5 Ways to Make Over Your Desk So It Inspires Creativity

Anjie Cho July 31, 2019

Your outer landscape has a direct impact on your inner one, whether you realize it or not. When it comes to decorating your home or office, there's real power in designing a space that speaks to your goals and intentions.

Plant-based athlete, author, and mbg Collective member Rich Rollsaid it best in a recent Instagram post about his at-home office scene: a converted shipping container filled with books, notepads, a skateboard, and other trinkets he finds inspiring. "The more fertile the space, the more fertile the mind," its caption reads. "Put intention into your personal space. Create the environment to create."

While research has found that some things are beneficial for nearly every work environment (adding a plant to your desk can increase productivity by 15%; sitting near a window while you work can improve sleep and boost energy levels), it's largely personal. So for inspiration, we asked some of the creative, design-oriented people in our world about how they invite productivity and inspiration into their workspaces. Here are some of their favorite strategies you can emulate in your office or home:

…read full article

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Dive deeper into feng shui to transform your life!

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Create sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com

Is The Stuff Under Your Bed Ruining Your High-Vibe Bedroom?

Anjie Cho July 10, 2019

featured on MindBodyGreen by Emma Loewe

image credit: Yasmine Boheas / Unsplash via MindBodyGreen

Feng shui is all about designing for optimal energy flow at home. It cautions against sharp corners, heavy objects, and clutter of all kinds. The ancient philosophy was born in China nearly 6,000 years ago, and it arose from the idea that the quality of our surroundings can dictate the quality of our lives.

It's safe to say, though, that the creators of the practice never set foot in a cramped New York City apartment. Some feng shui guidelines feel much more applicable to sprawling spaces, and there's one in particular that feels like an affront to small home dwellers everywhere: the "no storage under the bed" rule.

Why shouldn't you store stuff under your bed?

According to feng shui, the stuff under your bed could be sabotaging your sleep. "In feng shui, it's best to have the air flow all around you while you're sleeping, so it's a big no-no to have objects under the bed," feng shui expert and architect Anjie Cho recently wrote for mindbodygreen. Cho explains that it's especially important to have free-flowing good energy—or chi—surrounding you when you're in a passive sleep state. When physical clutter gets in the way, it can lead to similarly cluttered thoughts and restless nights.

…read full article

Dive deeper into feng shui to transform your life!

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Create sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com

5 Feng Shui Tricks That'll Make A Small Space Feel Way Bigger

Anjie Cho July 3, 2019

featured on MindBodyGreen by Emma Loewe

Feng shui is an approach to home design that prioritizes the unseen as much as the seen. It's a collection of practices thought to help positive energy to settle in a space, and it's one we reference a lot here at mindbodygreen (ahem, we even offer a whole class on it).

Before your feng shui touch-up can begin, it's worth asking what you're hoping to create at home. Blame it on New York real estate, but when mbg's editors were tasked with thinking about what they could use more of, "space" was high on the list. If you, too, are eternally short on square footage, we compiled some of the top ways to use feng shui to help your home feel more expansive:

2. Opt for light, neutral colors.

This is a practical design tip that feng shui vouches for too. Lighter colors tend to open up a space while harsher tones like red, blues, and browns make things feel more cramped. "Having a very cohesive, monochromatic space is calming because there's not a lot of contrast, and it looks more expansive," says NYC-based architect and feng shui expert Anjie Cho.

…read full article