Probably sounds a little counterintuitive, right?
But what if I told you giving and receiving are a circle?
You don’t give to get, but when you’re able to give openly without strings attached you’re also creating the energetic space to be filled right back up with even more of what you gave away.
You see, I believe there is a certain “energy flow” through life, that permeates all our daily actions, our thoughts, emotions, you name it. And I’m not alone. In fact, the theory has been around for thousands of years- the ancient Chinese called this energy “qi” and it’s the life force that makes up our being and encompasses everything around us.
I believe that, ironically, the harder you hold on to something, the easier it is for that thing to get away.
No one likes to feel cramped, and if money were to have a persona, I say it would feel the same way.
“Don’t hold me so tight,” it’d say, “I feel like I’m trapped, I’m claustrophobic… now I just want to get away…”
Now that doesn’t mean spending money recklessly. It doesn’t mean making brash decisions that desperately hurt your wallet, sabotage your bank account, ruin your credit, or otherwise bring negative repercussions on your life.
It’s simply about being more fluid. Feeling thankful for what you have and confident in your decision to let it go. Instead of worrying, trusting that there’s more where that came from and soon enough it’ll all come rushing back.
what I called “The Big O” – statue in a field in Tuscany, Italy
When you give something away you create the space to be filled up with something else. You are no longer rigid, stagnant. Instead your “qi” can FLOW– the energy of life, love, money, etc.
I liken this whole philosophy to feng shui, which is the Chinese practice of enhancing the flow of energy (or qi) in your life to bring about more happiness, wealth, etc.
But beyond just interior decorating, it’s about aligning your whole psyche to the notion that there is room for more… that as things flow out, things flow back in.
Even down to the most minute, you’ll notice that throughout your day to day there is an opportunity to let the energy flow.
Here are some examples from my own life, and it’s not just when I spend money. I feel the flow of energy down to the most mundane.
Sometimes it’s when I’ve finally gone through that stack of papers that’d been piling up full of all kinds of miscellaneous strings pulled from daily life – mail, articles, scraps full of scribbled ideas, to-do lists, etc.
Or when I re-organize my closets and dresser and make a pile to donate to Goodwill.
And it may sound silly, but even when I take out the recycling, sweep the house, dump the compost… whatever it is that is releasing and getting rid of something in order to make room for something else (yes, whether that be cans and bottles, dirt, food scraps, whatever!)
There’s always something nice about starting over completely clean and fresh. My environment is cleansed not only literally, but energetically as well.
Now try this:
If you’re feeling stuck or poor, do something that will open up some room for more of whatever it is you’re seeking to flow into you.
Practice giving without the thought of receiving.
Or de-clutter your space with the intention of better energy flow to make room for the abundance to come riding in.
You could: Make a donation to your favorite charity (even if it’s just $5). Take your friend out to lunch. Organize your office. Volunteer at a local non-profit. Surprise someone with a random gift. Clean out your garage.
Do whatever it is that feels good and right for YOU. Don’t compromise your well-being with the lofty presumption that a million dollars will suddenly fall from the sky if you give away your last dime. It’s not so black and white. This exercise is meant to shake up the qi, get it moving again.
Consciously visualize the energy flowing.
Creating space–both mentally and physically–will allow the room for what we want to achieve, have, and embody in life, both monetarily and beyond.
Leave a comment and tell me: What are you going to do to make room for more abundance in your life?
Love your attitude to life my friend! And enjoyed the post and the pics. And I believe in Qi too! As Spiritualized would say, Let It Flow 🙂
always such a delight to hear from you Keeley! I’m glad you enjoyed the post and pics 🙂 xo!
Great pictures and insights. You continue to inspire. Love, Kathie
Thank you, Kathie! ♥
As usual always inspiring and making me think and look inside myself. So i was going to clean the garage until i read my thermometer and it read -7! Maybe next weekend:)
haha! Yes it is FREEZING here as well! was 9 degrees when I got up this morning! perhaps I should have suggested some more winter appropriate tasks… haha 🙂
What a perfect post for the new year! Agree with the idea of qi and not clinging so tightly to material wealth, worrying where the next dollar will come from to care for yourself. Reminds me of the sermon on the Mount when Jesus said “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” And “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Like you said, even $5 to your favorite charity makes all the difference!
Happy New Year!
I wanted to write something apropos for the start of the new year, as it’s always symbolic for new beginnings, change, goal-setting, etc… and I think this topic tied in well.
Happy New Year!!
P.S. Those pics of the “big O” are awesome! Do you know what it’s supposed to signify? Funny you posted these pics, my boss just brought in her album of her recent trip to Italy and she had pics of the big O too!
I came across the big O randomly while out driving (I forget where to!) with a friend (an Italian whom I met there while I was volunteering on a commune), and I thought it was so random, a big O in a field!, that I insisted we stop to take pictures! haha, I have no idea what it signifies though! That’s so funny your boss just brought in her pics of it! What a coincidence!
great piece there Lia. My favorite proverb is that of “you reap what you sow”. I see it as a very positive thought, however it can also be perceived as negative, it is up to the beholder and their actions. I feel so strongly about your thoughts, ” when you give openly……..you will be filled right back up and with more” that I watch my own motives to not being selfish by knowing that when I give, I will receive in return. In other words, to give without expecting a CERTAIN return. The “qi” you mention is also identified by some researchers as the “warm glow” that the human being can feel. It is feeling the human connection to a greater good, larger than ourselves. It is too bad that many people will live their entire life and not identify or feel what you have encouraged us to seek today. Good for you! Cheers and Happy New Year!
Thank you, Brett. And thank you for sharing your insights. How true that “you reap what you sow” and that yes, that totally depends upon the person and their intentions. I have not heard the phrase “warm glow” before but that’s a very nice way to put it.
Happiest New Year to you!
Very profound & much to ponder! I have been “shaking up the qi” in small, but meaningful ways to make 2017 a year w/a positive vibe–it can be like a game–fun to figure out ways to do things just a little differently!