Why Intentional Design Matters
There is nothing in life that we have to do but I think that one of the best things we could do is trust ourselves. Trust ourselves to know what we feel, trust ourselves to know what we need, and trust ourselves to know when something is not in alignment with our highest good. What I love about design and spaces is that they have the beautiful ability to support us in this process. They have the ability to reflect what is happening in our lives and why, they have the ability to show us how to know and love ourselves more deeply, they have the ability to hold us through our pain, and they have the ability to support us in creating new experiences in our lives. Your home could be just a place you live or your home could be so much more.
There are many studies out there that show us how the design and function of a space affects our state of mind, the health of our body, and the actions that we take. If you’d like a resource that cites many of those studies, I recommend the uplifting book Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee. I don’t think it’s necessary however to prove to you right now that we are always being positively or negatively affected by our environment. You already know what it is like to walk into a room that makes you feel calm, joyful, expansive, nervous, anxious, disgusted, frustrated, or even just neutral (which doesn’t actually have just a neutral effect on our emotions). From your own life experience, you know that a space has an affect on you.
What you may not be in touch with though is the extent to which your environment is reinforcing beliefs and habits that are either serving you well or are actively keeping you from where you want to go and becoming who you want to be. Your home is a powerful storyteller that wants to support you, but it needs your involvement. If you don’t become present to what you are doing, then your home will hold your current patterns in place. If you want things to change, then you need to wake up to what you are doing. For those who are actively trying to change their lives but are still feeling stuck, your home can become a beautiful ally for you. It is your mindfulness coach; beautifully holding up reflections for you to see. It is your partner in change; offering insights and options for how to move forward.
Given that we spend the majority of our time in our homes and that these intimate environments reflect who we have been and greatly influence who we are becoming, engaging with your home through the process of mindful design could be one of the most effective ways to deepen your self-awareness and trust yourself on the journey to becoming who you want to be.
