Is Your Home Supporting You? Part 1

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​How has it been for you to be home? Probably more than ever before, like most of us. For the people I know and myself, it’s been both a blessing and a curse. On one hand it’s been liberating: “Yay!” say some, “I don’t have to be anywhere!” On the other hand: well we might feel like “I’m in the same place I was yesterday and the day before!” So when we feel trapped, how do we get out of the box and like the cartoon SpongeBob use some good Imagination?

Let’s look at both sides of the box so to speak:

On the positive

1. We’ve gained time and for some, a lot of time, avoiding commute. We’ve also gained flexibility in our schedules.
2. We have so much more energy available since we don’t have to deal with traffic, public transportation, how stressful and tiring it can all be! 
3. If you are a home lover like me, we can enjoy being cozy at home.
4. We have choice, freedom to mix it up at any time! 

On the negative

1. It’s all in one place! it may feel small after a while.
2. We don’t get to move as much.
3. It may feel like one uninterrupted long chunk of time since we don’t have a structure any longer that can support in giving its own space and time to the diversity of our needs and interests. 
4. We may be scared to go out again out of fear of being unsafe in the re-opening transition.

Yes we have choice! and it can be overwhelming. Either way, with Being home: It’s all up to us!
Whatever the situation we are in, whether we are financially or health challenged or we are lucky to be safe and healthy in these times, we can make our home a supportive environment. We can take it as a good challenge that can benefit us now and in the long run. 

Practical Steps Part 1So today I want to offer practical steps with two main principles for making your home a supportive environment: nurturing, inspiring, relaxing, just however you like it!
The first principle is overall to keep ONLY what brings you energy. What is needed to accomplish this is:
 A: Create Space In order to create space, we first need to discard what is not needed.

a: Sorting out and discarding is a process all in itself that can be a tough one at first but soon enough, it can be liberating like “getting rid of dead weights.”
I find that it really helps to break it down in separate tasks:

• Sort out your clothes this week.
• Sort out your paperwork next week.
• Sort out your Fridge tonight etc..

The more we create space, the easiest it becomes to clear any corner filled with unnecessary stuff. We can make it a hobby or a game for a while : )
b: Complete with your past with peace and gratitude You may want to take a few special times to sort out belongings with sentimental value to decide on their new place in your life. Unexpected positive benefits from clearing out can come as:

• Discovering hidden treasures: like brand new clothing or dishes you forgot all about.
• When you uncover a forgotten drawing or music instrument you might be reminded that this old hobby would bring you joy again and it is time to give it a fresh start!
• Enjoying giving away what you are no longer using but can benefit someone else, may it be friends or a second-hand store.
• Finally, if something from the past only has sentimental value, then an easy way to keep the sentimental memory and still create space is to take pictures of it, and lovingly store it in a digital file.

In addition to the benefits of creating space and cleanliness, most people find that it also helps clear and organize their mind, which makes making good choices that much easier!
B: Bring in Energy and Joy

• A simple way to do this could be to adjust the lightning, or play with the colored lighting depending on the mood and the time of the day.
• Bringing in a new plant, some flowers!
• Making a teapot or other utensil part of your new daily routine.
• Put a special picture in a visible place: a loved memory, a beautiful image, a message to inspire you or makes you laugh!

I hope this helps opening possibilities and empowering your unique flow in your home and I would love to hear your ideas as well : )