10 Feng Shui Tips To Improve The Energy In Your Home
While mantras and the dedication to more self-care and health practices are a beautiful way to press reset year-round, a lot of us forget how important it is to nurture our most sacred space. And by that I mean, our homes. While the outside world comes with stresses and responsibilities and chaos, your home very much embodies the eye of the storm. There you find peace, tranquility, and solace. And because it does, you shouldn't be afraid to elevate the way you think about it and how you make it work for you. Dare to do something different as you set your intentions for the rest of the year. Turn your home into a place that takes care of you.
Give these 10 feng shui tidbits a try and ignite a positive and nourishing energy shift in your life for 2022.
1.Keep Your Entryway Clutter-Free, Well-Lit, and Laced With an Inviting Aroma
Everyone who enters your home will take on the attitude and energy that greets them when the front door opens. Your entryway should inspire guests to bring only the happiest, healthiest parts of themselves into your home. We all have baggage, but bright paint and a fragrant scent will encourage your grumpiest neighbor to leave their negativity at the curb. Clutter-free means no trash, no stacks of mail, no piles of shoes, no shovels, and no raggedy coat racks in the doorway.
Make sure your home's entrance is saying, "Girl! Come on in here, so we can relax and have fun" as opposed to, "Ugh! What took you so long? I'm drowning in here!"
2.Designate a Place for Guest To Leave Their Shoes
For centuries, ancient Chinese feng shui pioneers have followed this rule: do not wear shoes in the house. Shoes carry gum, mucus, feces, and much more from the street into your home. Allowing people to walk around your home in their shoes is the equivalent of walking through Times Square barefoot. Secondly, letting shoes be worn in your home energetically represents people carrying their problems into your residence. As you can imagine, other people's issues to settle into your space can seriously interfere with your home's peace and positivity.
Do yourself a favor and always have the guests leave their shoes and their troubles at the door.
Tip: Keep a small basket of ankle socks on hand to offer those girlfriends whose toes haven't seen a pedicure in a while.
3.Protect Your Kitchen
The kitchen nourishes the family both literally and energetically. Anything that sustains you is worth protecting. It is best if you cannot see into the kitchen from the front door. Do something to cover your kitchen doorway. Energetically, visible access to the kitchen from the front door gives way to problems with nourishment-related health problems.
Tip: Use all four fires on your stovetop when cooking. Most people (especially singles) tend to use the same jet repeatedly. In feng shui, putting all stovetop jets into action energetically balances your body's health.
4.Shut the Bathroom Door (and Put the Toilet Seat Down)
Bathrooms are physically and energetically set up to "get rid of" what we no longer need or want. We all use the bathroom to wash away dirt and release other bodily things we are too ladylike to mention here. But did you know that bathrooms will energetically wash away your finances as well? Keeping your toilet seat up and the bathroom door open is the energetic equivalent of saying, "Here, take my money, I don't need it." So next time bae heads to the bathroom, tell them to put the lid down because your bank account depends on it.
5. Be Sure the Living Room Doesn’t Feel Like a Museum
Living rooms should be set up for conversation. It is the room where "living" (being with loved ones, communicating, enjoying good company) is supposed to take place. Seating should be set up fairly close together, clutter-free, cozy and inviting. Furniture set far apart or lined up along the walls does not encourage "living" or togetherness. It's okay for the living room to look like the cover of ArchitecturalDigest, as long as it doesn't feel like the Smithsonian.
6.The Bedroom: Sleep, Sex and Solitude
There are lots of fun, feng shui facts about the bedroom, so take note. Bedrooms are the lungs of the home where deep breathing (relaxation) should take place. Bedrooms are best when placed at the back of the home, where the energy is more yin. Every bed should have a headboard because, when we rest at night, energy from the universe enters our bodies through the tops of our heads. Too much cosmic intake can be overstimulating and disrupt your sleep. And lastly, do not store items underneath the bed. Doing so symbolizes underhanded, sneaky, or backstabbing behavior from others.
7.It’s Electric! (And Unhealthy.)
Electrical currents are harmful to our human bodies. In modern times, it is hard to avoid. Nevertheless, there are things we can do to decrease our electrical exposure. What your grandmama said about not sitting so close to the TV is correct but the most vital place to reduce your contact with electrical currents is in your bedrooms. Free your bedroom of all electrical items like TVs, radios, and electrical alarm clocks.
If full-on monastery mode is not your cup of tea, then at least unplug the electronics before you sleep. Just plug everything into a power strip and turn the strip off at night. For those who sleep with their cellphones, try and break that habit by sleeping with all electronics a minimum of four feet away from the foot of the bed. And, yes…that includes your cellphone as it charges overnight.
8.Table Talk
When shopping for a table, keep this in mind. The most uncomfortable tables are those with a glass tabletop. Fear of breaking or cracking the table is a visitor's worst nightmare. People can't help but feel tension when they have to place something on a glass table. The stress is distracting and takes away from good conversation and fun activities. So, when you're redecorating, swap the glass out for wood, leather, or some other less fragile tabletop.
9.Big Windows and High Ceilings
When choosing a new home or apartment, be sure the top of the window frame is higher than the tallest resident or frequent overnight guest. Short window frames give college baller bae -- that uneasy, trapped feeling. We don't want that energy creeping into our relationship.
10. Place a Protector Near the Entryway
Every queen needs protection. Feng shui suggests using a talisman at or near your home's entrance as a tool of security and an attractor of good vibes. Different cultures have different talisman items. The Chinese culture likes the Bagua or fu dogs, while a home of African descent may choose an Ankh or the Eye of Ra. The choice is yours.
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Featured image by JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images
Originally published on October 24, 2019
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Keith Powers On His Grooming Routine & Expressing Himself Through His Hair
Keith Powers is taking his crown back — that being his hair.
From a young age, the 30-year-old actor recalls having little say on how his hair was presented. As many of his friends and cousins had the liberty to experiment with hairstyles like cornrows, plaits, and fros, Powers’ parents opted for an easier look: a no-fuss, bald fade. “Man, I just want to grow my hair out,” he tells xoNecole. “When I was young, and I was like, 'Yo, when I get older, I'm doing whatever I want to my hair.'”
In time, Powers’ desire to test the limits of his hair’s potential grew from an act of intentional rebellion to a symbol of pride in his culture and textured hair. From his signature fade to red-carpet-ready tapered cut topped with curls, the New Edition Story star is no stranger to experimentation and switching his styles up. “That's why I do so many things like dye my hair," he shares. “It's just having pride in my hair, my look, and how I want to style it because my hair is a representation of how I feel in the moment.”
As one of Hollywood’s most talented stars, Power understands the influence of Black culture when setting trends and moving the needle within the industry.
A recent shift within the men’s grooming space has made room for an increasing focus on personal style and the creative pioneering in men’s hairstyling. With this in mind, Powers is using his platform to support and celebrate the new wave of Black men’s hair expression, in every way they choose to wear it. “I’m learning that there’s really no limitation on what I want to do with my hair,” he says. “Whatever I'm expressing with my hairstyle doesn't define who I am as a person.”
KISS Colors & Care and Keith Powers have joined forces in a new partnership that highlights the brand's signature collection designed specifically for curly and coily hair textures. Their custom line of products and accessories range from the Twist Curl Gel, and Twist King, to a curated selection of brushes, picks, durags, and sponges to help men nourish and protect their hair while also expressing the versatility and diversity of textured hairstyles.
Powers spoke to xoNecole about his hair grooming routine, how his hair allows him to express his personal style, and what he hopes to impart to his future children about loving and embracing their natural hair.
xoNecole: One thing that’s clear about your personal haircare/style over the years is that you’re not afraid to play around with classic haircuts like a fade, the tapered high top you have now. How has your exploration through these hairstyles influenced your overall sense of identity and self-expression?
Keith Powers: Growing up, I felt like my hair wasn’t presentable until it was cut all the way off. That’s kind of how my family would make it sound. Maybe there's a little baby trauma, but my parents were young, and they were learning. Now, I know I can express myself through my hair, and I don’t have to feel like my hair isn't professional in this setting because no matter what hairstyle you have, you can make it professional. I'm expressing myself now, and I know that doesn't define who I am like in the workplace or professionally.
xoN: Talk to us a little bit about your personal grooming routine. What are some of the products or brands that you reach for when it comes to your personal care?
KP: That's what I'm still trying to figure out. I always grew up not really having much hair on my head, but the Kiss Twist Gel Hair Gel has really been helpful with holding my hair together after hitting it with the curling sponge.
I really like to condition my hair as much as I can throughout the week. I try to do a treatment, like a treatment, and then I condition it. I switch so many conditioners — I just know I need to condition my hair because my scalp gets really dry. But I think I'm still really learning how to take care of my hair and that's with asking my friends for advice on different products to keep my hair moisturized. I think that's the hardest thing for me. I really feel like my hair dries out really fast. So it's a constant battle every day, but this is a fun one.
xoN: You’ve spoken openly about the significant role your father has played in your life and your desires of being a father and husband yourself one day. What would you teach your future children about self-care and self-expression?
KP: I think about that a lot. Kids really like to imitate what they see, so as a parent, you gotta find that balance of, okay, I want them to express themselves, but I have to do what's convenient for me and my kid when we’re getting ready in the morning.
I would love it if my future daughter wanted locs, but at the same time, she might want to switch things up and want to try different things. I just want my future kids to know that their hair, whatever texture it is, is beautiful and that they can express themselves how they want.
xoN: What advice would you give to others looking to experiment more with their hair and personal style?
KP: Just like Coach Prime says, ‘When you look good, you play good, and they pay.’ So it's really just about how you feel. I get inspired by watching films and animation, too. If I'm watching an animation, I'm like, ‘Yo, this hairstyle is fire, I could see myself doing something close to that.’ Sometimes, my hair makes me feel like a superhero. When I dye my hair, I really feel like a character out of a movie; it inspires and motivates what I wear, too. However you’re feeling, do it.
As you're looking for your look, or if you already have your look, just try different things. It’s fun and dope to see people, especially our people, express themselves with their hair because we can do so much with our hair, why minimize?
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Featured image by Ivan Apfel/Getty Images