Small acts of care that make everyday life feel richer, kinder and more joyful.
We spend a surprising amount of life waiting.
Waiting for the weekend.
Waiting for a holiday.
Waiting until the house is finished.
Waiting until we lose weight.
Waiting until work quietens down.
Waiting until somebody comes along to share things with.
And sometimes waiting for permission to enjoy ourselves.
But what if your ordinary life could feel better now?
Not perfect.
Not Instagram-perfect with matching cushions, homemade sourdough and somebody wandering through a field wearing linen.
Just better.
Look at the life surrounding you
Your surroundings influence you every day.
Your bedroom.
The chair you sit in.
The things you see when you first walk through your front door.
The light.
The clutter.
The smells.
The sounds.
The garden.
Even that cupboard you avoid opening because its contents may technically qualify as an avalanche risk.
Your home does not have to be fashionable.
But it should support the person living in it.
You.
So ask yourself:
Does my home restore me or drain me?
Where do I naturally relax?
Is there anywhere in my home that feels truly mine?
What constantly irritates me that I keep putting up with?
That last question can be surprisingly revealing.
Create one place that feels wonderful
You do not have to redecorate your entire house.
Start with one place.
A chair beside a window.
A corner of your bedroom.
A garden bench.
Your kitchen table.
A small space where you can read, drink tea, think, journal, listen to music or simply sit quietly.
Then make it feel good.
Move the clutter.
Add a cushion.
Bring in flowers or greenery.
Improve the lighting.
Put something meaningful nearby.
Comfort is not frivolous.
Our surroundings constantly send information to our nervous system about whether we can relax or need to remain alert.
A calmer home can help create a calmer person.
Stop saving everything for 'best'
You know the things.
The lovely glasses.
The expensive candle.
The special soap.
The beautiful notebook.
The clothes you never wear.
The crockery your mother probably declared was "for best" sometime around 1974.
What exactly are we waiting for?
Your ordinary Tuesday is part of your life too.
Use the things you love.
Wear the clothes.
Drink from the ridiculous glass.
Burn the candle.
Life does not issue bonus points for leaving everything pristine for whoever clears the house afterwards.
Bring pleasure back into everyday life
Pleasure does not have to cost much.
It might be:
-
walking somewhere beautiful
-
listening to music while cooking
-
growing herbs or flowers
-
reading for half an hour
-
sitting outside with your morning drink
-
phoning somebody who makes you laugh
-
having a massage
-
making something
-
dancing badly in the kitchen
-
doing absolutely nothing for twenty minutes without calling yourself lazy.
And that last one may be advanced-level self-care.
The important question is:
What genuinely brings you pleasure now?
Not ten years ago.
Not what you think should bring you pleasure.
Now.
People change.
Your life should be allowed to change with you.
Notice where you have disappeared from your own life
This happens particularly easily when you have spent years caring for children, partners, parents, clients, businesses or everybody who apparently cannot locate anything unless you personally find it for them.
You become useful.
Responsible.
Dependable.
And gradually your own needs slide down the list.
So ask, and maybe journal it too, so you can keep the thoughts that arise:
Where am I still living according to somebody else's expectations?
What would I like more of?
What would I happily have less of?
What have I been promising myself I will do "one day"?
"One day" is an extremely unreliable date.
Put something in the diary.
Your home can support the person you are becoming
Later life does not need to be about making life smaller.
It can be about becoming more deliberate.
What stays?
What goes?
What matters?
What gives you joy?
What makes daily life easier?
What helps you feel safe, comfortable, inspired and at home?
That is exactly why I created my free Your Sanctuary Checklist: Creating a Home That Heals.
It helps you look at your home with fresh eyes and consider comfort, light, nature, clutter, rest and, importantly, how you actually want your home to feel.
Download your copy here: bit.ly/myhomechecklist
You do not need to change everything. Keep it SIMPLE.
Choose one thing.
Move something.
Remove something.
Add something.
Repair something.
Use something.
Then notice what changes.
Because creating a life you love rarely happens through one enormous decision.
More often, it is built through hundreds of tiny choices that quietly say:
My life matters too.
If you have found this helpful or inspirational please COMMENT, share to a friend who may benefit - or even SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube Channel so you can watch it, and other videos on there. Thank you.
Together we are stronger!
Watch this blog on YouTube here:
© Gayle Palmer Aligned Later Life.com
Comments