When you walk into your house, do you instantly feel “at home”?  Does your house feel comfortable to you?  When you sit in your living room, do you look around and see things you love?  Would you ever describe your home as your sanctuary?

My house is not new and it’s not perfect, but I have spent a lot of energy over the last few years, arranging furniture in a way that is functional and interesting, getting rid of things I didn’t love and replacing them (sometimes) with things that make me happy.  I lit candles, I brought in plants, I got rid of clutter.  I made sure it’s not just a house, it’s my home.

I think it’s important to carve out our own place in the world.  A place where we are surrounded with things that make us feel comfortable…a place where we enjoy spending time…a refuge from the craziness of the world.

For me this means a certain amount of duality: clean spaces, free of clutter but not too sparse; sometimes background music, sometimes silence; sometimes the scent of a candle, sometimes the scent of bread baking in the oven; sometimes I want to hibernate on my couch with a cozy blanket, sometimes I want to lounge on my patio to enjoy a summer breeze; sometimes I want to socialize with friends and family, sometimes I don’t. My home is set up perfectly for all of those things.

For others, it can mean anything from spaces devoid of stuff to those filled with collectables and interesting knickknacks.  Some people require art, some require music, some require a steady stream of visitors, some require solitude.  What makes our homes our refuge differs greatly, we are all individuals after all.

What feelings elicit the sense of home and belonging for you?  How can you bring that into your home?  What makes your house your sanctuary? What would make it a space you crave to spend time in?

If your home is not yet your sanctuary, don't feel overwhelmed, start small.   Pick the room where you spend the majority of your waking hours, or the room that others in your family use the least.  Clean it, declutter it, bring in or simply showcase a couple items that you love.  Make it a place where you enjoy being.  Make it a peaceful space to enjoy an evening cup of tea or a fun area where you are surrounded with funky art and games to play with family members.  It doesn’t have to be pricey or difficult, and it certainly doesn’t have to be perfect.  Just a step in the right direction...a step toward creating your own personal refuge.

We all want to be happy.  We pursue happiness.
We all want to be comfortable in our bodies.  For many this means weight loss, and we pursue that as well.
 
Have you ever considered that you are pursuing the wrong thing?
We so often search for happiness in money, possessions or in our significant other.  Sometimes we search for it in substances or shallow relationships.

We so often search for weight loss in fad diets and unhealthy behaviors.
 
And sometimes, we get what we are searching for… But does it last?  Is it really what is best for us?  Did we get it in a holistic and fulfilling manner?
 
What if, instead of pursuing happiness, we pursued a meaningful life?
What if, instead of pursuing weight loss, we pursued healthy, balanced living?
 
Living a meaningful life will lead to happiness.  Happiness is one of the many benefits of living your values.  Fundamental happiness…from the core of your being.
Living a healthy, balanced life will lead to a healthy body (and if you are overweight, it will lead to weight loss).  A healthy body is one of the many benefits of living a holistic lifestyle.  Fundamental, healthy, well-being…
 
Take a moment to look at what you are pursuing.


Namaste -
Tracy