True Confessions of a Still Fabulous Diva

Regina has never lacked friends. Look at her Facebook friends list! HA! And while she does have a few friends that she considers her BFFs, she questions whether she really has been a good friend and ponders what friendship really means. THE STORY – 0:23 I’m a Sagittarius. And I always say that my friends love to be with me because I’m a Sagittarius. We Sagittarius’s are fun-loving extroverts who are adventurers and the life of the party! Woohoo! From a young age, I was never lacking for friends. I always had a group of people around me and I loved to socialize. I was fun and loud in large gatherings and it seemed like I was well-liked. When I started singing professionally, I became part of this strange social world where you are thrust together with a new group of people for a month or two, you create art very intensely, you party hard, and then you leave. It was easy to make friends while you were there, you really had no choice – you might have to make out with some of these people on stage, better get to know them! There would be this sense that you were really connecting with these people. And then, 90% of the time, you would never see them again. But in a way, the love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of relationship that the opera world fosters fit very well in my life because for some reason, I have never been the type of person who hangs on to friendships long term. I’m not quite sure why. As I think on my lasting friendships, I truly only have a handful. And what is interesting, is that these few people are not people that I talk to on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, I will go for months or even years between talking to these people. But yet, every time we do connect, it feels like no time has passed, we pick up exactly where we left off, we share belly laughs just as easily as we share our intimate struggles and my time with them fills me with so much joy. My true friends…when I talk to them, they make me feel like I am the most important person in the room. I know they genuinely care about me, what I am saying, what I am going through, what I am feeling. And I feel exactly the same way. I relish in hearing about their lives and experiences and feelings and I would do anything that I could to support them and make them happy. Because the one thing about me is that I am fiercely loyal. I would do anything for those dear friends of mine, whether they asked me or not without any hesitation or expectation of reciprocation. And perhaps that is why it hurts so much when I lose friends. Some friendships are meant to last the test of time and some aren’t. And there’s no rhyme or reason to it. And it doesn’t mean that the friendships that don’t last were not genuine. Aren’t we lucky that even if a friendship doesn’t last, we can still look back at it and realize that we were blessed to have it, even for a short time? THE THING I KNOW FOR SURE – 19:52 Being in a lasting friendship is like being in a lasting marriage…you have to work at it. True there are some friendships that you have to work less at. But as in most things in life, in order to grow in a relationship, you have to make an effort. For some reason, I naturally expected that the friends that I held dear would not only feel the exactly same way about me, but they would also treat me exactly as I would treat them. The problem is that, I’m not sure I ever expressed that to them. And maybe I took more than I gave. But one thing that I have learned is that one of the best ways to show someone that you care is to simply show up. Without expectation, with needing reciprocation. Just show up. That means that when you are invited, if at all possible be there. When you see they are succeeding, reach out and tell them that you are happy for them. When you see they are hurting, reach out to them and do something for them that shows your support – not just a thoughts and prayers moment but something more tangible than that. Show up in little ways and in big ways on a regular basis. Another important thing is to stop keeping score. It doesn’t matter who called last. If they haven’t called, then you need to call them. Don’t hold a grudge because they didn’t call and it’s their turn. A friendship should not be a competition. It is a give and take and sometimes you have to give a little more than you take. The next thing is to deal with conflict. If something comes up in the relationship, don’t let it fester and bubble until it becomes an irreconcilable difference. If someone’s feelings are hurt, address it and if you are the reason someone’s feelings were hurt, listen and apologize. But don’t let the conflict sit unresolved. That will be the end of the friendship. Being willing to be uncomfortable and to work through a problem rather than bail is the sign of a strong friendship. And finally, keep reaching out. Keep inviting them to dinner. Keep sending them texts or calling them or writing on their Facebook wall. Even if they aren’t reaching out to you as much, if you want them in your life, you need to show them. Not in a stalk-y way! But in a way that says, your presence in my life matters. So this is why, I no longer wait for invitations. If I see someone I would like to connect with, I ask them out for coffee or dinner or something. And when someone reaches out to me saying, we should get together, instead of responding with a “Great! Let’s do it!” I respond by asking, “when are you available next week?” and I get something in the calendar. Whenever any friend, close one or not, wants to meet with me, I now make an effort to follow through. And it has enhanced my life in ways I never expected. INSPIRATION – 25:59 A quote from the 19th century poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson. “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” So have you been a good friend lately? The post Episode 013 – I’m Not Sure That I am a Great Friend [https://www.reginazona.com/episode-013-im-not-sure-that-i-am-a-great-friend/] appeared first on Regina Zona [https://www.reginazona.com].

We are in moment. We are in a movement. In this era of #MeToo, we are all facing our own experiences with scrutiny and Regina has realized that in not reporting misconduct that she witnessed first hand, she has been complicit. This is her story. THE STORY – 0:23 So this is a hard one because I feel incredibly bad about my complicity. And at this point I haven’t been able to reconcile it. Maybe putting it out there will be the first step. Several years ago at one of the Universities I taught at, I had a colleague who was an incredibly charismatic man. He was jovial, friendly, thoughtful and he was obsessed with teaching. He truly cared about shaping the artistic lives of his students. Teaching was what fueled him and in a way, that was inspiring. His method of mentorship teetered between fatherly guidance and supportive best friend. Although he might not admit, he was desperate to be liked. Even when he was giving “tough love”, he needed to be needed and his personal and undivided attention to the students fed that. Most of his students craved the same thing. They were young and impressionable, just trying to find themselves. They were young artists who were asked on a daily basis to tap into their own vulnerability to grow. And when this gregarious man was there to support them, they felt like they mattered. He was always a physically affectionate man. He gave big bear hugs to everyone, me included. The students seemed to love the attention when he would stop them in the hall to give them their daily hug. When they were feeling down, they could always count on “papa bear” to hold them close and make them feel safe. However, I started to notice that there were often “groupies” around his office – female students mostly who would wait for the moment he opened his door so they he would smile upon them, give them an encouraging word and give them an affectionate hug. And then I noticed that some of those hugs looked rather intimate, perhaps lasting longer than was appropriate, perhaps too tight. Then some of the young women who were not his private students would mention to me that they were a little uncomfortable by his unsolicited hugs. One said that she avoided going past his door because she didn’t want a hug from him. And they told me that some ladies would accept them hugs slightly unwillingly because they just wanted to please him. I was disappointed to hear this but all I could say was to just try to avoid him. Then I started to hear other things – sometimes from the students and sometimes even from him. The level of inappropriateness went from bad to worse. I never thought that he would actually enter into any kind of physical relationship with a student. That wasn’t his motivation. I think he truly believed that he was helping the students, that he was supporting them and teaching them. And the way he thought he had to do that was by creating intimacy. And I also knew that he was doing that so that he would feel loved and respected. And maybe that is how I justified not reporting him. But now I look back at all these instances and I feel sick to my stomach. I feel sick that he would take advantage of his position and create an unsafe environment for these students. But mostly I feel sick over the fact that I did nothing, absolutely nothing to stop it. And in that way, I also abused the students because I enabled him to continue. I didn’t protect them and for that I am ashamed. THE THING I KNOW FOR SURE – 13:58 I have been complicit. I know that that is the same as my initial confession but in trying to come up with wisdom or what I have learned about the situation, the only thing that I can come up with is the fact that I WAS complicit and there really is no excuse for it. We are now in a moment. In a MOVEMENT. Reading the stories of these incredibly brave women (and men) who have publicly come forward with their MeToo experiences is so empowering and so disheartening at the same time. What these people have endured and largely in silence for so long is beyond imagination. The courage that it takes to stand up and be heard is beyond admirable. I of course have had my own MeToo moments but I was so conditioned to accept these misconducts as the norm, part of the business, men just being stupid, that I dismissed them and filed them away as something that I couldn’t do anything about. And in any case, I didn’t feel threatened or unsafe. I just felt annoyed and occasionally angry that these men in positions of power felt they had the right to treat women that way. I accepted it. That’s the way the world is. But now, women are standing up and calling bullshit on accepting this abusive world anymore. And we all are a part of it in some way or another. And these stories do not just shine a huge spotlight on the women and the perpetrators but also on the enablers. If I am being honest, I have witnessed injustices and abuse and consciously chose not to get involved. Because I was fearful of confrontation or I didn’t have the time to follow through or I just didn’t want to get involved. And now I am faced with the fact that I did not protect young innocent people from being abused by a fellow teacher when I knew it was happening, I knew it was wrong and I could have helped. And maybe admitting this all in this podcast is my attempt to try to forgive myself, a way to move past my guilt. But the biggest thing is that I have to take this watershed moment as an opportunity. I have to stand up. I have to speak out. I have to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I can’t be afraid to get involved. And I know that it is much easier to say than do, but all I know is, this is the moment that I have to choose to DO better. INSPIRATION – 21:50 I have actually two quotes this week. One quotes is a comment on the sin of complicity and the other is a quote that can hopefully move us forward to doing better. The first is by Abraham Lincoln: “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” And the second is a mantra that popped up on the interwebs that spoke to me: “I am committed to being a better person today than I was yesterday. Better thoughts…Better decisions…Better Actions.” That’s all we can do, right? The post Episode 012 – I Have Been Complicit [https://www.reginazona.com/episode-012-i-have-been-complicit/] appeared first on Regina Zona [https://www.reginazona.com].

Of all of the insecurities that Regina has admitted to in these podcasts, one thing she is absolutely sure of is that she is an excellent teacher. And what that really means is that she knows her self-worth. And because she is confident in her self-worth, she has been able to capitalize on it to the fullest. THE STORY – 0:24 So if you have been listening to this podcast, you know that I have several insecurities. Here I am admitting that I am an extremely flawed human being! But the one thing that I am not at all insecure about is my teaching ability. I am an excellent teacher. I very unexpectedly started teaching voice the summer after I graduated from high school. And my studio grew each summer when I came home from college. I was even teaching voice while I was in college, and by the time I graduated with my degree I had a studio that fluctuated between 20 and 25 students which then eventually grew to about 30 students. And soon after I left college, I became the most in demand voice teacher in my area. I had a thriving studio, I was called to do masterclasses and workshops on singing in local schools, I taught at a community music school and I was even recruited to apply for a teaching position at one of the local universities even though at that time I only had a Bachelors degree and a Performance Certificate. I maintained a thriving private studio in Buffalo, NY for over 12 years. And then I moved to Connecticut and was an adjunct professor at a University. Eventually I made the decision to go back to school to get my doctorate and before I was finished with my degree I got my first tenure track position in a University. I was there for two years and then was hired to run the opera program at a different university where I stayed for four years. I was working my way up in academia but ultimately decided to leave to move back to NY, pursue my singing again and teach privately. Certainly it goes without saying that the more I taught, the better I got at it. But I never had a pedagogy class to teach me how to teach. What I did always possess was a great ear. I could hear in the voices of my students, even as a young teacher, what they needed. I could hear when the voice was not placed properly, or when there was a lack of support or when there was tension somewhere. They say that the best way to learn is to teach and I am the living proof of that. I learned more about my singing by teaching young singers than I ever did from my first voice teachers. And now I am a better teacher than I have ever been. I mean, I would hope so, next month I will have been teaching voice for 30 years! I better know what I am doing by now! I’m also a better singer than I ever was and that certainly informs my teaching. And when I am taking lessons myself, I am an even better teacher. What makes me a good teacher? Well, as I mentioned before, I have a really great ear and can easily diagnose what my students need. I am an excellent communicator and can come up with several different ways to explain concepts so if the student doesn’t understand what I want the first time, I can find a different way to reach them. I understand the voice and how it works under pressure because of my performing career. I create a warm and safe environment for my students to grow in, where they can be their most vulnerable without harshness and judgement. I’ve got a fun personality (most of the time) that allows my students to have fun in the process of learning. Where did I gain this attributes and skills? Well, I have to say that a lot of it came naturally. And much of it came through experience of just doing it and seeing what works and what doesn’t. But the role of teacher was a role I slipped into very naturally without much thought or preparation. And even when I wasn’t good (like those first several years when I was teaching singers who I went to school with), I still had something to say that made some kind of difference. You see, I didn’t choose teaching. Teaching chose me. I chose opera. But opera lasted for a moment and teaching will most likely last a lifetime. So I guess it’s a good thing I’m good at it, right?! Maybe some of you are listening to this and saying to yourself, “geez, BRAG much?” And certainly you have the right to think that, but I am telling you, I know my worth, I know my talent and I know that I am an excellent teacher. Do I know everything there is to know about teaching and the voice and the art of singing? Absolutely not. But I am a life-long learner and I am always looking for ways and opportunities to expand my knowledge. Am I the best teacher for everyone? No. I have had a handful of students leave me over the years for another teacher because I could not help them with specific issues or they needed a different experience. THE THING I KNOW FOR SURE – 19:04 Know your worth and don’t ever stop working toward getting what you deserve. At this point it may be hard for you to believe, but I actually don’t go around exclaiming my superior teaching ability to the world! I hardly ever tell people that I am an excellent teacher and I certainly NEVER tell anyone that I deserve to be known. People who feel the need to shout from the rooftops how excellent they are usually are the people who actually don’t have the skills and talent to back it up. They are the people that have to talk a big game to cover up the insecurities they have about their own situation or abilities – to give the illusion that they are more successful than they actually are. When I am confronted with these people, I usually don’t engage and I certainly don’t try to one-up them to show them that I am better than they are. I let them talk and then try as hard as I can to change the subject! The fact of the matter is that I am secure in the fact that I am a good teacher. I don’t need to tell anyone. My work speaks for itself, in my students. And now you may be thinking, “Then why the hell did you just spend 10 minutes self-aggrandizing?” Good question! I did it to make a point. As I said earlier, if you have been listening to these podcasts, you know that I have lots of insecurities – about my ability to follow through with things, about my weight, about singing, about my age – but the one thing I am not insecure about is my teaching ability. And the lesson here is that it is vitally important that you recognize your strengths, nurture them and use them to achieve your goals. The question is what has my awareness of my self-worth done for me? Well, it has inspired me to strive to be a better teacher. I went back to school to get my doctorate so that I could teach at the highest academic level. I continue to take voice lessons and attend professional development workshops for voice teachers to get new ideas on how to better serve my students. It has improved my financial situation because I charge for my lessons what I am worth and I don’t apologize for it. I have also changed my payment policies so that I get paid by semester rather than week by week and I don’t apologize for it. I now have financial security for the first time in my 30 year private teaching career. It has given me the confidence and power to be selective in who I accept in my studio and not settle for accepting anyone into my studio just for the money. It has afforded me the opportunity to give back to the artistic community by supporting arts organizations in meaningful ways, like being elected President of the Board of Directors because they recognize that I have something to offer them in experience, knowledge and authority in the art form. It also gives me the confidence and comfort in knowing that what I am doing is making a difference. Being honest with yourself is of the utmost importance. I am just as honest about my insecurities as I am about my strengths. And even though I still think that I deserve more recognition for my strengths, that doesn’t mean it will never happen. It means that I have to keep working, keep growing and keep putting myself out there. It means that I can never settle for less that I deserve. It means that I need to continue share my talents and knowledge with those who want it. And finally it means that I don’t apologize for knowing my worth because my worth is one of the greatest contributions I can give to the world. INSPIRATION – 24:59 [https://i0.wp.com/www.reginazona.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/gregnorman-300x195.jpg?resize=300%2C195]I got inspired by several quotes by Australian golf champion and entrepreneur Greg Norman. I found one great quote from him but then found a page with several of his quotes and they were all great and applicable! So here are some of my favorites: “Know your strengths and take advantage of them.” “If you are serious about improving your play, be brutally honest with yourself.” “You only get out of it what you put into it. If you are a sheep in this world, you’re not going to get much out of it.” “I am a winner. I just didn’t win today.” That is a man who knows his self-worth! The post Episode 011 – I am an Excellent Teacher…and Everyone Should Know It [https://www.reginazona.com/episode-011-i-am-an-excellent-teacher-and-everyone-should-know-it/] appeared first on Regina Zona [https://www.reginazona.com].

In order to try to gain a following for a project she was working on, Regina did what the kids were doing and created a web series. It didn’t go as well as she had hoped it would. THE STORY – 0:24 When I was trying to restart my singing career, I started coming up with an idea for a solo performance to create my own performance opportunity. I decided was that I wanted this project to be something very different than is what is typical for a classical singer. I didn’t want this to be just a themed recital where I stood at a piano singing songs and arias and maybe telling a story here and there. And I also didn’t want to do a cabaret which is less formal than a recital but still the same idea, sitting or standing in front of a piano, telling stories and singing songs. If I was going to do this, I wanted it to be something bigger, something that could convince more than just my family and friends to attend. So I started brainstorming and came up with this cool concept that followed my journey as a singer that started with singing the Queen of the Night and ended with me finding my authenticity an as artist and woman. I knew that I had to do something to create a following. And that’s when I decided that I needed to use social media to create my empire. So I decided to start a web series. We called it “Regina Unfurled.” My plan was to post an episode each week and then on every other day of the week, I would do social media blitzes to try to gain interest. Here’s the problem….or shall I say problemS. First: I had no money to do this project. Secondly, I had no idea how to create compelling videos. I didn’t know the first thing about sound production, proper lighting, the best equipment. Not to mention, I didn’t know anything about wide shots and close up shots. I didn’t know anything about story boarding or acting for the camera. I naively thought that we could just turn the camera on, shoot a scene once or twice and it would be good to go. Thirdly, I have no idea how to act for the camera and since I didn’t have a director, I had no one to guide me. So I just did what I would do if I were on stage. But I also discovered that as good an actress as I am in opera and song, creating funny characters for video was a whole other thing. I became a caricature and was over the top – granted these characters were over the top – but in watching the videos, it looks like really bad community theatre. Finally, even though I had people helping me out in this process, because no one was getting paid and they all volunteered because of their relationship with me, with a few exceptions, no one was invested in the project as much as I was. So in the end I had these little episodes of mediocrity – some fairly amusing, others just ridiculous. But they were not anywhere near the level of professionalism I have always demanded from myself. But I put them out there. Am I glad I did it? Well, yes, I guess so. It certainly gave me something to do when I had nothing else to focus on. But would I do it again? Not likely. THE THING I KNOW FOR SURE – 20:26 Never settle for mediocrity! This project was doomed from the start. I highly overestimated my knowledge of technology, my acting ability and my dependency on the kindness of my friends. But I let all that go because I thought that my innate talent and intelligence would be enough to overcome those short comings. In the end, all I did was make a fool of myself and it’s out there for the whole world to see. And yes, it’s still out there if you really want to see it! And I saw the mediocrity from the beginning. When I saw the takes of the first episode we shot, I knew it was not good. I looked awkward, my scene partner looked awkward because he also didn’t have a director to guide him, the video and sound were so poor. But I had committed. I watched the takes and a voice inside said, “Wow, these aren’t very good.” But I buried that voice as deep as I could because I had committed. My actors and team had already invested their time and asking them to reshoot seemed impossible. And besides I wouldn’t know how to really make them better in a reshoot anyway. I made up excuses why it would be OK for these first videos to be less than professional. Not many people were going to see these first videos anyway. We were just getting started. The learning curve was bound to get smaller, right? So I put them out there. And while some of my friends thought some of them were funny, the response overall was tepid. And I thought, well, it takes time for these things to catch on, it will get better. This was nowhere near my standard of work. I am extremely critical of my work as a performer and as a matter of fact, sometimes that has gotten in the way of me truly surrendering to the moment in my performing because my standards for myself are so high. I know exactly the level of performance I am capable of and when I am in control, I demand that level at every turn as a singer and operatic and classical performer. But this time I let my standards down and it was not representative of me and my work and therefore, I was never going to achieve the goal I set out to achieve which was to develop a following, because why would anyone want to follow mediocrity? So in the end, I created this thing that was far less than my best. What do I do with that? I accept it for what it was – a lesson. A lesson that nothing is worth doing if you aren’t going to do it right. If you don’t have the total preparation, the knowledge, the money, the skill set, the equipment, the support…find something else to do or some other venue to do it in where you can be your absolute best. THAT is what will connect with others and that is what will fulfill your creative spirit. INSPIRATION – 28:27 [https://i0.wp.com/www.reginazona.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/robinsharma-1-300x226.jpg?resize=300%2C226]This one comes from Robin Sharma who is a Canadian writer and motivational speaker. He wrote a book series called The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. This quote is a bit more universal than what I’ve spoken about here but it is a really great thought to meditate on. “Push yourself to do more and to experience more. Harness your energy to start expanding your dreams. Yes, expand your dreams. Don’t accept a life of mediocrity when you hold such infinite potential within the fortress of your mind. Dare to tap into your greatness.” Don’t settle for mediocrity!!! The post Episode 010 – I am a Failed YouTube Star [https://www.reginazona.com/episode-010-i-am-a-failed-youtube-star/] appeared first on Regina Zona [https://www.reginazona.com].

Feng shui is REAL! Regina knows as it has helped her numerous times reach goals and achieve balance in her life! She’s a professional amateur on this subject and she explains how it has helped her and how it can help you. THE STORY – 0:24 Dictionary.com defines feng shui as the Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang, as in arranging furniture or determining the siting of a house. Wikipedia defines feng shui as a Chinese metaphysical and quasi-philosophical system that seeks to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. It is closely linked to Taoism. The term feng shui literally translates as “wind-water” in English. I first learned about feng shui many years ago when I was dabbling in another career of a personal organizer for Mary Kay Cosmetics Directors and Consultants. I was writing a book on organization (which you can get on Amazon and Barnes and Noble!) and I had heard about feng shui a little bit and I thought it would be cute to include a chapter in my book on how to feng shui your office. So I bought this book called “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life” by feng shui consultant Karen Rausch. Her writing style was really natural, easy-going and funny and I was drawn in. I learned about the practice itself and then about the details on how to use it. And then I realized that the feng shui of my house was totally killing parts of my life! Ok, maybe that’s a little dramatic. I mean, nothing was actually dying. But I realized that there were certain things in my home that were completely inauspicious under the principles of feng shui and the areas of my life that these inauspicious things represented I was struggling with. The minute I realized this I knew I had to call a professional. I found one, the fabulous Nancy, and she came over for a consult. She assessed the situation , asked what areas in our life needed a little help and suggested changes we could put in place to enhance those areas. And the transformation was really incredible. We saw major changes almost immediately! And that’s all it took! We were hooked! I know this sounds like an infomercial but it’s really not! WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE – 16:09 Feng shui ALWAYS works. Sometimes it doesn’t work the way you think it will work or want it to work, but it always works. There are several different schools of feng shui but they are mainly divided into the Classical School and the Modern School. The classical school includes the compass method which uses numerical calculations based on the direction the home faces and sometimes takes the birthdate of the person who lives there into account. The Modern School, mainly practiced in the west, is a combination of Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, Psychology and Traditional Feng Shui. This school is also referred to as Black Hat Sect. This is the school that Nancy practices and the school that I have learned about. The way you determine where the areas in your home correspond to the areas in your life is through a tool called the bagua. The bagua is a map of sorts that is divided into 8 areas around the perimeter and a ninth are in the center. You often see it in an octagon shape although it can appear in a square or rectangle as well. Each of these nine areas in the bagua represent an area of one’s life. [https://i0.wp.com/www.reginazona.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BaguaMap.jpg?resize=700%2C600] So what you do with this bagua map is place it over a layout of your home lining up the front door entrance with the lower areas of the bagua. So as you look at your house from the street, your front door will be either in the skills and knowledge area if it is on the left side of the front of your house, the career area if it is in the center of the front of your house, or in helpful people if it is on the right side of your house. Then seeing where your front door is according to the bagua map, you can figure out where all the other areas of your house are. A couple things that you want to look for are: Missing areas: if you have an irregularly shaped house that is not a perfect square or a perfect rectangle, you may find that there are areas in the bagua that you don’t have. That’s generally not a good thing but there are cures that can alleviate the effects. Locations of bathrooms: bathrooms are not good things for feng shui because, think about it. You use them to flush down waste! There’s a drain in the toilet, a drain in the sink, a drain in the tub/shower and all these drains flush all the qi (energy) away from you. There are more auspicious places for bathrooms than others but having a bathroom in the wealth area, the love area and the health area are usually particularly bad. Unfortunately I have a bathroom in the wealth area of my home that I have feng shui’d the hell out of! Not one house out there is perfect, but there are feng shui cures for any imperfections. Feng shui is not a religion. It is about energy. It’s a practice like yoga that I use to enhance my life. And it is also not necessary to feng shui every area in your home. Focus on the areas that directly affect something in your life that you want to move forward with or enhance. And you can always visit those areas again if further enhancements need to be made. But it works! I promise! INSPIRATION – 31:48 [https://i0.wp.com/www.reginazona.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/51H2WPnaGVL._SX322_BO1204203200_-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150] [https://amzn.to/2GCO84v]So here’s my inspiration for the week: I have read several books on feng shui that have really been helpful. The first one I already mentioned, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Karen Rausch and Feng shui for Dummies by David Daniel Kennedy who was actually the teacher of my consultant, Nancy. But I found this great quote from Feng Shui Consultant, Shivani Adalja. “When you implement feng shui, it smoothens your journey by removing obstacles from the road ahead. But remember, you still have to drive and reach your destination.” [https://i0.wp.com/www.reginazona.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/51e50qAkXAL-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150] [https://amzn.to/2J5aRo2]And that’s true! You can’t just hang a crystal and magically everything will change. The energy created by the crystal will get the life force moving but you have to take that life-force and manifest it’s power! The post Episode 009 – I am Obsessed with Feng Shui [https://www.reginazona.com/episode-009-i-am-obsessed-with-feng-shui/] appeared first on Regina Zona [https://www.reginazona.com].