Welcome 2023! The new Year has arrived with new opportunities to heal our minds and bodies from the past few years. It is an opportunity for new beginnings.
I’ve heard people say that we have all suffered some amount of PTSD, either small or big, from changes we have experienced in our lives during this time.
Now with having had some time for recovery we can reflect on these changes more objectively and decide which of these new ways make us happy and which we aren’t really enjoying and discard them.
Many of these changes have occurred in our homes and work environments. For some people the two have become the same and now we can evaluate how we feel about this merger. Is it working for us individually and for our family?
For some of us there have been major adjustments to everyday life. Our routines and behaviors have become a little more complicated or at least different.
Now don’t worry…regarding our homes, we don’t have to redecorate, to have our personal spaces feel better. We just need to look at our environment with fresh eyes and assess the places and spaces that just don’t feel as comfortable as they did before.
This can be simple. You just need to feel your feelings about your personal spaces. This is when I like to say, the true interior design is your interior. When we consider our feelings, we can evaluate if the environment is either healing or hurting us.
We aren’t always aware what the problem is when something doesn’t feel right. This may happen when we go about our business in the same way without considering how our lifestyle has changed.
Our needs for ourselves and with the people around us may be different. There are distractions that may not have been obvious before. Change brings awareness! How has the lifestyle of the people we live with been altered too? We all are living this new reality and we have golden opportunities to create something better for everyone.
When we live with others, of course we have to compromise. But how we accomplish this is the crucial component.
This is the perfect time to discuss together everyone’s needs to live happily. Once we voice our own feelings, we may even discover that others feel the same or may have better ideas from which we can benefit.
Here are a few design thoughts to consider when you have this discussion:
- Are you happy with the furniture you are living with every day?
- Is the chair you sit in often, comfortable?
- Is the table you eat your meals at, the right height for you?
- Is the thermostat in your home set to a comfortable setting?
- Is the lighting appropriate for the task you perform the most in all the rooms of your home and office?
- Is there space for everyone to have quiet time and privacy when needed?
You may hear the needs of family members for the first time. You may also realize that their answers are very similar to yours or very different. This is the perfect time to find understanding for each other.
These questions are just the beginning of some simple but crucial needs you may have to live joyfully. Then ask yourself whether you really have made those choices or was it made by someone else without your consideration?
The most important message for the new year is to be aware of lifestyle needs and choices you make. These decisions are within your control and can make the difference between feeling happy and being healthy or feeling stressed and unfulfilled in your most personal spaces.
I wish you a year filled with awareness of what brings you joy and pleasure. Send me your comments and questions during the year. I am eager to hear how you have created your own healing lifestyle and environment! Oh, and most of all make it fun!!! I’m always here for a consult to help you.
Remember, Rooms have no feelings, You do!
Published in Stroll Paradise Valley Magazine, January 2023.