Author Archives: Megan Antlfinger

Are You Happy?

How do you put “Happy” in your day?

Seriously.

I challenge you to notice whether you are feeling happy for the majority of your day, or not. “Happy” is the mode you were meant to live in and be in for the majority of your time. “Happy” helps you thrive. Do you feel like you are thriving?

I put “Happy” in quotation marks because “Happy” is a relative term. What makes me happy might be completely different for you. “Happy” is defined as feeling pleasure and contentment. Synonyms include words like cheerful, joyful, carefree, untroubled, satisfied and delighted. Can you relate to these words? Are you embodying their essence? Would you describe the majority of your day in this way? If not, is it time to add a little “Happy” in your day & life?

Let’s look at some simple solutions to add that cheerful, joyful, untroubled and satisfied feeling in your life.

Fill your day with small things you love.

Make time for things you love to be included in each and every day. This will bring out your smile that will light you up inside and out. These small moments of joy, love and laughter create a bigger, deeper and broader feelings of gratitude that enhances the “Happy” throughout your day even when you are feeling tested, taxed and overwhelmed.

Do something new that inspires awe.

Doing something new gives you a fresh perspective and a new way to look at life. It inspires a sense of awe, gratitude and “Happy”. Look at the things you consistently do with a fresh set of eyes or change it up for a day or two. This will help you tap into the grace that is connected to the mystery of your life.

Create wins in each day.

It is important to test yourself and try new things each day. When embarking on these or other challenges it is important to set yourself up for success. Create situations that are a reach for you but are also possible. I often see people taking on too much and then quit before ever really starting. Design steps that help you move forward instead of becoming stuck. These wins will help you celebrate your successes and create more “Happy” in each day.

Exercise.

Exercise has a beneficial impact on your mind and body. Take time each day to exercise to the point you sweat out toxins, breath deeply and focus on the movement of your body. This helps release toxins, energize the body with much needed oxygen and quite the chatter in your brain.

Home Sanctuary.

Ahh, that feeling of home. Design spaces in your home that act as a recharging station for you and your family. When your home enables you to rejuvenate, you can go out into the world and be the best you can be each day. It also helps you plug-in to your “Happy” from a happy place.

Quite Time.

Down time equals “Happy” mind. Taking time each day to get quite creates a sense of inner stillness. This will allow you to sidestep the barrage of frenetic energy that it part of daily living. When you are part of the chaos of the typical lifestyle it is challenging to find a sense of “Happy”. Taking time each day to find stillness and calm will connect you to more moments of “Happy.”

You were designed to live in “Happy” mode for the majority of each day. That doesn’t mean that life won’t have challenges or roadblocks. Rather, it means that you have structured a framework of living that encourages you to live from a place of harmony and “Happy”. Can you add a little “Happy” in your day so that you are thriving instead of surviving?

PS… If you need some help, connect with me here so we can put a plan in place so that you begin living your best life!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

photo credit: buddhistism dot wordpress dot com

Buon giorno! Do you need a little spice in your life?

Boun giorno! This note comes to you from Italy! Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. You get to see amazing new sights, meet incredible people, explore cultures that are so different from your own and step out of your ordinary day-to-day experience. It also gives me a new-found appreciation for home and life when I return.

The amazing thing is you don’t have to go far to experience the energizing shift that traveling to Italy or anywhere in the world creates. Experiencing something new can happen just outside your front door.

Traveling entices me to notice the ceilings, bathrooms, flooring and every nook and cranny of buildings, inside and out. You can check out the design and architectural elements that I captured from Italy on my Home in Harmony Face Book Page. Incredible inspiration comes from these moments.

We live in a world where it is easy to get stuck in a rut and not notice the beauty and exquisiteness of life that abound. There are a few simple solutions that can move you out of this stagnant space and help you begin to explore the splendor.

First, notice your habitual patterns that make up your day and commit to changing at least 4 things in your daily routine. It can be as simple as driving to work a different way. No need to travel abroad to get a different perspective! When you change the monotony of the things you do consistently you will feel a shift in perspective, energy and vibrancy.

Second, choose something new to explore. Maybe you have been contemplating redoing something in your home but are unsure if you should or really want to. Begin by looking in magazines, on the Internet or exploring open houses in your neighborhood. This will open you to what is out there, what your options are and if you like varying items. Thus, giving you a new perspective. It will also make you look at your home from a new vantage point when you walk through your door.

Third, move or remove two items in each room of your home. This is a fun way to give your home a little lift. It will also help you to “see” your space from a fresh perspective. It is natural to become so accustom to each room in your home that you no longer truly notice the rooms or items within each room. It virtually fades into the background of your consciousness. By moving or removing a few items your home will come back into focus with a crisp and rejuvenating outlook.

Noticing new things and breaking up daily habits can give you a renewed sense of vibrancy in your life and home. You don’t need to travel to distant lands to find and appreciate harmony in your home!

PS… If you would like help in creating harmony in your home click here for a complimentary Success Strategy Call!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Overcome the Overwhelm

Are you feeling overwhelmed? I can totally relate! Here’s what I did to overcome the overwhelm…

At one point this week I felt that panicky feeling in my stomach that felt like my insides were beginning to do somersaults. Have you ever had that feeling?

Home in Harmony has a lot of fun and exciting stuff going on and I have been connecting and interviewing a bunch of great experts for the Home in Harmony Master Class that we will bring to you in just a few months. We have also had multiple design and Home Showcasing projects to manage. And, on the home front we are off to Italy in just a few days because one of my girls was asked to play in the World Hockey Tournament in Bolzano. While all of this exciting stuff is happening I have been managing the process of the demolition, construction and insurance with our current home which sustained major damage this winter because of the ice dams and heavy snow load. Virtually the entire home has to be taken apart and put back together. The snowball effect of what this means can seem daunting… managing contractors, insurance adjusters, moving companies, storage facilities. All while trying to find a place to live in an area that doesn’t seem to have rentals that can accommodate a family of six.

I can truly say, I understand what it means to not feel like my home is in harmony!

That being said, I also realize how critical it is to manage the overwhelm! First, it is imperative to mobilize and move into action to move through this experience and get to the other side of the overwhelm. Trust me, there is “the other side”. Knowing this keeps me moving forward.

Taking time to take a few breaths is also critical. At one point recently I was forwarding emails that were supposed to go to my business manager to my husband. His gentle reply of, “Hi Love, Is this something I need? I love you.” Was a fabulous reminder that when you are moving to fast, it can actually create more work because you are not doing things well which in the end creates more overwhelm. I then forwarded my email to my business manger letting her know what had happened and she sweetly and firmly said, “Hmm, I’ve been thinking about you and all you have on your plate. Maybe you should take some time to sit down and have some tea.” These lovely people were there to remind me that it is critical to take moments each day to breath deeply especially when you are feeling the impact of a dizzying amount of stress, commitments or overwhelm. We all go through periods in our lives where we experience this. It is how you approach it that can help you either move through it or stay stuck. Let me share a few simple solutions to help you to overcome your overwhelm.

1. Look at the big picture and create a goal around it. This will help you envision where you hope to go. It will give you the needed momentum to keep taking each needed step to move you forward. For me, my vision is of our family enjoying a beautiful Christmas in a fabulous kitchen that I have created. I can see the smiles, hear the laughter and feel the warm fire from the hearth. This vision carries me and moves me through the feelings that begin to rise up in the pit of my stomach. What is your vision? Find it, feel it, connect to it. It will pull you through.

2. Compartmentalize the different areas that are creating that sense of overwhelm. Is it related to your personal life, professional life, home space, kids’ activities or clutter? Look at each area separately and create a system for each. Do this by creating goals and task lists that are manageable. Take one small step each day to cross off these tasks that are related to the goals in each area. Make them small enough that they are manageable but big enough that you feel like you moved the needle.

3. Take time each day to take a deep breath. (The more of these moments the better.) It actually helps to lower cortisol levels in the body, which can help you think clearer. This helps you make better decisions that will be more effective and efficient.

It is a natural part of living to have experiences arise that can create feelings of overwhelm. Implementing strategies and simple solutions that will help you be more effective and efficient will help you move through your day with more ease and grace. Begin by sitting down with a cup of tea, taking a few deep breaths and writing out your vision of your ideal life. This will help you overcome the overwhelm.

PS… If you would like help in overcoming the overwhelm in your life click here for a complimentary Success Strategy Call!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Image Credit: Heena Pattni

Step Through Your Fear

Have you ever experienced this emotional roller-coaster? In one moment you feel the elation of an inspired idea and in the next moment your idea comes crashing back to reality because you realize that the logistics or work involved are daunting. This can happen in any area of your life, home or business… or all of the above!

I often see and am fascinated by the fact that if one of my Elite Private Clients face a challenge in their life, home or business that the same challenge will show up with another one of my clients. Similarly, when we survey the Home in Harmony Community we will often see trends in the questions or challenges they want solutions to. I assume that because there seems to be a theme in the past few weeks regarding feelings of fear related to moving forward with one’s passion or purpose it might be a great idea to give you some simple solutions to move you around or through what is holding you back. This week’s article is all about stepping through the fire of fear and creating & living your passion and purpose!

Have you ever had an incredible idea in one moment and then the voices in your head tell you that it isn’t a good idea in the next? You go from feeling incredible to crushed in a flash? It can happen in any area of your life. Sometimes it happens in your business (or would-be business) or maybe it is the party you keep wishing you would host. But, as quick as the excitement hits, it disappears in a cloud of doubt.

I have clients and friends who will tell me, “Oh, I want to host a party but I can’t because my house doesn’t look like Martha Stewart’s.” Or, I will have prospective business clients say, “I have this great idea for a business but now is not quite the right time… I need to get more credentials or get out of debt.” These two seemingly different stories are part of the same feedback loop in the brain that is telling you, you are not good enough, you need one more credential, you need to improve something first, or you don’t deserve living your best life now! I can tell you that you do deserve it, you are worth it, you don’t need any more credentials or improvements (until I am blue in the face), but until you begin to train your brain to believe that this is true, the needle or momentum in your life won’t change. Literally. It won’t change. You will stay stuck in the same place, the same pattern… gasp, gulp… forever!

I know that sounds dramatic, but it is the realistic reality. I have 2 simple solutions to help you break through the mental bonds that are holding you back.

First, take some time and write a letter from your future self to your current self. Picture yourself a year from now and write from the space and place you hope your life, home and business will be. It might look something like this…

Dear ____, I am so excited to share with you that this has happened this year! I want to thank you for taking that first step! Because you did _____, I am here!

Be creative! Think BIG & BOLD! Fill the pages with sincere affirmations and statements of gratitude. Think about your ideal life, home & business and what you hope it will look like a year from now. Don’t hold back!

This will help you become crystal clear on what your ideal life, home and business looks like. This is the first step in creating the reality of your dreams.

Next, assess how long you have held on to pieces of this dream. Be real. Only you need to see the note to yourself. How long have you wished this was your reality but you haven’t begun to take the steps to create it? This will give you clarity around how stuck you are and what type of push will help propel you forward.

Lastly, look at your letter from your future self and determine what one thing you could do today to begin making your dream a reality. It only needs to be one small, concrete step. If you have always wished to throw a party but you are afraid to because your house isn’t in tip-top shape, clean out one drawer. This will move you one step closer. If you have always longed for a business of your own that allows you to express yourself, travel the world and help others, decide what that first step is that will get you a wee bit closer to your goal. Remember it is in the small steps that big obstacles are overcome.

PS… If you would like your own success strategy plan tailored to meet your individual needs for home, health, and happiness click here for a complimentary Success Strategy Call!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Image Credit: Moclug

4 Simple Spring Cleaning Tips for Home Harmony

Yay, it finally feels like Spring! What does Spring mean in New England? It means finally shedding the big, puffy coat, gloves & mittens! Seeing buds peak through the brown earth and the last bits of snow disappear. The kids are so excited that they are prematurely wearing shorts because the gray skies have begun to show signs of a shimmering sun. It is time to thaw out from a very long winter on the South Shore of Boston! It makes me want to throw open the windows and doors and hear the glorious sounds of birds and peepers. It feels like the world is ready to explode with brilliant color, serenading sounds, and the smell of fresh grass. Ahh, Spring!

In many cultures, springtime is a time of renewal and awakening. Innately our whole being wants to embrace the sense of rebirth. There are home habits that convey this need for rejuvenation of home, body, mind and spirit. The ultimate example is the yearly Spring-cleaning routine. Let’s look at 4 ways you can create harmony in your home during this season of renewal.

1. Outdoor Space
Time to sweep off the deck, patio or turn a grassy patch into an outdoor oasis. Take a moment to think about how you can add candles, lighting and flowers to create a splendid outdoor sanctuary.

2. Outdoor Furniture
Clean, polish, oil or paint your outdoor furniture. These items can have major wear and tear from sitting out in the elements and/or sitting in the dusty basement. Take some time to wipe down, clean and spruce up these pieces so that they are inviting. If they look worn and dirty you won’t want to use your outdoor space.

3. Add Color
Adding some new pillows with fun colors will breathe extra energy into your outdoor oasis. You will be excited to go outside and enjoy your new surroundings!

4. Heating Elements
Make sure that all of your heating elements – grill, torches, fire pits – are in good repair and ready to use. It can be very frustrating to have a beautiful evening pop-up where you want to entertain but you are out of propane for the grill.

These are four simple solutions to help you step into Spring with style, ease and grace!

If you would like your own success strategy plan tailored to meet your individual needs click here for a complimentary Success Strategy Call!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Image Credit: Cool Furniture