Showing posts with label carrie Leskowitz Interiors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carrie Leskowitz Interiors. Show all posts
Closet Confidential
Out of Clutter find Simplicity
From Discord find harmony
In the middle if difficulty lies opportunity
~Albert Einstein
Spring cleaning is taking on a new meaning. Many are taking to their closets, drawers, bathrooms and playrooms. With all this isolation and uncertainty, we can find places within our home and within ourselves to find solace.
For many, closets seem to be nothing more than a place for our clothes to hang out in. But, it is so much more. With fear and a sense of chaos palpable in the world right now, taking control of what we have control over helps us organize our thoughts and ease our mind. We can take control of our closets can't we?
When our closet is organized, our mind feels organized. The closet clean out allows for stagnant energy to become unblocked, thereby, opening space up for a more dynamic energy flow. From that comes opportunity and abundance.
I know when I walk into my closet and it is exactly the way I like it; color coordinated light to dark, neat and catagorized by style, it definately creates a sense of contentment and joy. Sometimes it's the smallest things that can provide us with a reassuring sense of serenity
BUT, the closet clean out can take a circuitous turn when we become aware of the thoughts and emotions that are living amongst our things that tell our story. It's not enough to just organize our belongings, we have to dig a little deeper to excavate possible limiting beliefs that nmight be lurking.
When you attempt a closet clean out keep this in mind ~
When you can't let go off something, ask yourself why am I holding on to this? What is the meaning of this shirt, jacket, sweater, etc. Does it represent a time or place that holds some type of memory? Does it cause you to link the article of clothing with another person or place? Clothes can imprint memories on you. Like a song that comes on the radio (radio, who has a radio anymore, but streaming service didn't sound as nostalgic) it can take you right back to a moment in time, clothes have that power too. Sometimes that will derail us when we are trying to purge. Purging a memory is harder than a piece of clothing. You have to question the thoughts you are having.
How does this article of clothing make me feel?
Does this article of clothing represent something that makes me feel good or bad?
How well does it fit?
Is it a true reflection of who I am?
Do I feel like I look my best in it?
Do I love myself in it?
When was the last time I wore it?
Do I attach a person, place or thing to it?
Does it represent my life in the now?
Can I step into this as my most authentic self in the future?
If any of these answers are more negative than positive - purge it.
We all know how to declutter, but sometimes we just don't, for a multitude of reasons. Like we all know how to diet but out psych gets in our way. I am always interested in getting to the root of a behavior. It can show you something about yourself. Maybe an area in your life that you could work on. Any area that is not serving your highest need is "food for thought." Awareness leads to change and if living your best life is the goal, this is an easy way to question what is.
If our closet was, metaphorically , a vessel for our soul, what would we allow in???
Edit ruthlessly
1 thing in, 1 thing out
Keep catagories together
Take emotion out of it.
If a girlfriend was asking you if it should stay or go - what would you say?
Everything should make you feel like the best version of yourself, even in sweats!
It's a makeover for your closet and your spirit. That's a win/win!
Keep Calm and Distance Yo' self
I don't know about you but I vacillate between vowing to stay clam and not let my imagination and all the hysteria get the best of me and feeling tremendous anxiety over this virus that has just about shut down the nation. We've never seen anything like it! It is the fear of the unknown and the lack of information or mixed messages that keeps us in this state of fear. Why are we afraid?
"The answer is a mix of miscalibrated emotion and limited knowledge," argues psychologist David DeSanto in an editorial for The New York Times.
Here's what I know for sure. We have no control over the situation but we have control over ourselves, our reaction and response. Let's manage our anxiety and do what is in our best interest (and in this case, those that we come in close contact with).
Limit the amount of exposure to the constant onslaught of media coverage. Between the stock market and the virus, one can't help but feel hyper threatened.
Obviously we are aware of the need to wash our hands frequently and keep our distance from others!
What else can we do? We can remain calm, stay level headed and find grace in the madness. If you must stay home, do something you've always meant to do but kept putting off. Stop making excuses for not having the time. You now have the gift of time.
I, myself have been putting off going thru my streaming music and making playlists. I am envisioning how good it will feel to accomplish this task and the added plus of listening to all my music feels immediately calming!
Clean, Clear clutter. Having control over your environment really cuts down on feelings of stress. Now more than ever, your home should be a refuge from the "scaries" outside your door.
Make nourishing meals for your family. It is a way to show your love and make family feel loved and cared for at this uncertain time.
Boost your immune system. Our bodies need to be healthy to fight the good fight. Eat right and take your supplements, reduce inflammation and stay hydrated.
Family time is time well spent. If my kids were home, I'd be breaking out the board games. Oh how I miss those game nights! Indulge in a guilty pleasure. Pick up a good book (damn it, I wish my book was published already!!!) , binge watch Netflix. Oooh, the possibilities are endless. Do you see the silver lining in this time out?
Find humor in the absurdity of it all. Laughter is the best medicine when you feel overwhelmed and out of control.
Go be in nature. Take a walk outside, exercise! I am lucky enough to be in Florida right now, so time spent at the beach is really soothing. I get a good dose of vitamin D, listen to the waves lap against the shore and feel my toes in the sand for a full sensory experience that removes me from thoughts of doom and gloom. Go forth and create your experience.
Practice self care. Take soothing baths, experiment with essential oils, take a nap. If you are self quarantined alone; relish this alone time. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Being alone with your thoughts allows you to go inward. It helps reconnect you to yourself. Relish the solitude
Stay present and breathe. Breathe in, then blow out and repeat " I am fine." Breathe in, then blow out and repeat, " I am safe." Breathe in, then blow out and repeat, " I am healthy." Don't catastrophize and stay mindful.
Don't panic and for G-d's sake, stop stockpiling toilet paper! Be prepared but enough with the irrational panic buying!
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL: AN EXCERPT FROM "OM FOR THE HOME" . I wish my book was out!! I can speak to all the wonderful things we can do to ensure our home is helping heal us, especially when outside our door it's a mad, mad world.
There is a proverb that says: “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”
It is not enough to have a well designed home anymore, we must be mindful of the “riches:” within; our thoughts, our behavior, the relationships we participate in, the toxins that we choose to (or not to) allow into our everyday life. The self talk we use to help or harm. None of this is separate. If our outer space mirrors our inner space, then a cluttered house equals a cluttered mind. If our inner space mirrors our outer space, A peaceful mind equals a peaceful home. We must take a psychological deep dive into our subconscious.
Designing a harmonious life, full of rich relationships, balance, and living in authenticity is dependent upon designing your home to support your desires, facilitate healthy relationships, reduce stress, support healthy habits and enable you to manifest the things you want in life built upon the goals you set for yourself and the values you hold dear. The who you envision yourself to be. The who you aspire to be at your CORE.
C connectivity - understanding that everything is interconnected. Your emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, even financial wellbeing are each pillars of wellness, one dependent on the other.
You cannot have a well designed home that supports a healthy lifestyle while your mind is full of negative thoughts or negative energy. You cannot have a healthy home and fill it with toxic chemicals or a healthy body if it’s filled with processed food. It behooves you not to engage in toxic relationships , even if you do dwell in an immaculate house, they are at odds with one another. Inner and outer peace, inner and outer beauty ~ they go hand in hand. One cannot exists without the other.
O Observe , self observation is critical for transformation, which begins with awareness. Having the observational skillset to practice self-observation:noticing what we are thinking, feeling, doing, and imagining allows us to become self-aware. When we are aware of what we are thinking, feeling, doing, and imagining we realize that we have choices and choices are what make us powerful. When you practice self-observation, you will begin to recognize that the part of you doing the observing is your true self. Having that self awareness allows you to see when you are behaving in alignment with your goals and your values and when you are not. You can also recognize when your choices are serving you and when they are not.
R responsibility help us recognize that we only are in control of ourself. We are responsible for our thoughts, our beliefs, our emotions, our home, our health. How we react to the ever changing landscape over our “interior” ensures more enjoyment not just endurance. Taking personal responsibility for choices and actions not only makes you accountable for yourself but allows for relationships with deeper understanding, trust and compassion. Stop the blame game. You are not what happens to you, you are what you make of what happens to you. Being able to see that your decisions have a direct impact on your life’s events is what being able to accept personal responsibility is all about.
E energy is everywhere. Everything is energy. We are more than physical matter, we consist of energy, our homes consist of energy - different states of being emit different energetic frequencies. Energy interacts with everything all the time in ways you can't ever see, but often you can sense with your feelings.Energy is elusive but is something we FEEL. We can empower ourselves to control our personal energy with our thoughts. Our thoughts create a very real and specific vibration (whether we are aware of it or not) and that energy will seek out it's vibrational match. When we are vibrating at our magnificent best, we are attracting others that are vibrating at their magnificent best. Think about what can be accomplished when we are all energetically in tuned at our highest level.
Call it magical thinking; but in these challenging times, among challenging people, along with our challenging thoughts, it is more important than ever to nurture yourself and create a sanctuary that calms you (within and outside of yourself) and centers you every time you walk through that door.
Could you be better; more joyful, more balanced, more connected to your inner wisdom? Can you do better; listen to your body and give it what it needs to succeed? Can you accept the things you cannot change in a healthy way, understanding that everything happens for a reason, even if we don’t know what that reason is, we have to trust the universe has our back? Could you detach from the stories you tell yourself that you believe to be true ? Could
above is copyrighted material and may not be reproduced without permission.
photo artwork via Sara Shakeel. She's a great follow!
Health is Wealth
Do you read House Beautiful? Have you noticed they are deep into the wellness conversation, particularly how awareness around a holistic home is good for our overall wellbeing? It's a feature they call the whole home project. Every time I pick up the magazine now, I am so charged! I can't help tweeting to Sophie Donelson, the editor in chief. Their theory (and mine) is that investing in your home is an investment in yourself. Months of magazine articles with talking points about how health is wealth is culminating into a custom built concept house in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. The primary focus will be on the importance of a calm and healthy environment!
“The Whole Home Project Concept House will show readers how strategic design choices can deliver more than a pretty space—they can help you live a smarter, happier and healthier life,” says Donelson. “It’s our core belief at House Beautiful that happiness begins at home—and with this project, that the well-being of your whole self, from health to energy to your outlook, are informed by our homes.”
What began in this past March's issue with talking points around the idea of calm and each month thereafter focusing on a different "chapter" really gives the reader a comprehensive look at the idea and execution of a holistic home.
Chapter 1 Calm
Chapter 2 Health
Chapter 3 Unplugging
Chapter 4 Revive and Recharge
Innovations in technology along with the idea that we must create calm spaces for living our best lives from a place of more joy, better health, and less toxicity improves all our lives and helps us thrive!
It's true what they say ~ If you don't have your health...
I am so excited to see the house and all it entails!!
The Florida Experiment
“To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” ~Unknown
Was it a dream? Did I just spend 11 glorious weeks in Florida soaking up the sunshine, meeting new people, exploring new places and feeling inspired by the unpredictability of it all?
I felt called to be a "snowbird" this winter. My children live in Florida and the ache from missing them was all consuming. I needed to be with them! I had no expectations or understanding what all that time would look like. My husband would not be with me (much of the time). I was forging a path on my own.
When you strip away your regular day to day routine and create a new normal, you are making way for the miraculous. These were my experiences as well as my takeaways ~
I rented a little apartment in a great location. A few well chosen accessories made me feel at home. I can create a sense of home when on the road and you can too!
Miami, Palm Beach and southern Florida in general has a buzzy art and antique scene for a reason! I went to antique shows, big and small, art openings, museums, sculpture gardens, fundraisers, wellness events, outdoor concerts. The possibilities were and are endless! That's what spoke to me ~ POSSIBILITY
The home design and fashion forward shopping opportunities alone could keep a girl busy for quite a while. You never know where you are going to see that thing you didn't know you needed or the perfect piece for a project.
I have no problem eating in restaurants alone, so I did a lot of experimenting. Everything was new, therefore everything was exciting! Saint Ambroeus in Palm Beach and Latitudes in Delray Beach became two of my favorites. I have become very independent and if I want to do something I do it. I won't let not having a dinner date or friend with me stop me from trying new things. People asked, "weren't you lonely?" I was alone but not lonely ~ huge difference.
I fell in love with the shear beauty and aesthetic of the place. I was so tired of one gray day after the next. You get spoiled by the natural beauty and richness of a place, but I sensed people did not take it for granted. I also noticed everyone seemed just a little happier there. The sunshine really does have a strong pull. I felt courageous, going out there day after day discovering, moving out of my comfort zone, feeling grateful to be having this experience and living in each and every moment!
Wilson, the orchid, was my constant companion. As long as Wilson was thriving, so was I. He made it back to Philly and continues to bloom as I see a new bud developing. I am taking it as a sign.
When you spend time alone, you go inward, you examine thoughts and feelings, truly becoming connected deeply to self. There are huge psychological benefits. It is self strengthening! The most important relationship is the one you have with you. If you are not comfortable being alone (and a lot of people are not), I highly recommend doing it.
"If you don't venture out ~ how will you find adventure?"
I also overcame a fear. I don't love the water but damn it, I was not going to let it stop me from getting on a paddle board. You have to ask yourself, "What's the worst that can happen? What are you afraid of exactly?" I can swim (I actually raced the butterfly when I was younger), but I didn't want to fall in the water, as it seemed dirty and I didn't know what was down there. Fear of the unknown keeps us playing small, so jump in. Be scared and do it anyway. Maybe next year I'll stand up?
Solitude can be really restorative, but only on the condition that you have connection when you want it. A social circle or support system is necessary for the "alone time" to heal rather than hurt.
I had my family, I had some good friends and I made new friends. I sought out like minded people and found community. I created a speaking engagement and had a design project. I made things happen for myself partly because I willed it so and partly because I worked hard to let people know what I did and desired.
To live (beauti) FULLY is to follow your intuition, listen to the voice inside, step out of your comfort zone, take the road less traveled. We are each a work in progress; it's never too late to create something new for yourself. How do you know magic isn't on the other side of the unknown?
Is there something you are not doing because fear creeps in?
#lifecoachlesson
Design from Within
I am on a slight social media blitz introducing my new Face Book business page. It was slow to start but I am picking up speed. The universe gave me a sign and I am running with it.
After months of not being able to get into my FB business page, out of the clear blue, I received a business license in the mail. I have been in business 20 years and never had the official piece of paper. Apparently, this was all FB needed to verify the page and allow me access.
Wa -lah. If you have not "liked" my page PLEASE do so with the link above, if this is something that resonates with you.
When we marry the physical ~ hard work, design, taking action with the metaphysical ~ gratitude, visualization, awareness around limiting beliefs, we become unstoppable. We become the best versions of ourselves inside and out.
The universe has been giving me a lot of signs lately. I am inclined to follow the path which I feel I am being led. The word disruptive keeps coming up over and over. Maybe I am disrupting the belief that people have around interior design? I am deeply passionate about beautiful spaces but I don't think it's enough anymore. We must be mindful of the energy held within that beautifully designed space. I have no idea where this is all going. It is equal parts scary and exciting. When we are in unknown territory, I think taking slow baby steps is always the way to go. Walk with me?
Great Expectations
*A Coaching Lesson
You know how something happens and it stays with you, it bothers you. That loop starts playing in your monkey
mind, going around and around?
I was out to dinner a few weeks ago with girlfriends. I had had a long day and was looking forward to having a delicious drink. My drink of choice always involves Vodka, more often than not Tito's, with variations of other ingredients such as ~ a splash of cranberry juice and muddled mint (I have a slight obsession with mint), possibly a cucumber mint martini or some kind of vodka infusion, like a Stoli doli (vodka seeped in pineapples). On this occasion I ordered whatever the name of the drink was that had vodka, elderflower, tonic and fresh lime. I asked for it without the tonic. I don't like bubbles and it takes the drink in another direction. We waited a ridiculously long time for the drinks to come and when they did come, I asked the waitress, is there tonic in whatever the name of the drink was? She responded no. I said, "There are bubbles." She took it away but came back quickly about to put the drink down in front of me again and said,
"The bartender gave you a splash of soda, instead of tonic." I asked her to take it back and have the bartender make me the drink with NO BUBBLES. I must have said it with a slight attitude. When I asked for the drink with no tonic, I assumed he was including all the other ingredients and just omitting the tonic, not taking it upon himself to add an ingredient that was not even included in the drink. It did not occur to me to say "and nothing else" when ordering. You don't order an omelette for example off the menu that reads spinach, mushroom, and American cheese and say, "I'd like it with spinach, mushroom and no American cheese." Then the omelette comes and it has spinach, mushroom and mozzarella cheese. This made no sense to me! I told the lovely waitress with the drink in her hand to take it back. I didn't want it anymore. I felt so disappointed. Honestly, it was an easy fix and a silly misunderstanding, but my disappointment over rode my intellect in that moment.
My girlfriend turned to me and said I was rude to the waitress. I felt terrible! I didn't mean to be rude to the waitress. That was not my intention. I don't want to be that person that is rude to waitstaff: Ever! Hell, I was a waitress for years and it's a hard job. Why was I rude to the waitress? For two days it played out in my mind. What could I have done differently? Why did I handle the situation the way I did? I don't want to be the person who brings that kind of energy into a situation. Why, why, why? It was honestly ridiculous that I was obsessing about this for so long.
AHA! The reason was UNMET EXPECTATIONS. I was expecting a drink just the way I like it. That was my mistake. Of course when something little and seemingly insignificant like this scenario occurs, it is always indicative of a bigger issue. By Jones I think I've got it! I am more often than not disappointed when I have an expectation about something, anything, and it is not fulfilled the way I wish it should be. This is not a new conversation that I have with myself and is fairly common for most of us. I have to learn to let it go, not become focused on what is not working but on what I can control and how it can work for me. It was just a perfect little metaphor showing itself in an unexpected way.
People do not bend to our will. Places and things just are what they are. There is no conspiracy to "piss us off" or cosmically conspire against us. When expectations are not met, disappointment or frustration set in and we just have to do our best to turn our thoughts around, tell ourselves a different story. Things happen for us, not to us. I guess I needed a little reminder.
I need to work on replacing expectation with appreciation. Do you? This is not uncommon. I may make a similar mistake in the future, but I have an awareness now that I did not have before. I will hopefully recall this situation, behave differently, thereby not allowing this to happen again. There's the growth! When you know better you can do better!
CHEERS TO THAT
Do you have an issue you's like to be coached around?
Let's talk
carrie@carrieleskowitzinteriors.com
The Class
If you haven't heard of The Class by Taryn Toomey you soon will. There is a reason why Well and Good deems 2017 the year of Taryn Toomey. With big expansion plans, a collaboration with Lululemon, campaigns with New Balance and J. Crew, retreats that consistently sell out, a high vibe jewelry line and I don't know what else, Taryn's devotee list is growing, and I am now one of them!
The class began organically. Taryn started by teaching friends, which led to a rental space in the Flatiron district. Now with a permanent space of her own since January, I was dying to see the new "energetically balanced" studio in TriBeCa. It does not disappoint!
From the moment you walk in (after walking up 3 flights of stairs, which seems slightly cruel) a kind of calm washes over you. The chic pinky-taupey gray neutral space with its fashion forward decor, famous crystal embedded floor, flickering candles, uber chic bathroom with luxury driven products is hard to completely classify, just like the workout. The design was done by class regulars The Crystalline. The girls wanted people to experience moments throughout the studio. I can confirm they achieved their goal. From the moment I walked in to the moment I entered the powder room before I left, I oohed and ahhed.
After falling in love with the sculptural quality of Christoper Boots metal lighting and the pendants by Kelly Wearstler, everything fell into place. Taryn wanted a warm space that people wanted to spend time in.
The space is so beautiful and I appreciate the attention to detail AND the intention in the design, BUT it is the icing on the cake because what you really come for is The Class.
The workout is an immersive mind, body, spirit experience. It's been called cathartic, life changing, marriage saving, transformative, character building, an intense boot camp meets therapy session. It is an exercise in space clearing. With its slow build of moves like jumping jacks, leg kicks, burpees, planks, and lunges, these exercises are not unfamiliar. You start slowly and the intensity builds. As the music gets louder and louder, you are being tested (without judgement). You are creating the fire within. Can you go deeper, further, letting go of anything that is holding you back? You get lost in the moment, in the music. You breathe audibly, sometimes shouting "hut" in unison and it feels amazing! It is difficult, but knowing you will come back to yourself momentarily helped me get through it. Each round of exercises begins and ends with you checking in with yourself, feeling centered. Placing your hand on your heart reinforces, by touch, the intention of letting go to create the full mind, body connection. By fatiguing yourself, doing a little free flow dance, then shaking it off as it were, you are shedding emotional baggage. Working through the exercises is a metaphor for working through life's challenges and releasing what doesn't serve you. You leave everything in that room and all that remains is a sweaty body and a clear mind.
Through a very personal experience Taryn had in Peru she intends set up a 1:1 business model. "For every class taken in New York, a child in Peru has access to toiletries, school supplies, or a similarly taught class to help them find a physical, emotional and mental release." I ask you ~ what do you do for physical, emotional or mental release?
photos: Taryn via Jennifer Medina for RackedNY, crystal pendant via Jamie Baird, workout via Michael Sofronski for NYPost, CLI, The Class
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)