For the Love of Chi

Have you ever worked hard cleaning your home or room all day, and climb into bed for the night, and even with the lights off, it just feels “clean”? You just know all of your possessions are tucked away into their proper home, and you can “feel” nothing on the floor – the same euphoric feeling as when you scratch that mosquito bite on your ankle (you know the feeling).  What you are feeling is chi.

So, what is chi?

Well that is a great question and I am really glad you asked! Chi is the circulating life energy that, in Chinese philosophy, is thought to be inherent in all things. In traditional Chinese medicine, the balance of positive & negative energies form in the body and are believed to be essential for good health. It’s the foundational force that makes Feng Shui work. It isn’t just for eastern medicine either, it’s utilized in your décor, and even in your cleaning ritual.

I attempt to utilize the proper flow of chi in my everyday life, and I must say I can feel when the chi is off. This is when I try to find a way to remedy it as quickly as I can.

If you start improving the flow of chi in your daily life, you will truly feel a difference. There are things you can do each day in your space to enhance the flow of chi, and I am going to give you examples.

A Breath of Fresh Air:

Opening your windows can allow the negative chi to leave, and the positive chi to come in. It’s a cycle. There’s something about introducing ozone into your space to really liven it up. Remember when you would go to your grandparent’s house and their air-dried sheets were so fresh-smelling? That’s the power of ozone.

Light it up:

Smudging can really help with the flow of chi. Smudging is the practice of burning dried sage or Palo Santo, which can help alleviate negative energy.

Cleanliness is next to godliness:

I love to clean…. I mean I love the idea of cleaning, but even I lack the motivation at times. Once my space gets cluttered and dirty, I get this glass-half-empty mentality and think “screw it, it’s too far gone.” But it’s an easy fix! If you’re up to it give it 21 days (because twenty-one days makes a habit, right?). Schedule a time to do a full-on deep clean of your home. I’m talking clean the baseboards, vacuum the popcorn out of the sofa cushions, clean the microwave. Do a thorough deep cleaning on your space. Have a beer, put on Taylor Swift and start cleaning. After the deep clean, the rest is just upkeep.

Give yourself a schedule and allot 20 minutes every day to do the maintenance cleaning that you otherwise wouldn’t do everyday. I call this “getting chiggy with it”. Twenty minutes everyday is all it takes to keep your space spotless and clutter free from now on. Do this alongside your regular daily chores like doing the dishes, folding laundry, or taking out trash.

Obviously it sounds like a drill sergeant schedule, but it’s not really! Each day literally takes about 20 minutes (I know, because this is my schedule!). Make it your own, but understand that not everyday needs a vacuum and not everyday needs a mop. Do clean your toilet everyday (see below), and pick up the things off the floor. Be tidy and pick up after yourself. Then you only need to do a really good deep cleaning every two months or so.

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