BY DANA CLAUDAT      JULY 15, 2014 

As grateful as a person can be for all that she has, more seems to be what pretty much everyone wants. More money, more love, more wellness, more excitement!

There’s nothing wrong with wanting more of anything. But things can go sideways, depending on the way you go about getting more.

In feng shui, there are two energies that create the universe: yin (quiet, cool, still) and yang (loud, hot, active). If you’ve ever seen the swirly, round, typically black and white yin/yang symbol, you know there’s a poetic balance between the two halves.

Following this ancient wisdom, we live an optimal life when we have a balance between action and rest.

When you want more of anything, though, this balance gets tricky. Working like crazy, staying tethered to the Internet 24/7, late nights, crazy-wild exercise or any other hyper-stimulating action tends to be what I see people going after more frequently. I mean, you have to work to get what you want, right?

It is true, tons of work is amazing. But rest is just as important. We seem to universally champion action, and look at rest as a sort of lazy luxury.

Striving for things isn’t bad in itself, but all that striving means nothing if you can’t stop striving for a bit and actually allow the good stuff you want into your life.

I want you to become more magnetic. Yin — quiet, calm and still energy — is magnetic.

Yes, I am suggesting that you rest more — and try to be even kinder to yourself — to get more of what you want.

Here are a few ideas to get you started!

1. Create space!

Out with the clutter and in with clear space. If your life is stuffed with things being stored “just in case you need them,” you won’t have room for the stuff you actually do need! It’s especially helpful to get rid of old paper files, bad memory items (anything you look at and feel upset or angry about) and anything else taking up space that you feel no emotional pull toward.

2. Dim your lights.

Bright light is brilliant during the day, flooding your home and life with energy. As the sun sets, start dimming your lights. Not only will you sleep better, but you’ll feel more in rhythm with nature.
3. Soften up.

Soft textures actually affect your perspective on life. Touch is a sense that we often neglect in our lives, but plush carpet, velvet pillows, silky sheets and even softer clothes have a softening affect on us. MIT evolutionary psychologist Josh Ackerman did a fascinating study in 2010 that showed that the objects we touch affect our emotions and judgment of people and situations. So if you want to appear more openhearted and soft, soften up your home!

4. Remind yourself that life is awesome!

This affirmation from the early 1900s, devised by French psychologist Émile Coué, is one of my favorites to repeat over and over again during the day: “Every day, and in every way, I am becoming better and better.”

5. Sleep more soundly.

If you can dim your lights earlier (see #2) in the day and turn off electronics an hour before bed, you’re on your way to sounder sleep.

6. Say yes to yourself and all that you love.

If you build some “you time” into your days to explore your creative interests, read books, explore the arts near you, keep a journal, do some quiet yoga or meditation, you’re creating more receptive space. This is not frivolous time; it’s rejuvenating and vital time.

7. Be more curious.

Interested people are far more magnetic than “interesting” people. Listen more, engage with people and places that captivate you and become more of a student of life. When you are in that space of always learning and living in wonder, you are in a space of expansion that’s never boring!

Even if it seems counterintuitive to have more fun, more downtime and more creative play when you’re in the midst of chasing dreams, if you can embrace this philosophy of magnetism a bit you’ll find yourself chasing dreams less and living them far more! Enjoy!