First Impressions

COVID changed the way we interact and work with one another. So many of us have found ourselves working from home more frequently, and for some, permanently. While this is a welcome change for many folks, what if your home isn’t supportive of a positive work from home experience? Let’s take a look at some of the things you can address to make your home office work for you.

Have you ever felt guilty for wanting more? Whether it's the latest and greatest technology, a quarterly getaway to a relaxing beach, or a bathroom resembling a luxury spa, it's easy to get caught up in feelings of shame for expressing our desires. After all, we've been ingrained with messages of practicing contentment since childhood.

Bit by bit, I’ve released this pressure to create the “perfect” Christmas, and I’ve realized something miraculous. The entire holiday season is better now, not just for me, but for my whole family. The stress lifted, joy descended, and new memories and traditions are being made. Here’s how I did it…

“Mindfulness” seems to be a buzzword we’ve been hearing everywhere lately, but what does it actually mean? To me, it’s the way we can choose to move thoughtfully through our daily activities, savoring the little details, the sights or scents or textures, and enjoying those activities no matter how routine or mundane they may seem.

If you’re anything like me, every so often, you just can’t resist clicking on those quick Facebook quizzes to discover what state you should live in, what your real career should be, or which character you’d be in Outlander.

Many of my fondest childhood memories are of spending relaxed, leisurely afternoons at museums with my mother. Not only did I relish the special time with her, but I grew to adore the art we viewed together. Since an early age, art has been a source of inspiration for me.

Have you ever felt pressured to meet an expectation, even though your heart wasn’t really in it? Maybe during childhood, you just needed to have those brand-new trendy shoes.

Happiness and joy. Do you use these words interchangeably in conversations? I used to, too. Now, I define them differently, and it’s a change that has made a dramatic impact on my life.

As an adult, the outdoors are still part of who Susan is. She might not collect rocks anymore or live in the forest, but when she imagines those times, she feels that same spirit of possibility, family, joy, and connection to the natural world. In other words, these memories feel like home.

I understand what it’s like to be afraid of making the wrong choice. I get it. I really do. We’re all short on time and money and emotional energy for these BIG decisions.

I was surprised at my non-disappointment at not being able to pull out all the stops this season, per my usual perfectionist MO. Instead I found myself feeling actually, calm, for a change. I decided to enjoy that feeling and stick with it.

This season, instead of dragging out the decorations and throwing them any old place just to get them up… how about you take a “less is more” approach and enjoy your efforts? Here’s my method for creating some Zen holiday spirit.

I recently completed a 1980’s kitchen makeover. Once dark and cramped, this kitchen and its wonderful inhabitant has a fresh, new lease on daily life…