Author Archives: Megan Antlfinger

Spring Transition

After running in 10 degree weather last week, I am looking forward to thawing out and transitioning to spring. I truly understand this year more than ever the idea of “spring fever”! After being cooped up inside… even if it was by a beautiful roaring fire, I am ready to breath fresh air and feel the sun on my face. I am sensing that even the wild animals are feeling the same yearnings. I have begun to hear the robins sing their beautiful morning wakeup song and have witnessed the deer lounging in the leaves while basking in the sun. In my home my internal barometer begins to think about cleaning, organizing and throwing open the windows to allow the soul of our homes to breath deeply after a long winter slumber. It is as if our home, body and soul is ready to transition from hibernation to the aliveness and renewal energy of spring. Maybe the age old tradition of spring cleaning came from the natural instinct that awakens in all of nature’s creations, including us. Let’s look at some ways to invigorate and refresh your home, body, mind and spirit during the transition to spring… the Home in Harmony Lifestyle way!

HOME: Throw open the windows and let your home breathe a deep sigh of relief! This allows old, stuffy and potentially toxic air to move out and fresh air to circulate though your home refreshing your space and rejuvenating you!

BODY: Tune into your body and determine if you need to adjust your intake and output. Spring and summer are just around the corner. With them comes the shedding of layers that might have helped hide some extra “comfort food” pounds over the winter. Sometimes winter promotes a sedentary lifestyle that can decrease your energy. Begin to flow with the rhythm of the season and make an effort to move for at least 2o minutes a day. Reduce your intake of processed products and include nutrient dense real food in everything you put into your body.

MIND: Take time to notice the transition of the natural environment around you. It is amazing to truly witness the awe-inspiring dance of winter gracefully gliding into spring. As each new bud begins to blossom, take time to breath in the sensations that touch each of your senses. This will help curb the chaos and connect you with your natural state of balance and calm.

SPIRIT: Listen to the cacophony of natural spring songs that tickle your ears and can uplift your spirit. Being aware and tuning in to birds chirping or water beginning to trickle from its frozen state are a natural way to raise your vibration or energy level. Take the time to allow nature to sing to your soul and help you soar.

The Home in Harmony Lifestyle helps you design your best life by creating an inspired home, healthy body, calm and clear mind, and connecting you to your inner light. The transition from winter to spring is the perfect time to evaluate these four pillars, and determine what areas need your attention so that you can begin living your inspired life! If you would like guidance to begin living your inspired life feel free to connect with me for a FREE 20 Minute Home in Harmony Lifestyle Private Call by clicking here!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

What will your legacy be?

When looking at life I see people ‘Pillars’ that stand out amongst the many individuals that have come and gone. These individual pillars have created pieces of the structure or the foundational elements that have helped design the architecture of my world. Their influence has set a strong foundation from which to build a beautiful existence. We can be a pillar for others on their journey. This is the legacy that we live and leave. What type of legacy do you live and hope to leave that will impact the design of someone else’s life?

I have been blessed with two amazing individuals who were pillars in my life. They helped design the architecture of my beliefs, attitudes and worldview. They have given me a foundation from which I have built my life. I carry their legacy with me as I stride through each day.

This week I sat by the bedside of one of these beautiful individuals, and was able tell them how blessed I felt to have them in my life. I was able to express the profound impact they had on my life and me. I am filled with gratitude to have had the chance to say thank you to this pillar for the gifts of love, strength, integrity, patience and an expectation of excellence that he instilled in me. It made me begin to think about the legacy I am living and leaving as I walk through my life and touch the lives of those around me. What do I want this legacy to be? Will I be a profound pillar in someone else’s life? How can I help the individual lives I touch design a beautiful structure for their life? I ask you, what will your legacy be? Let’s look at ways to design your inspired legacy.

I think the first step is awareness. Looking at our own lives and noticing which individuals had an impact on us. Were these experiences positive or negative? Did you have to re-frame the structure of your life because of a destructive impact? Or, can you see the pieces that were given to you that support the construction of your life?

The second step is evaluating where you are right now. By taking an honest look at your life and deciding whether you are living and leaving the legacy you hope. Are you a pillar that helps others stand tall?

The third step is choosing what type of legacy you hope to live and leave. The beautiful thing about life is that we have the opportunity to course correct at any given moment. If we are not on the path that we are hoping, we can change course. If when evaluating where you are right now is not the place you hope to be, decide what it is you want as your legacy. What would you hope that someone said to you fifty years from now as they sat at your bedside?

Everyday in our actions, thoughts and words we have a major impact on the world and those we touch. You have the opportunity to live and leave a lasting legacy. What will your legacy be?

If you haven’t already signed up to receive solutions & tips to help you live your best life, click here to receive your FREE E-Book and Bonus Gift, plus our weekly Home in Harmony Lifestyle Newsletter!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Healthy Haven

With Spring on its way, there is a sense of renewal and energy that can tangibly be felt in the air. With this comes a flurry of activity in our homes. Everything from spring-cleaning, redecorating to looking at new spaces and places. It is no wonder that the housing market begins to pick up and people have “everything-house-related” on their minds. This year I have witnessed, along with colleagues in the design and staging business, a barrage of pre-Spring activity in the housing market. It is exciting, invigorating and inspiring! When thinking about design, re-design and potential new spaces it is important to be aware of and take into consideration three things: the look, psychological impact and healthfulness of the interior environment. For today, let’s focus on making it healthy!

As I have mentioned in a previous blog, I am in the process of redesigning my teenage girls room. When I begin any design project, I need to take a number of things into consideration. These include the need to ensure that I am creating a space that is aesthetically pleasing, psychologically supportive and healthful. Most people overlook the last two pieces of this integral part of the design process and focus solely on the visual impact. And, although this is a critical component of good design, it is not the only element that needs consideration. When figuring out how “we” are going to decorate my girls’ bedroom the girls are solely focused on color and impact, which I completely appreciate. However, my goal is to make the space gorgeous, happy and healthful. Because they will occupy this space for long periods each day it is imperative to ensure it has a positive influence on their mental & emotional state and that it is clean of toxic substances that create havoc for the body. Let’s look at one simple way to create a healthy bedroom haven that will have a huge health impact…

It is amazing to think of the various products that go into creating homes, cleaning our homes and making our homes beautiful. A few items that come to mind include rugs, couches, bedding, cleaning products, air fresheners, and beauty items. Understanding what these products are composed of and which ingredients are healthful or hazardous is imperative in creating a healthy, non-toxic home environment. There are 80,000 chemicals that make up the ingredients of the products that the average person brings home. Only small portions of these chemicals have been tested, and even a smaller portion is considered un-harmful to humans. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that the 1976 Toxic Substance Control Act allows chemical manufacturers to keep 20 percent of their ingredients secret. Products considered benign for human exposure have been tested with a limited degree of usage, and not in combination with other chemicals that are used simultaneously. We are now learning that the combination, along with inundation, of certain chemicals is creating a ‘toxic body burden’ for the average person. This correlates to the frightening increase of disease in our society. And because of their small body mass, chemicals have a greater impact on the health of our children.

So, let’s first look at mattresses. You spend a large percentage of your day sleeping on a mattress. Inadvertently most people are sleeping on a typical synthetic mattress. During that time you are potentially breathing in noxious fumes from the mattress itself that is more than likely made of petroleum based product or polyurethane foam. These synthetic mattresses are highly flammable because they are made of petroleum. Insurance companies actually refer to them as solid gas. Because of the corrosive nature of a petroleum based synthetic mattress, manufacturers need to cover them with toxic fire-retardant chemicals. This means you are sleeping in a toxic chemical soup.

There are two things you can do to abate the issue or at least diminish the negative impact on your body. The first is to choose a mattress made out of an organic substance like latex or wool. They are definitely more expensive but worth the price to ensure you are not being exposed to off-gasses for many hours each night. If this is not an option, you need to throw open the windows and unwrap the new synthetic mattresses allowing it to air out for a number of days before actually sleeping on it. Unfortunately, this helps diminish the impact of the initial off-gassing, but doesn’t prevent off-gassing that occurs over the life span of the product.

The key element to keep in mind when creating your healthy home is a conscious awareness of the products you bring home. Creating a healthy environment is directly linked to making informed, healthful choices that include non-toxic furnishings. Start with the mattress that you spend 7 or 8 hours on each day. Exchanging your mattress for a healthy alternative will help you eliminate breathing these noxious substances for extended periods of time. This is a great place to start when designing or re-designing your home and making it healthy and harmonious!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Have You Begun Your Hero’s Journey?

This month I have been interviewing experts in areas related to the four pillars of the Home in Harmony Lifestyle. It has been so fascinating to talk with these individuals! Each expert has been sharing his or her philosophy on designing an inspired life, be it through his or her home, body, mind or spirit, which has been molded and shaped by his or her life experience. The commonality between them is that they all were willing to step up, and share their passion with the world. Their gifts were found along their life path, many of which I would consider a hero’s journey. (You know, the journey where the hero must walk through some type of darkness or odyssey and with their courage, integrity and spirit they are able to prevail becoming stronger and developing a solid sense of who they truly are at their core.) Instead of being defeated by adversity, or shying away from doing the extraordinary, a flame was ignited inside these individuals. They are similar to street lanterns lit along a foggy street in that they radiantly shine their light to illuminate a path to, what they have found is, an inspired way of living.

We all go through some version of a hero’s journey as we travel along the path of life. They can be big or small. It is how we move through these situations, and whether we are able to grown and expand or if we shrink and deflate from them. Sometimes the realization that what you are going through is a hero’s journey can help you move through them with strength and fortitude.

Let’s take a better look at what a hero’s journey is…

The first stage is comfortable, ordinary living. Life rolls along the way it has for a long time and you are in your comfort zone. But, something begins to nudge you, tap you on the shoulder and begin to tug at your consciousness. Is there something more to life?

This nudge, tap, or tug is the second stage of a hero’s journey which calls you towards a great adventure, new horizon, and spectacular vista. Your view of the world and the potential it holds is forever changed now that you have a new found awareness of this potential of possibility. A veil has been lifted and you can clearly see beyond where you were able to see before.

The lure of the adventure ahead entices you to cross the threshold of your comfort zone and move you into the third stage. You know that you have moved beyond your comfort zone, but you also know in your heart there is no turning back.

In the fourth stage of the typical hero’s journey, the hero or heroine needs to gather the courage necessary to face their own inner fears, the doubts of others, and decide whether to walk into the “dragon’s lair” head on. Are you willing to make the move necessary to live your passion and purpose? For some it might be deciding to have a child, others quit a job to follow their dreams, or they say yes to a new relationship. Looking back at your life can you see the times you stood at the doorway of the den knowing however scary it might be that it was the right choice, the only choice if you are to follow the stirrings of your soul?

Entering the dark cave the hero becomes disoriented, disillusioned. Was this the best decision? Should I have done it differently? Why did I move out of my comfort zone? This fifth stage is what some refer to as “the dark night of the soul”. But, the hero continues on and moves through the fear, trepidation, and pain.

As the hero moves towards the light out of the dark cave they are transformed, strengthened, and revitalized. They have come through their ordeal stronger, and with a new resolve to lead a better life based on their newfound awareness and experiences. This sixth stage is a rebirth of the spirit, and allows the hero to look back and appreciate where he has come from and the new path he now travels that allows him to be the grandest version of himself.

The seventh stage is becoming comfortable with this new version of you. However, because we are ever evolving beings, the nudge, tap, or tug begin to stir the soul and entice you towards a new horizon. The question always is, will you follow the pull?

Looking at the big picture of our lives we can see how we circle through the hero’s journey time and time again. Despite the fact that it might not be the most comfortable of experiences to traverse, we grow and transform with each new awareness, awakening and shift. It really is a beautiful circle of growth. And, when we look at life’s challenges through this model it can help us continue to move through the doorway of fear because we know there is expansive light on the other side!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Are You Elite?

It is so exciting that the Winter Olympics has begun! Watching the figure skaters twirl with dizzying momentum, the skiers maneuver the mogul terrain and the hockey players pass with precision is awe inspiring. As I watch these athletes I am amazed and hold admiration at their natural talent and fine-tuned skill. I love that the Olympic coverage is also giving us a glimpse into what it takes to be an Olympic Athlete. The behind the scenes story that makes it all the more remarkable! A peek at what it takes to be elite.

Last night as the women’s freestyle moguls skiing event was underway the broadcaster revealed that one of the US women’s coaches mentioned to his Olympic freestyler, that she could do this run and bring home a medal because she had done 3,000+ leg squats, had run hundreds of miles and practiced her jumps for a multitude of hours. The exact numbers were given during the broadcast and they were astounding. It made me wonder how it would even be possible as a human being to accomplish those numbers. The time it would take, the toll on the body, the strength of spirit, the focused attention, the will and determination.

One of my daughters is reading the book, The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance, which is about what it takes to be an elite athlete. It was actually given to my husband as a gift but my daughter decided to read it because she was perusing the house for something to read and it peeked her interest. As a driven and intense athlete this book is a perfect fit for her even if it is targeted at an older demographic. She has begun to share golden nuggets that have touched her. Yesterday she must have asked about twenty times how many hours she has put into playing and practicing her beloved sport of hockey. We finally asked her why she needed to know that detail. She explained, to be an elite athlete one needs to dedicate 10,000 hours to the sport, playing, practicing, and training. We could see the wheels turning in her head figuring out how she could reach that bar that is set so high and the time, energy and effort needed to invest in the endeavor.

We all have hopes, dreams and goals in our lives. The question is, are you willing to put in the time, energy, effort and focus to bring them to fruition. It is much easier to dream and say that it will happen “one day” than to actualize it. In my life I have had dreams that have manifested, like writing a book for Hay House and others that have evaporated with time, like being a congresswomen. The ingredients for the recipe of success are: a willingness to invest in the time it takes to achieve your goal, having complete and laser focus on the end goal, creating a strategy that makes your vision achievable and an unwavering knowing in your heart that it is possible.

The next time you think about your ideal life and the goals you hope to accomplish, I have one question for you. Are you willing to put in 10,000 hours?

Happy Soaring!

XOXO