

Now that the new year is here and it is setting the tone for the decade ahead, we have the chance to use this sturdy and supportive energy to get us where we're trying to go; especially in love. We talk about wanting to change our relationship status from single to coupled, committed, or married but many are not sure what to do to help that process along.
Willing or not, you've probably tried online dating, blind dates, the friend of a friend referral and the tried and true, meeting someone out in these streets. For some, nothing seems to land them with that "stay bae". You know - that person who you meet, hang out with and when the date is coming to a close, you look at each other and say, "You wanna stay here and get another drink?" That's a stay-bae.
We all want that and yet many of us struggle to make that kind of connection. But, there's hope. Often the energy we carry out into the world has an impact on how we relate to others. We cultivate our love energy at home, and if your home energy isn't inviting companionship and romance, it could be a real struggle to land love at your doorstep.
Here is how you can help the year deliver the romantic connections you long for. Assess your home for the following feng shui no-no's and use these feng shui tips to make sure you are dripping in romance sauce every time you step out the house.
Evaluate What Your Bed Is Saying
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Our bed is critical when it comes to attracting romance and love. As you know, couples use the bed for many things - sex, pillow talk, Netflix and even protest. Your bed must set the tone for the life you want to enjoy in that bed. In feng shui, furniture placement is vital. Is either side of your bed up against a wall? If it is, move it. Both sides of your bed need to be accessible.
If you have your bed up against a wall like a bunk bed, stop right now and move it. How can your love partner or "Mr. Right for Tonight" feel welcomed if he has to climb over you like a six-year-old cousin who is spending the night? Both sides of your bed need equal access. Only headboards should be up against the wall.
Dress Your Bed Invitingly
Now that your bed is appropriately positioned, is it dressed? Do you have a well-dressed bed or do you leave the covers twisted, and the pillows tossed when you start the day? Having a bed that is appealing with comfortable pillows sends you out of the house with a romance confidence that is attractive to others.
Just think about that moment when hottie at the gym is giving you the eye from the treadmill, and you remember you got your granny panties on. Your energy shuts down because there is no way you will let gym-bae see those raggedy yet comfortable drawers on you. So your vibe shuts him down before you even get to say a word. It's the same principle with the bed linens and placement.
Add Some Tables To The Mix
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And while we are in the bedroom, do you have nightstands or end tables by your bed? You should. They frame the energy. Not having nightstands is like going out without earrings. You should decorate the nightstands with warm lighting, something fragrant and of course, keep them clutter-free. There should be no photos of family, children, or ex-mates on your nightstand. The ex-mate picture is a given, but family and children photos are one concept that many people miss.
No romantic partner wants to be looking at a photo of your father as he is trying to romance this man's daughter. Is this making sense? It's a romance killer. Save the family photos for the living room or other non-romance parts of the house.
Match Your Knicks With Knacks
The other feng shui tip you can use to invite couple-hood into your home and life is to have things in doubles in your home. If you have artwork on the walls, have prints that represent doubles. For example, instead of one boat on the lake, choose a piece that has two boats. If you have a cookie jar in the kitchen, get a matching jar for your tea bags. Instead of one big lamp for the living room, get two lamps that can light the whole room together. If you are a knick-knack person, be sure that your knick has a knack to match. We need to create the energy of coupling and pairs in our home, so the message is subtly clear to stay-bae when you invite him over.
And finally, make sure the entrance to your home is clear, bright and smelling sweet when you open the door. Now that your home has you ready to attract love; be sure not to let a cluttered, dark entryway ruin all of your hard work when you invite potential-bae for a visit.
Give these feng shui tips a try, sooner than later. Here's to this year granting love to everyone who can show that they are ready to receive.
Featured image by Shutterstock
Originally published on January 12, 2018
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'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
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Egypt Sherrod & Mike Jackson On Love, Business, And Financial Transparency On The First Date
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson have captivated us on their HGTV show, Married to Real Estate, and podcast Marriage and Money.
Now, they have teamed up with TurboTax to assist small business owners with tax and financial support. The couple met while working in radio, and now they own multiple businesses together. While working with your spouse can have its ups and downs, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Besides the fact that I get to work with the person I love doing what I love to do, right? There's the aspect of our daughters, seeing us work together as a unit and actually doing it successful,” Mike tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy