By Michelle Resch, NCIDQ & Feng Shui Practitioner

March in the Twin Cities is a paradox. Outside, we are navigating the “Great Thaw.” It’s that messy, unpredictable mix of dirty snow, salt, and mud. But inside, there is a restless itch for renewal.

Maybe you are in the season of a transition where reclaiming your identity after divorce, settling into your Edina dream home, or pivoting your career. March feels like an in-between month that can feel heavy. The transition from winter to spring can be felt on many levels and you’re ready for the flowers, but you’re still standing in the slush.

Preparing for the Month Ahead by Organizing the Mind: The Bullet Journal

I start every month by grounding my mental space. My Bullet Journal is my second brain that holds room for my plans, intentions, and thoughts throughout the day. I have two calendars: one where I track deadlines and one for meaningful reflections. It’s made of my daily logs, goal collection, notes for a couple of books I’m reading, and everything in between. It offers a place for it all to rest.

When your life feels chaotic (especially during a move or shift in life path), it’s harder to track what matters most because everything takes more energy. You’re scrambling from one thing to the next because you’ve been procrastinating. It’s been hard to know what you should do next. Keeping a daily log helps you see through the mud and keeps you moving forward. It gives you the opportunity to reflect on where you need to grow.

The Seasonal Shift: Awakening of Insects

In Feng Shui, we look at Solar Terms. They connect us to the natural world around us, inviting the reminder that we are one with the earth. The first week marks the Awakening of Insects. Imagine the ground beneath the frozen Minnesota soil beginning to stir. Like a seed pushing through the dark to find the sun, you are moving from a Yin (quiet/hibernation) state to a Yang (active/bright) state. I imagine a little bug yawning and waking from it’s little bed within the soil. The covers are warm and exposing yourself to the cold seems daunting. There’s the hope of a brand new day though!

If exposing yourself to the cold of your new life seems daunting, remember: momentum is built in the dark. A couple weeks later is the Spring Equinox. Day and night are at equilibrium, which means yin and yang are too. Yang energy continues to grow, offering you sustained energy to work through your journey.

Your March Alignment Map: The Entryway Ritual

The formal front door is the Mouth of Chi. It’s the portal where energy and opportunity enters your life. In Minnesota, our entries often become dumping grounds for winter gear and salt. If your entry is blocked, your opportunities are, too. Using your front door regularly helps reenergize the Mouth of Chi.

Work with the energy moon phases for an entry refresh. Give yourself the whole month to mindfully work through each phase. Taking your time allows you to really reflect. I find that my energy ebbs and flows with the moon cycles. Maybe yours does, too! It’s a helpful way to organize your time and your projects. It’s never a perfect process, but I do the best I can with what I have.

1. Full Moon (The Worm Moon): Letting Go

Full moons are for shedding. In the Twin Cities, this is the time to take an inventory of everything in your entry. It’s time to clear the clutter! What can you get rid of?

• Transition Tip: If you are post-divorce, are there “ghosts” in your entryway? Old keys, coats he left behind, or art that doesn’t feel like you? If you are getting ready to welcome a baby, is there something that’s taking up too much space where you won’t have room for the diaper bag?
• The Action: Clear anything that doesn’t have a permanent home. If it doesn’t support the woman you are becoming, move it out. If you haven’t used it in months, move it out. Let go of the things that are no longer useful. Take the time to reflect when it’s hard. Why are you feeling that way? Approach it with curiosity.

2. Third Quarter Moon: Moving Through the Muck

This is Mud Season. You already cleared out the space, now is time to work with the energy of this moon phase and clean.

• As you mindfully wipe away the salt on the floor and grime from your door handle, do it as a ritual of gratitude. I am thankful for the strong foundation I can walk steadily on. I appreciate feeling secure in my home. When I leave or come home, I feel so fortunate that I can feel safe in my enclave.
• Beyond the energy, let’s look at durability. Does your entryway floor handle the MN moisture safely? Are the materials long lasting and sustainable? Is your lighting (the fire element) bright enough to counter the drab March sky? Scrubbing the threshold isn’t just cleaning, it’s an invitation for wealth and health to enter a well-maintained space.

3. New Moon: Planting the Seed

New Moons are for intentions and taking the step toward a new beginning. There’s so much hope in the coming of spring that it makes manifestation especially strong.

• The Feng Shui Shift: Add a living plant to your entry. In the Wood element of spring, a plant represents growth and upward mobility.
• The Question: If you are moving or changing jobs, what is the one thing you want to feel when you walk through your door? Peace? Power? Ease? Write it down and place it under the plant’s pot. Every time you see it think about where you see yourself growing.

4. First Quarter Moon: Building Momentum

Now, we look at Functional Flow. The moon is waxing and energy supports your progress.

• The Design Audit: As an NCIDQ interior designer, I look at the path of travel. Does your bag have a hook? Do your keys have a bowl? Does the door swing freely? Do we need to add a mirror? How could we rearrange the space and maybe even the architecture or built-ins to make the space function for your daily life.
• The Result: When your entry supports your routine, you stop leaking energy on small frustrations and save it for your big transformation.

Thanks for reading! You’ve made room for growth. By activating the Chi at your entry, you are setting the tone for your entire day. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

I am opening 3 slots for my Mouth of Chi Entryway Intensives this March. We will spend one day clearing the physical clutter, mapping the Feng Shui of your entry, and using my technical design background to ensure your entry, the transition space, is beautiful and functional and supports who you are meant to become.

Email me to claim one of the three spots and start your March with momentum.

Sending good energy!