The Importance of REVIEWING, REFRESHING, REVITAZING
N
ow that the festive celebrations are finally over, we are back at work with lots of creative new ideas on how best to sow new seeds to gather a bountiful harvest before the next holiday season
comes around once more. Did you do what your mothers used to do? Spring-clean, de-clutter and rearrange your homes and workplaces? Whether it is Hari Raya, Christmas or Chinese New Year, I am sure everyone did something to prepare for their traditional important occasions. And even if you didn’t, you must have gone out to buy new clothes and new shoes… Have you ever wondered why people do that? Festive seasons - no matter how much of a scrooge you are or how low your finances - are happy and auspicious occasions. And you celebrate that by adding new objects, furniture pieces, attire, and repairing or replacing what is broken or no longer working. You bring in new energy when you clean, arrange, or get rid of old stuff... Yang energy breathes new life into any space which may have become stale. But do not limit your revitalisation to pre-festive periods. You should actually do so all year round to ensure your feng shui always stays fresh and vibrant.
“You will never have good energy if you are lazy!”
Cut the grass, prune the trees, dust and wipe the surface areas in your home and office. Get rid of chipped crockery, throw away faded or unwanted clothes, and repair anything that is broken. Good feng shui is not only about correction; it is also about working about good maintenance. It
is for this reason that
during the crazy period before any festivities, retail shops organize events to draw the crowds. It is important to keep your merchandise ‘alive’! Keep moving your displays and clean or polish them regularly. Tere is nothing worse than a tired shop with fused
68 FENGSHUIWORLD | MARCH / APRIL 2012
lighting, dusty displays or broken equipment. Te busiest stores are those always changing their goods, themes and displays. Tere should be lively music, nice smells and well-trained staff. Back in my Kuantan days, there was a time when sales in my shop were down. I installed Christmas lights all over my ceiling. Tey not only brightened my store, their constant blinking created lively chi and drew customers in to browse; and when they browsed, they bought. Te important thing is they came in. If customers won’t even enter your shop, you don’t stand a chance! Whatever action you take always brings a reaction.
If the carpets are looking worn, change them! Do not fall into the trap that when income is slow you need to conserve; in fact, that is precisely the time to invest some money to change the energy of your shop or business. Paint the walls, clean the cash register, change the music and bring in new stock. Never be of the notion that you need to sell off existing
products before you restock on new stuff. You can do the same for
your home. In the course of my consultation work, I have been to some homes of clients who complained of
cash-
flow problems. One client complained of bad business and unhappy offspring who were not performing. Tings were so bad he had had two vehicle accidents in one year that left him unable to work for six months! Tere