Maybe it’s time to say thank you

…and give yourself, and your house, some gentle encouragement.

I sat down this morning to write in my journal. I began to pen a list of everything I've achieved since the beginning of the year, the first and most important being that I've started being nice to myself. Like off-the-charts, really kind. I'm my own best friend. Naturally, my thoughts segued to what that meant for my home. How does being kind to oneself relate to how we feel about and treat the space in which we spend considerable time?

Lately, my feelings toward my home have been nothing but annoyance. A constant focus on things that need fixing or finishing. I walk in the door, and all I clock are the bits I want to change. My attention has been solely on the negative. We all have experience of what it's like when someone only points out the wrong stuff. It gets you down after a while, and you stop trying. So I've decided to give my home the same respect and kindness I give myself. I'm going to start talking to it nicely.

Thank you, house, for keeping us dry and warm. For providing us with light and views out the window, giving us somewhere to prepare food and share numerous meals, and places to have connections and conversations. Thank you, furniture. Thank you, bed, for bestowing me night after night a comfortable sleep. Thank you to my sofas and chairs for giving me options depending on whether I want to sit alert or slouch. Thank you, Art and Objects, for reminding me about the places and people I met and experienced as part of your purchasing journey. Thank you for the moments when you do make me smile.

Now I've said thank you home, it's time to show you I mean it. Those things I've been promising to help with, I commit to making them happen, and I promise to keep nurturing and making improvements. And while we save for the big stuff, I promise I won't forget to express my gratitude with a bunch of foraged flowers, a plump of your cushions and a spritz of the windows so we can both keep enjoying your beautiful view.

Need a mentor to help you keep your promise to yourself and your home? Drop me a line, I’m here to help xx Kate