies through colors , patterns and textures , it just makes it so much easier .

It's over 4,000 years old and it started in southern China , was first documented there , and it's since shifted off into different schools or sects or styles , but we all the goal is the same to create balance in your home

. So it's your home structure , it's also the surrounding land around your home , and then we also take into account what your goals are . What are you looking for ? What do you need in life ? Right , how can you be more supported ? So we utilize the five element system wood , fire , earth , metal and water .

And then we also utilize what's called a Bagua map , and this is an energy map that has nine different energy centers . That corresponds to different areas of your home . So , to kind of explain this , some people understand like the chakra system of the body . It's kind of like that in a way . But around your , your home .

So , say you're looking to improve your relationships with other people , there is an area of the home that we can connect with that . Um , your health and well-being . There's an area we can connect with that . There's also , you know , like , like , um , uh , wealth and abundance .

If and if maybe you're studying something , you're're heading back to school and there's a great place to focus that on .

So somebody is like oh , my neighbor says I'm supposed to put a plant wherever , ok , yeah , well , your neighbor has their home layout .

Maybe they live in a ranch , maybe they live on an acre , maybe they have trees out front , maybe they're home , maybe they have five kids and maybe they have , you know , native American roots and have certain practices or beliefs that you know that's their own life . You have a totally different story .

You might live in a two-story and have like a little post-it stamp plot , right , and maybe you're empty nesters , right . Everyone's home needs to be looked at separately how your home is laid out , seeing if there's any areas missing . This can be really impactful and also then how we can enhance it to support what you're looking for in life .

A lot of people are like oh , I'm just sleeping in it , I don't care about that . But we all know , if we don't get good sleep , we're not going to be able to be ourselves , to be functioning well the next day . So it's important to have your bedroom really support you for restful sleep and your head against a solid wall . So we always want a solid wall .

We want to put ourselves in the command position , so we have a solid wall and a view of the door . So we don't want the door opposite our feet , we want it off to a side . Okay , got it and we'll really be able to protect . Give your body a sense of protection .

But also see , so the ancients believed , you know , back 4,000 years ago , when they were doing feng shui and they were living on mountains , they had this mountain behind them to protect them , right , and then they could see any of their enemies coming right . It just puts our body at ease to put it in this position , which helps us fall asleep faster .

When I go to a hotel I love , one of my guilty pleasures is climbing in bed at a hotel like a bar of chocolate the last I want and I flip through TV because I don't have a TV in my yes , but when I'm ready to go to bed I always travel with like a wrap or a scarf .

I always throw the scarf over it because we don't want that reflective quality of the television or the mirror that keeps our body from resting . Also , televisions bring in a lot of different energy , so be mindful of what you're watching .

Are you watching a scary movie and then your room and the energy of your body is connecting with a scary movie versus something calming and peaceful . Mirrors reflect and amplify . So what are they reflecting and amplifying ? Good things , maybe piles of laundry that you have yet to be folded , or is it a nice tidy space ?

But either way , anything with the reflective quality is kind of frowned upon . And and I always tell people , try things for six weeks . You don't have to commit forever , but I think if you try it for six weeks , you will , you'll feel it .

So that's my , my plan is six weeks with all my clients and if they decide they want to move it back , they can move it back . There's no feng shui police , but they will more than likely notice how they feel . Here's another big bedroom thing , if you don't mind me sharing . Yeah , go for it . It's storage underneath the bed .

I see it all the time People want to store everything under their bed . They're like , oh , it's extra storage space , and I get it . A lot of people are tight on storage , but if you think about sleeping there for eight hours hopefully eight hours a night you're sleeping above stuff .

That has meaning , that has symbolism that can you know you may go to sleep and not see it , but your subconscious knows that you know okay . So I had a client who had stacks of books that she wanted to read under her bed , like you were sleeping on top of a to-do list that you're feeling guilty about that you haven't gotten to this whole story .

She was angry at him and I'm like , oh my gosh , so I recommend nothing under your bed . I have one extra blanket for really cold nights , and that's it .

So the front entry in Feng . Shui , the front door , and this is the architectural front door . A lot of people are like well , I use my garage door , but I want you to focus on your front door . This is considered the mouth of sheet , or mouth of where energy comes into our home .

So we want this , we want to draw things and we want to suck good energy and we want it to come in and fill our home . So when you have a mirror , it will literally just reflect that energy back out . So oftentimes people are like , oh , I want to check my lipstick right before I pop outside , you know , head out somewhere , but that's not the place .

If you really want a mirror , maybe inside the coat closet , that's a great way , and then you can close the door and not have it there . But we really want to avoid mirrors at the front door and also make sure you use your front door . That's another big one . How come ?

So again , this is the mouth of chi , right , we want fresh , new energy , fresh new opportunities coming towards us , and if we're always just using our garage door . Then this front door becomes stagnant , which we don't want . So I always tell my clients come up with a plan of how you can use the front door .

Maybe you walk your dog out the front door , Maybe you go on your evening walk out the front door , you go get the mail . Come up with something so you can keep this door opening and closing and keep energy flowing here .

So I walk up to the door , I open it , I stick my head out , maybe go outside if it's nice and just like take a breath of fresh air and close it behind me .

. Is there for energy , for energy for feng shui open versus like closed spaces ? What's the opposite of that ? Energy for feng shui open versus like closed spaces . What's ?

If your home is completely empty and sparse , right , it's not going to flow , it's going to go straight out the back door and be done . Right ? We also don't want the opposite , where there's so many angles and so many walls and so much clutter that energy can't get through . So we want to find a happy medium .

When arranging especially open floor plans , I found it to be very beneficial to have more rounded furniture . It also lends itself to better flow , following feng shui . So more rounded , curving pieces , a barrel chair versus a big boxy chair can feel more comfortable . Also , you need to be mindful of the scale , right ?

If you have an open floor plan , the scale of your furniture needs to match the scale of the room , right ? You don't want little wimpy furniture , right ? And also , if you have you know , I work with people in small spaces too and condos and apartments , and they might downsize and they have these grand wingback chairs that take up the entire room right .

We need to have balance of the scale of the item in relation to our room .

So , you know , in feng shui we follow these cycles of nature , right , it's all it's using , utilizing the five elements , but also there's cycles of everything , right , and we're in fall now and a lot of people , you know , getting into winter before long and a lot of people are like , oh my gosh , I'm getting so stressed out , knowing winter's coming , it's going

to be a cold winter and I'm just not looking forward to it . I'm already feeling depressed . And here's something I always tell them that actually really helped myself it's once you understand that we need those cycles of nature . It's kind of following yin and yang .

You need you wouldn't have daytime if you didn't have nighttime Like we need this going within the flowers , have , you know , come back down into the earth and there's the bulb , right , and we're in that season of fall and we're preparing to kind of hibernate for winter , right , but we need this so that we can feel rejuvenated and be ready for the spring , energy

to grow and be bright and have these bright , beautiful flowers again . Right , our bodies are just like that . We need these cycles . So once you can understand the importance of this cycle to bring balance throughout the rest of the year , then that really helps . For me at least I found some other people . They understand it . That way it just makes it easier .

But yeah , grounding is very important right now too . A lot of earth element . So the earth element can be brought in through the colors of beige , tan , brown cream , chocolate , but then also any thick , chunky textures , like I always love to pull out the big chunky throws this time of year , right yeah , and curl up on the sofa .

A lot of textural stuff , but then also squared shapes and anything kind of low to the ground .

I think it's kind of fun thinking about the seasons and decorating for the holidays and stuff like that , and we were bringing in these oranges and browns for this fall Thanksgiving We'll be here before we know it and like all these types of colors and it's really supporting our body as we're trying to get into this winter mode and you know , it's kind of been

gray out where . I live and it doesn't feel so lush and everything . So it's a gentle way to ease into that . So I think we naturally do a lot ourselves , but once we understand we can do more . So that's I do . I decorate for every season . In the summertime I bring in a lot more blues into my space .

It's cooling , it's calming on those high hot energy days , and then in the wintertime I get the winter blaws and so I always bring a lot of fuchsia and maybe pops of red and pops of orange and yellow .

Yellow is a really powerful color , but even on my desk chair I have a bright fuchsia throw that I just leave back there in the winter months and then I'm feeling extra blah . I'm sitting there typing along and I'll just drape it over my shoulders and see it out of the corner of my eye and it just helps . It helps so much .

It isn't just surrounding your space but also , I believe , having it near your body helps .

Um , the earth element , spring , connects to the wood element , so the wood element is great if you're taking on a new task , starting a new routine , starting a business , starting something new , or you want to grow or expand or reach some goals .

If you think about the tall trees growing up to the sky , right , it's onward and upward , so the wood element element is great . A lot of people think brown , but brown connects to the earth element . The wood element is represented by the color green okay so any color green doesn't have to be bright green , like you see on the trees .

Sage greens are so popular right now and also really deep forest greens . I swear the 90s are back but yeah yeah , yeah , forest greens are really pretty . Also any type of vertical line . So if you have a throw pillow with stripes , place it vertically . That's a great way . Plants , flowers are a great way to bring in the wood element and also artwork .

So if you're not , you don't have a green thumb , that's okay . Maybe a painting of some flowers that works well . You know , I think back to when everyone was working from home and stuck at home and they all bought 25 different plants for their home .

I will say this for those of you that bought 25 plants too much we remember we want balance of these five elements for the activity happening in the space . So the energy of a spa is different energy from , say , chuck E Cheese , right ? So you have to figure out where , on that scale , you kind of are .

But the wood element is really great to lift our energy . But too much wood element , too many green plants , 25 plants in one room , can actually cause an energy of feeling of frustration in your body . Oh interesting , so I recommend separating them up . There's no reason all your plants need to be in one room . Place some plants in each room .

I always recommend no more than three per room , but kind of depending on the size .

I used to even breathe this stuff , but it's so powerful and it works , that's why I do it . But the metal element is great for focus . So if you are having a hard time focusing , you have a deadline , gray white pastel is your friend . Even if you have a deadline at work and you work in a cubicle , that's okay .

Maybe wear gray , maybe bring in something , something you can put on your desk right Gray , white pastel , also any metal object . Okay , any color of metal . It can be copper , it can be gold , it can be silver . That will work for the metal element . And then the fire element is really fun fuchsia , bright red , triangular shapes , which is kind of cool .

If you think of a triangular shape , it looks like a flame , yeah it's white at the bottom and then the flame goes up so the fire element is like really high energy , lifting the energy of your body , waking you up . Here's where we want balance . Too much fire can cause , you know , we know red , it'll burn . Yes , red raises our blood pressure . Red does .

It lifts the energy a lot , so we have to keep it within balance . We want some to wake us up . Yeah . We don't want too much . I actually just worked with someone with a fuchsia bedroom , the whole thing . Yes , it was really cute and I felt bad , but she was sleeping and that's why her body couldn't relax , couldn't come down .

That's okay , but that's what that would kind of say . It's not encouraging you to you know if they're not going to be an artist , right ? Yeah , we say probably you know an accountant and calculating numbers right . But you need to have balance .

So you can do that if you love this like one color kind of scheme , or like beige or taupe or whatever you like , bring in other elements through , other things beyond color , so for example , patterns or texture shapes , right . So every element also has a complementary shape . The wood element has those vertical lines .

The metal element is represented by circular shapes . Okay . The water element is represented by wavy lines . So if you did a monochromatic white room , I would suggest bringing in sort of wavy pattern to bring in a water element to loosen it up a bit . Maybe a little bit of fire , maybe a single candle , maybe a pair of candles would be nice .

And then also plants . Every room , especially when you're doing one color , needs plants , just for that ground . Ground , that kind of earthy just brings life in .

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But Uber , traditional practitioners would say no fake plant , that represents a fake energy . Oh yeah , I believe I work with so many people who travel , who just who have cats digging plants . The plants , the beautiful silk flowers of today are not like grandma's silk flowers . That's true . The dusty .

So if you love it , then that's okay , and that's my whole thing , is it I ? It's nice that there are all these rules , but there's a time we have to break the rules . Right , if you really love it , then we will break the rules and we'll make it work . Um , but I love your sofa .

It has that Brown color and it's also kind of more horizontal , so it brings in a grounding energy , which is really important in like a camper trailer . I work with people who live in their rv full time and it's really important to have this like low energy to really bring a sense of grounding .

um , your pillows are kind of aqua yeah it looks like , yeah , so , and they're , they're rounded , so it kind of bring in blue , brings in the water element for a little creativity and a little focus back there , but then it's so cool . You have that pink pop Right . That's a little higher , a little more playful , fun , energy , not quite fiery .

Yeah , yeah , okay .

We're just selecting , maybe , a brown sofa versus a green sofa , or a sofa with boxier shaped arms versus a more rounded shaped arm . Right , and there's easy ways you can do that , ways you can do that . There's also an element , too , that a lot of people think that if they're going to employ feng shui , that they have to remodel , invest all this money .

And one of my first teachers ever she had an amazing book and it's not even in print anymore . I dig at the old used bookstores for old copies of it , but it's feng shui with what you have . And this really set me on this path , because I want to help people know that they can adjust and improve their space without spending a lot of money .

You don't have to spend a lot of money . Like I said , a lot of people have stuff in their closets and I'm like just shop your home , you probably have something you need .

It looks super cool Like it has different arms that come out , different arms that go in different directions and it looks super cool and I keep seeing different variations of this right and different like arms coming out and it looks really cool . I get it , I get the appeal of it , but in feng shui we have this thing called a poison arrow .

So this is when we have a point coming towards our body for a long period of time that it's like coming towards our body that doesn't put our body at ease . Right , like I said , we want those soft , rounded shapes , not harsh angles , which would be a poison arrow , and so we want to eliminate these if possible .

So those interesting , cool light fixtures are not putting your body at ease . The other big no-no which I try to tell I hate telling people you have to get rid of something , right that's not what . I want to do . It's not what I'm about , it's let's rearrange , let's figure out how we can make it work , but also . But , cacti .

Cactus are just not our friend Cactus are cool . They are not our friend Because look at , think of all the little poison arrows . All those points coming at . So my sister-in-law actually had this in her foyer , a picture of my two nieces , my beautiful little nieces , and they were little .

And then this cute cacti and I walked in one day and I was like the cacti is cool , but not next to the three little girls . I'm like we got to remove this , we got to put it somewhere else and I let her move it to another location , but not in the entry and not next to child energy and children Right . So those are my two .

Our bedrooms are a place for sleep and rest , maybe a little romance , but they're not the place for a high-energy activity such as working out . I also see a lot of laundry . That's a to-do list , right ? We want very calming in your bedroom .

Maybe you want to journal , maybe meditate , maybe some gentle yoga , but we don't want these high energy activities in our bedroom . Yeah . So get the treadmill out , get the bike out there's .

Yeah , and somebody else is trying to eat and you need a dedicated space . And we got really creative . You know I work with people in small spaces apartments , condos sometimes and I know we turned a couple closets , like bifold door kind of closets , into office spaces oh smart .

And then we took the doors off and then we hung drapery panels there so they could close it , but it looked really cute . I love that . It was a really fun way .

But I love helping people set up home offices just because I've had my home office for so long and I've done it on my own and I find it fascinating how we can help ourselves be more productive and more focused . And it's fascinating once you learn about these little things you can do . Like one thing I always share is set up a routine .

One thing I always share is set up a routine and really like when I walk in my office , I turn the light on , I go over and open the blind , I light the candle , I turn on my music , I sit down in my chair .

So at the end of the day , I push my chair and blow out my candle , turn off my music , close the blinds , turn off the lights and close the door and when you get your body into this rhythm , you walk in . Eventually you'll walk in and be like oh , I'm just in work mode , like my head is there , Right .

And then there's a whole other problem at the end of the day where you need to get out of work mode . Because I know how hard it can be to be like ah , I'm just going to run back up and do one more email .

I love more of a sunlight or big lamps when you need to see things on a cloudy day , but it's also nice to have smaller lamps , maybe a desk lamp or a decorative lamp , just for extra lighting , to have that warm glow . And this is something if you work in a cubicle , take a lamp with a warm white bulb . You probably have those fluorescents overhead .

They're so bright , they're so white , they don't make you feel good , and putting just a small lamp on your desk with that warm glow can really warm up your body . Mm , hmm , I love that

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This isn't exactly following feng shui , but I'll also use some soft greens . One of my favorite colors to use in a bedroom . It's called Sea Salt from Sherwin-Williams and it's the most beautiful . Pale , pale aqua , and as you go through the day it changes colors .

So , in the bright light it's aqua , and then at night , when you have the lamps on , it kind of turns sage green and then when it gets nighttime out and the lamp you know it's just the lamps it turns to gray and it's really , really beautiful . That's cool . So , there are certain other colors .

I have also used a really soft , soft blush color in a bedroom , so those are really good soft , soft blush color in a bedroom , so those are really good I love to use in the dining room or a kitchen . I mean , I feel like our kitchens are more communal spaces now .

That's where we host people and that's where we all stand around the island eating everything right and drinking and laughing and talking .

So the kitchen , those areas where you want to entertain , maybe , serve a really great fun dinner or you're hosting a holiday dinner , bring in the colors , since it's appropriate for this time of year , but like oranges and yellows and browns , because it will help people feel grounded but also lift their energy . Yellow is a great color to place .

Yellow is the ideal color , following feng shui , to place in the center , most area of your home . So if you're looking down at a floor plan drawing of your home , find the center and yellow is the ideal color to place there . Yellow connects to the earth element . But what's really cool about yellow is it's grounded but also lifted energy .

Right , it's not chocolate brown , the depths of chocolate , milk , chocolate brown , it's lifted . So yellow is really great for that . Activities . What about living ?

Right , because living rooms is also where we host a lot of guests and if you want to create the space for you and your family , but you also want to be mindful if a guest is going to feel miserable , you know , anxious in your red room , they're not going to come back over . Yeah , very true yeah . Yeah , bathrooms are . Typically .

I loved there's a lot of water element already in bathrooms so we don't always want to make them blue and add to more water . I love to bring in a wood element , so a plant in bathrooms , or the green coloring , a beautiful green color on the walls . Yellows are also neutrals . Peachy , orangey colors , browns , bathrooms you can get away with a lot .

I just recommend no excess blue . If you really love blue , we'll figure out a way to do it . But yeah , I did want to mention a big trend we're seeing are these dark , moody colors . We kind of joked about the 90s hunter green right , and burgundy burgundy is everywhere . I love this trend . It's really fun .

So when we look at these deep , moody colors like navy blue , hunter green , charcoal , burgundy , maroon , it also has the season of winter kind of connected , like that time where we go within . Like during wintertime I like to curl up on my cell phone , I don't want to go out a lot , right , and those colors kind of encourage that feeling .

So you're not going to feel the most motivated to get things done right . So you're not going to feel the most motivated to get things done right and get up and go do your things and go exercise and do the things you need to do and run your errands .

You're going to want to like stay in that room , but it's important if you do want to take on those bold , moody colors , to bring balance . I love to bring that middle ground , like caramel or like a camel color . It's really pretty and then you can add some pops of some lighter colors too .

I'm actually working on a class that I'm going to do in january all about all these current design trends and , like what you can expect , how they're going to affect your body , because people need to know this before they go and , like , paint their you know color drench their room in green . How is that going to affect their body and ?

Right , I had a home we moved into years ago and it was yet the room I was going to use as my office was yellow , and I'm like I'm not a yellow person , but I moved in . I'm like I'll figure out the paint color later . I have work to get done .

I'm going to set up my office , do my thing and then I'll figure it out , and the more time I spent in there , the more I found myself productive and focused . I loved that office . I don't have a yellow office now . My office is green , but it was really good for me .

After you know , when you go through a move , you're stressful and you're worrying about everything in the house , but then you have to work , so yellow can be really good for that . I also love green if you do struggle with focus .

So if you look at I don't have a fan deck here with me , but if you look at a paint fan deck , you spread them all out there's the bright , bold colors and then there are some that have like a grayed out kind of sense , like in the middle , and that's where you need to go because that will help them settle and relax .

So I had a client years ago who called me and they had a daughter who wasn't sleeping in her room . Oh right Every night she would , just if she did fall asleep in her room , she'd wake up screaming .

She was six and she'd had a lot of health issues , and so they were letting her still sleep with mom and dad , but it was causing problems , right , and when she wasn't with mom and dad she'd go sleep with the older sister .

So they called me and we'd actually worked together on a few other things , and then we talked about this room and the mom had also told me that when the little girl was really young she'd had multiple surgeries , and the very first time she had surgery , the mom said I told the doctors I wanted to be there when she woke up so I would be right there .

I told her I would be there and I promised her I would be there and I wasn't there .

I get these lime , green and pink bedrooms . It's really cute . But this wasn't supporting her , so we toned it down . We did like an off-white color on the walls . We did a soft , soft sage green color in there and then a softer pink .

So we could still work with those colors , but just revamp them because no wonder she was waking up in a room terrified yeah it was so sad well , it was really fascinating to to help her with this then yeah , yeah , she's doing well , she's sleeping in her own bed .

Does this feel weird , Does this feel rigid , Does this feel like there's a flow here ? And so it's just super important to kind of keep track of that .

I can't spend a long period of time there , I need more clean lines and just I need a different vibe . So that's really interesting to see .

I also say too if you're not sure how people are receiving your space and again we always want to design it for us but if you're not sure how they're receiving it , how they're feeling when they walk in the door , then I have an experiment I send all my clients to do Uh-huh share .

You know , go to the store and grab a coffee , come back , get really grounded , take some deep breaths , and then I want you to walk in your front door as if you were a guest . Walk into the front door and see what you see , because we don't even see our space anymore . We go to , say , a hotel . We look at the carpet , oh , wow .

Look at the wild pattern on the carpet . Oh , look at the artwork , that's really interesting and interesting , and oh , those draperies and then you open it up and look at the view . But we don't do that to our own home , so yeah when you can slow down and walk in and see . Just be curious where your eye goes first when you walk in .

What do do you see ? Where do your eyes go ? What are you drawn to ? What direction are you drawn to as ?

I was like what is happening right now ? But it was like chocolate browns and , um , very soft , like plush , like uh , textures , and maybe it was the layout , I don't know , but I was like and I've never feel , felt like I've had that experience before . I'm like what is ? And then I had to like pick this apart . I'm like I don't really love brown .

Why am I so ? Wow , I love that space yeah , it was .

Oh my gosh , so interesting , funny , I love it .

They're just simply there for a little inspiration , a little fun something to think of . Am I ready to refresh ? Maybe this is what I want to do , but I don't want anyone to ever feel like they have to be trendy or follow a trend . You need to design a space that you love .

I mean , I can go to Google Maps , I can get floor plans of your home . It's amazing the amount we can get just from working virtually , that I don't have to be in the space . So I offered that I also do distance energetic space clearings , which is it's pretty woo .

So before a big event in your life , or maybe you just bought a new home and you want to rinse out the energy of the space before you move your family and your belongings into it .

If you're building , remodeling and just want to know those few basic things you need to know . That's what that is

about . My next feng shui certification is in May . Starts kicks off in March . Cool . The retreat portion is in May . So so many amazing things . I feel so grateful to be in this point in my life and my career that just to be able to do this .

Thank you , jen , thank you guys , so much for listening to our show . We greatly appreciate the community that we are making here . If you love what you're hearing , please give us a review up on Apple podcasts , as that helps our little show grow , and we'll see you next time .