I sit here in my home once again with a heavy heart, listening to the news reports of bloodshed and violence yet again. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this would be the world I live in, am bringing up children in, and have a grandchild on the way (you heard me right) in. I am scared ~ very scared!
Pictures on social media of the latest images of violence, the Eiffel tower, rainbows in all forms, flags, altered profile pictures, prayer hands, peace signs, hashtags and the like help us feel like we are doing something, however small, to show unity against a common cause. Pictures of faces I have never seen make me cry for we are all victims. All lives matter, and the helplessness feels overwhelming.
One thing we can do right now, this minute, is really take stock of our environment. Our home is our safe haven, our sanctuary. While we may not and cannot be insulated from world events, we can make our homes feel like a retreat, a place of refuge, a warm hug, a harbor against the storm.
Try This ~
1. Reduce noise. If you live in an area where noise is a problem and insulated windows are out of the question or out of your control, try a white noise machine. Being bombarded with noise pollution really takes its toll!
2. Make your bed and bedding matter! Kick an old mattress to the curb, buy the best bedding you can afford, envelope yourself in the bliss of clean sheets and a nice blanket!
3. There's a reason the expression "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" exists. Keeping a clean, clutter free home cuts down on confusion and chaos in the mind. God knows we don't need any more chaos!
4. Appeal to your senses. Light a candle, spray an enticing room atomizer, draw a bath, listen to music, display fresh flowers. Do anything that makes you feel good! Isn't that what Living Beauti-FULLY is all about.
5. Power down. This is so important, especially after a traumatic event. I am not suggesting we should bury our heads in the sand, but before bed, turn off the electronics. We don't want to wind ourselves up when we are trying to wind down for the night, because getting a good night's sleep helps keep our bodies in healthy alignment.
6. A room with a view makes for a pleasant place to rest our eyes. Having order among furniture, accessories and knick knacks, a nice painting or gallery wall, greenery outside the window all seem to have a healing effect on our soul.
7. Good light helps enhance good energy. I love nothing more than floor to ceiling windows that allow me to look out over a city or garden, but more is needed. There should be an assortment of different lighting for different needs. Overhead, task, and ambient lighting help move you through tasks. Conversely, window treatments and blackout shades help soften a room and keep the early morning rays at bay.
8. Energy elements like a fire in the fireplace, a water feature, or a houseplant give a space life and vibrancy.
9. Carve out a little meditative space. It can be as formal or as informal as you like, and just BREATHE!
10. Rest and repeat. Having a fairly regular routine is another way to help keep chaos away!
A calm, soothing home will shelter us from the storm, even if it's for a short while. I wish us all always PEACE and LOVE!
Namaste
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