Powerful Living Spaces
Your home reflects your life.
We often underestimate the immense power of our living spaces. I once heard that when you walk into your home, you should feel lighter, and lifted up. I wrote this post months ago before we were all forced to actually spend all of our time in our homes, but as I edit it for today, the question remains the same. Is your house energizing and replenishing you, or is it depleting you?
Think back to February - how did you feel when you walked through the door? Did your shoulders drop and a sense of ease fill your heart? Or, did you feel the weight of the day come in the house with you, and then get worse? How do you feel about your home now? It may be messier than usual with everyone home, but many of us have had a chance for more clarity around how we want to live, including our physical spaces.
When you look around your house now do you see objects you love or that remind you of a time or place you enjoyed? Are there accents of your favorite colors here and there, books you have loved or cannot wait to read, a beautiful candle or some fresh flowers in your line of sight while you cook or wash dishes? These small things can bring a shot of joy, or a smile, or a lift in your spirit.
Conversely, is there clutter everywhere? Do you feel overwhelmed when you walk in the door? Do you have stacks of mail, unfolded laundry, horizontal surfaces like tables and counters covered with stuff so that they are not usable? This will keep you feeling in a state of overwhelm, and can add to feelings of not being able to keep up with your life. This state of living will also make it harder to solve other challenges you may be having because it adds to feeling “heavy” and out of control.
About three years ago I noticed that my house of 18 years left me feeling vaguely dissatisfied when I walked in the front door. Interestingly, I was also feeling stuck in my work and in some of my relationships. My house was reflecting my life.
We had updated our kitchen, and that change spotlighted other aspects of the house that needed updating. I lived with these feelings for about a year and was filled with inertia. As is so often the story for me (and probably for many of you), I knew change needed to happen, but had no idea where to start or what to do, and if felt like I did not have the energy to execute. Historically I did all of my decorating myself but was not feeling it AT ALL this time.
There was a time I would have just powered through and tried to do it myself. But as I have gotten older I have learned that this pattern of mine does not usually serve me; I will do better and BE better if I ask for help. I hired someone who gave me a few hours of her time and expertise. She had fresh eyes, great ideas, and completed some invaluable legwork for me. Many of the changes she recommended cost little or no money. We painted some rooms, moved artwork, cleared some shelves, brought in new textures and lamps. I learned a lot from her because she was able to immediately identify some of the issues that I felt, but had been unable to articulate or solve.
Having an unbiased, fresh, and unrelated eye, followed by assistance and advice is invaluable. My home and I got unstuck together.
Check in on how you feel when you are home. Do you feel relaxed, calm and peaceful in your surroundings? While you are spending days at home have you looked around your space and dreamt of what you might change? How can you get started? What is a small thing you could bring in or take out to enhance your experience. Can you declutter a bookshelf, a bathroom cabinet, a shelf? Can you fix or replace something that no longer works (literally or figuratively)?
As always - one step at a time.
