Your home is a snap shot of who you are. A reflection of your personality, your likes and dislikes. Does your home really show you off? Often times when I go to a potential clients home it is like stepping into a 20 year time capsule of their life cycles instead of their life STYLE. Strolling through an ill assorted casket of treasures from the cherished to the unknown. I find it funny how so many of us "hang on" to something from when we were "in college", "first married", or "just because". And we are ALL culprits of this mentality. We ALL do it. But does it really show us off? Show the unique, extraordinary individuals that we are?
Our homes are our havens. Our refuge. A place to come home to after a long day of work, or a place to work from. It is by far THE largest investment that we make in our life times. Our homes bring us peace, security, comfort, and they support us through all our moods. Our homes see the best and the worst of us. They verifiably see and breathe our authentic selves. The old saying of "if these walls could talk" is truest to life. So why is it we allow ourselves to live in life cycles rather than a life STYLE?
So often consumers want to rush out and BUY as much as possible-ALL AT ONCE! The idea of instant gratification. This is not a lifeSTYLE. This is making a lot of unwise buying choices all at once, and one of two things will happen. 1) You hang onto it for 20 years (for reasons yet to be understood) or 2) After a few years you realize the choices were made in haste, you hate everything, and all those dollars are thrown down the drain, and you start the life cycle over again by running out and making more unwise purchasing decisions. ~insert hiring a Professional Interior Designer here~
Creating a lifeSTYLE isn't as perplexing as Martha Stewart's inability to age. It is about making wise purchasing decisions, and having a plan. (Don't know where to start? Try reading my post on Designing a Room, where to start. )A lifeSTYLE is all about living your best life. Living amongst things that bring you the most joy. Is that inexpensive Ashley sofa really bringing you joy? Or was it appropriate for that particular life cycle two years ago?
You want your home to be a genuine representation of who you ARE, not who you have been or were 20 years ago. Your home should bring a smile to your face and give you undeniable bliss. Don't allow it to become a junkyard of days past that may have been difficult. Our lives are complicated enough. We need to be surrounded by things that are pleasant and agreeable. Things that bring us pleasure whether they be simple or complex. When you live in a life that surrounds you and supports WHO YOU ARE, you become even better. You perform at your best and become your best. This is a lifeSTYLE.
So the next time you want to rush out and make a quick buy to update your room ask yourself these questions:
1) Is this a part of my plan?
2) Do I LOVE it? Does it bring me joy?
3) Am I looking at the object or am I looking at the price? (If you are looking at the price you are being sucked into your pattern of life cycle. This will only add to the junk yard casket of treasures)
4) Does this fit my lifestyle? My personality? Does this add to living my best life?
We can all use a little less stuff in our lives and add a little more
STYLE!
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