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Energy from emotional and physical stress has a tendency to spread into your immediate environment. It can take away the feeling of sanctuary you need in order to relax and unwind. The good news is that you can get rid of that accumulation of negative energy. You can create a haven that you will feel happy, secure, and productive in. The following suggestions should help.

Let's first define what your personal space is to you. It could be your entire home, apartment, bedroom, or even just the corner of your dorm room. For some, especially busy moms; the bathroom is the best space to retreat to for a few minutes of serenity. Whatever space you claim as your own, that's the area we want to focus on.

Let's get a grip on any unnecessary clutter. Those ever-growing piles of papers and miscellaneous things to do won't get any smaller until you take some action. Make a date with yourself, even if it's only for 15 minutes a day and go through each and every item. Would you REALLY miss it if you didn't have it? If your answer comes short of a very definite YES, then pitch it, recycle it, or donate it. You'll be amazed at how much lighter and free you'll feel once this is done!

When the de-cluttering process has been completed, get out your dust cloth and mop. Clean up all the spider webs and dust bunnies. Pay attention to windows too. Having a cleaner space will help you breathe easier and is a much healthier environment for body, mind, and soul. Please make sure you spend a little extra time in heavy traffic areas and the corners too.

Now that everything is nice and tidy, ask yourself what you have in your space that you enjoy looking at. Maybe it's a beautiful view outside your window, or pictures of your family. Being able to focus visually on your favorite things will help encourage Happy Thoughts. Try to have at least one small item for this.

What about the lighting, is it harsh, or too dim? That is easy to adjust with either higher or lower watts of light bulbs. I've found 60 watt works the best for me, but you might want super bright 100 watt, or very dim 40 watt. It's a matter of personal preference and is also very inexpensive to adjust to what you like the best. Nothing beats natural light through a window during the day, but you don't have to have a window to get the same effect. There are even light bulbs that offer a natural lighting feel in a room, though they are a bit more expensive. Candlelight adds some elegance and is excellent at burning away stressful feelings in a room. It also helps with aromatherapy; we will talk about that more a little later.

How does your space sound? Is there an accumulation of outside noises that distract you from being at peace? Sometimes running a fan or a white noise CD is the perfect block to outside noises. Try different types of music to enhance the ambience in your room. New age and classical music both have regenerative properties that work wonders on your mental state. I would suggest staying away from the television, especially during high stress times. Newscasts, soap operas, 'real TV', to name a few, will increase the levels of negativity in your environment. If you are set on the TV, try to pick the most positive programming you can find.

Aromatherapy is a vital element in creating your peaceful space. The part of your brain that detects smells is closely linked with the limbic part of your brain, which is your emotional center. Smells can evoke memories, good ones and bad ones; they can leave you feeling happy, sad, and every emotion in between. Aromatherapy goes back as far as Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine, who strongly recommended the use of aromatic essential oils for their relaxing properties. A few relaxing, stress-relieving scents include:

' Cedarwood
' Chamomile
' Sage
' Rosemary
' Geranium
' Jasmine
' Lavender
' Lemongrass
' Orange
' Rose
' Rosewood
' Sandalwood
' Vanilla

You can use candles, incense, air fresheners of every different sort from sprays to plug-ins, or potpourri. Try a variety of types and aromas to see what works best for your own moods.

We have touched a little on how your room looks, sounds, and smells. These are important elements to consider in providing yourself with a mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy environment. You may want to think of the colors that are put in your room, the furnishings and how you arrange them. The temperature may need to be adjusted with fans or electric heaters. These ideas will set you on the way towards creating a peaceful sanctuary for yourself. What else can you think of to help yourself feel comfortable and relaxed? Get creative and have fun. Before you know it you'll have your own piece of heaven on earth!