I love traveling! How about you? It rejuvenates my spirit to look at incredible design inspirations, taste exotic flavors and connect with the excitement of the unknown in new destinations. It is a quick glimpse into what an ideal home and life could look like, if only for the fleetingly blissful moment when you walk into a luxurious hotel room that takes your breath away because it is beautiful, inspiring, organized… (and you know that someone else is going to make your bed!) When you wake up in your new destination you are excited to meet the boundless adventures in the day ahead. On my most recent trip to Miami, I was reminded that every day should include the sensation of boundless bliss! I realized I could share a few simple solutions to help you feel this excited and rejuvenated in your own home! (Well, at least everything except the bed making!) Let’s look at 4 ways you can create those inspired, refreshed, and peaceful feelings that wash over you when you are on vacation so you can feel them in your own home and day-to-day life.  Truly, every day can feel that good!

First, the next time you come home, act as if it is the first time you are seeing your home after you have been away on vacation. Notice what your thoughts are as you initially enter your home. Are you excited to be in your own bed or is the messy closet calling your name? Take some notes on what is supporting you or depleting you.

Second, (and this is the fun part) do something that will inspire you to create your dream oasis! Look through travel or design magazines (or internet sites) and find home design ideas that make your spirit soar. Collect these images to help you connect with what you find beautiful, uplifting and inspiring. Keep a visualization folder of your dream space and life. This will help you become clear on your vision and begin to magnetize or attract this ideal into your life.

Third, start. And, start small. (Ok, not so fun. But, it will get you moving in the right direction!) Take out those notes and begin to work on the areas that are not uplifting, rejuvenating and inspiring and the ideas from your visualization folder that do make your spirit soar. It is best to tackle one small project at a time. Build momentum by beginning with one small project you can be excited about. Each time you complete a project it feeds your spirit and your confidence. This is better than being disappointed that you did not complete what you had set out to do because a task or idea was to grand.

Fourth, it can sometimes be tricky to know where to begin.  At the end of the day, there is a way to help you connect to the feelings of inspiration and enthusiasm for your home, surroundings and life. Take the time to reflect on which areas are zapping your zest for life & home, leaving you drained and overwhelmed.  This is the catalyst for change and will help you create the home, health and happiness you find when you travel.

Each day should feel like a new adventure! If you are jumping all over the place and having trouble navigating your path to the beautiful, organized and inspired home and life you know is possible, contact me for a Free Strategy Session and we can decide if you are a good fit for the Home in Harmony Community and if I can help lead you to a life of home, harmony, and happiness!

Click here to get a spot to speak with me!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

The next few months can be filled with a roller coaster of emotions. One moment you can feel like you are soaring with joy and laughter and in the next moment you are descending rapidly around a blind curve you didn’t see coming. When emotions run high it is important to implement strategies to help you flow with ease and grace to ensure inner and outer harmony.  As I was playing with ideas for two upcoming TV segments on NBC & FOX that focus on Thanksgiving and family harmony I created a DIY tool that can help you every time you entertain.

One such simple solution is what I refer to as the “Mood Map” when entertaining. Basically a “Mood Map” is way of looking at a seating arrangement and employing a strategy so that it flows with grace and enjoyable conversation.  You can use this at Thanksgiving or at any sit down gathering that you host.  It assists your ability to discern how to create harmony at your table by evaluating and designing a seating plan that encourages fun for all.  Let me explain what I briefly mentioned in last week’s article and then I will give you a simple tool that you can use again and again.

Your  “Mood Map” consists of 2 steps that will encourage graceful flow and influence overall harmony.

• First, put a seating plan in place that will alleviate conflict at the table. If Aunt A doesn’t get along with In-Law-B ensure they don’t end up next to each other, which could increase the family drama.
• Next, consider who is lively and talkative and who is less sociable. Based on the Universal Law of Attraction typically like attracts like. The chatty people end up at one end of the table having a fabulously fun time and the other side of the table is quietly watching the scene.  Carefully consider who falls on which end of the spectrum and evenly distribute those that can carry a conversation around the table. This will bring balance and harmony to your gathering. Everyone will feel like they are part of the conversation and the fun!

For most gatherings I will take the time to evaluate and design a game plan to ensure a smooth and harmonious get-together.  It really can make the difference between soiree success or function flop.  The 1^st time I realized that this was critical in holiday harmony was at one of the Christmas Eve dinners we hosted at our home.  We had more than twenty people seated at the table and I made a special effort to ensure that people were seated in an arrangement that would make it a memorable evening for all.  It actually took me some time to evaluate who would be most compatible and how I could avoid pairing people who would not be able to carry a conversation. I remember sitting down and in pencil  creating a seating plan. Thankfully I made this in pencil because I would erase and cross out name over and over, until it seemed I had a seamless plan.  The fruits of my labor were worth it.  At the end of the evening my mother-in-law came up to me and praised the thoughtfulness of the seating arrangement. I thought to myself, “Wow, someone noticed!” That was when it clicked for me that creating holiday harmony depended on making memorable moments, which could easily be shaped with a little thought and effort.

Recently, I discovered that there is an even easier way to make your “Mood Map” without erasing and continuously crossing out names. I designed a “Mood Map” template which  you can use over and over. Let me explain how…

1. Find a fabulous, fun and colorful craft paper you love. Have this laminated.
2. Either cut out small sized pieces of paper or use tags and have them laminated.
3. With a dry erase marker draw your table and the amount of chairs needed for this particular gathering (the number might change everytime you entertain) on the large piece of paper.
4. On the tags, with your dry erase marker, write the attendees names.
5. Now, begin to place the name down around your table in a configuration that will produce holiday harmony.

This simple solution will help you entertain with ease and grace and foster fond memories and family harmony anytime you entertain, especially when emotions can run high during the holiday season.

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

With Thanksgiving only a few weeks away I thought I would share some simple solutions on creating graceful flow, family harmony, the gift of gratitude, and inspired happiness this holiday!

When you are in a state of graceful flow it is easy to feel gratitude. But, when the family begins to knock on the door and the gremlins of holiday’s past enter the scene, tension can wreak havoc on harmony and bliss. It is in these moments of disharmony that it is important to find balance and grace… or at least the ability to take a deep breath. Planning ahead can help tame the tension. Let’s look at some simple solutions to create a Home in Harmony during the first holiday of this festive season.

Expectations (yours and others) can cause inner angst. Tension has a tendency to run high during the holiday season. This is, in part, because of the expectations you have in your mind’s eye of how the holiday should be, how those around you should act, and how you should feel. Typically you have utopian dreams of the perfect family gathering, or have tensions tremors at the thought of interactions with your siblings (or whoever pushes your buttons). The first step to creating your own inner harmony (because you can only change your patterns, not the patterns of others) is to notice what your expectations are this season. Take some time to reflect on this.

You can create a graceful flow and influence the overall harmony by taking some simple steps as you set your Thanksgiving table—or any table for that matter! Create a “Mood Map” which consists of 2 steps.

• First, put a seating plan in place that will alleviate conflict at the table. If Aunt A doesn’t get along with In-Law-B ensure they don’t end up next to each other, which could increase the family drama.
• Next, consider who is lively and talkative and who is less sociable. Based on the Universal Law of Attraction typically like attracts like. The chatty people end up at one end of the table having a fabulously fun time and the other side of the table is quietly watching the scene.  Carefully consider who falls on which end of the spectrum and evenly distribute those that can carry a conversation around the table. This will bring balance and harmony to your gathering. Everyone will feel like they are part of the conversation and the fun!

Gratitude is the key to connecting to inner peace. Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to share your feelings of gratitude with those around you. Create traditions that promote the expression of gratitude. One way to do this is to create place cards with each person’s name along with one reason you are grateful for that person being in your life and at your table. This helps bring harmony to your table by setting a positive vibe for all who sit down. It will warm hearts and let people know that they are appreciated. This is also a great conversation starter!

Pumpkins are analogous to fall, harvest festivals, Halloween and Thanksgiving. There are other natural elements that can also be used as accent décor to celebrate the autumnal season. Pinecones, acorns and foliage are three such seasonal decorative enhancers. The great thing about pinecones, acorns and colorful leaves is you can send the kids out on a hunt for the bounty of the season! They are sure to come back brimming with autumnal treasures, and a sense of pride at helping find the abundance of natural decorations.

These simple Home in Harmony Thanksgiving tips can help create fond memories, graceful flow, family harmony, and the gift of gratitude as you begin to navigate your way through the holiday season.

P.S…Pick up your copy of Home in Harmony: Designing an Inspired Life that will give you party planning & recipe ideas for your perfect gathering!  http://amzn.to/1w0tSgb

P.S.S… Did you schedule your FREE success strategy session so that I can help you design the home and life of your dreams? Click here and let’s get started. If not now, when?

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Photo Credit: Veranda Magazine on Pinterest

Fall is one of my favorite times of year with its radiant glow of autumnal colors that warm the heart and nurture the soul. Recently I was asked to give my opinion on fall fashion and interior design trends, how they converge, and what (if any) predictions came true this season.  I had fun sharing my view with multiple newspaper reporters in LA, a dynamic radio duo from Alabama, and one of the morning TV programs in Boston. What I have found that is trending over the predicted looks is that people are motivated to create a calm oasis away from the daily chaos of modern day living.  This has created a fall trend that will bring home harmony and happiness for this season and the one’s to come. In this week’s article I will share some of these styles that nurture your spirit, and will bring a smile to those with a discerning eye for fall, fashion and design.

The design and fashion trends this fall reflect what we are experiencing in society.  The styles that people are gravitating towards illustrate where people are emotionally and psychologically. It amazes me how our internal guidance system will navigate us towards what will naturally make us feel happier, healthier and peaceful… if we listen. Let’s look at what is pulling at our attention.

Neutral Base & Pops of Color:

Walls, couches, and rugs have gone neutral. They have disappeared into the background and become what I call a “chameleon color”. This speaks volumes! In our culture we become bored or distracted very easily. We are excited by one thing until our attention jumps to the next shiny object. Having a neutral backdrop allows you to change your environment quickly and cost effectively with a quick switch of colorful pillows or a throw. Our grandmother’s generation would keep the same design for 40 years. In today’s world people want to change their interiors with each new season. This is easily and affordably done with a neutral base and pops of color.

Blue Spectrum:

Pantone said that Orchid was going to be the color of the 2014. Instead we are witnessing midnight blue and turquoise this year. There has also been a shift to a peacock color for the fall. In today’s frenetic culture it is understandable that you would want to create a calm oasis away from the daily chaos of modern living. Orchid might have been a fun splash but really what you and I are looking for is to create a serene sanctuary that the blue spectrum provides. This will nurture you so that you can go out into this crazy world and be the best you can be.

Fur:

From a psychological perspective, we live in a hectic world that keeps us moving and connected 24/7.  We are looking for ways to be nurtured. Because of this we are seeing a cozier feel to interiors. Faux fur is one of those elements that can give you the sense of being wrapped in nurturing support.

Enjoy the beauty of your interior and exterior world. Use these new trends to help you create the sanctuary that will support you in living your best life!

P.S. Did you schedule your FREE success strategy session so that I can help you design the home and life of your dreams? Click here and let’s get started. If not now, when?

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Image Credit: www.designindulgences.com/

As we drove by the cranberry bogs towards “the school by the sea” my heart was heavy and I did all I could to hold back tears. We were greeted by enthusiastic smiles. Friendly guides helped us navigate our way through the registration day process.  Typically the ocean air, harbor full of bobbing sailboats and nautical flags dancing in the wind would have made my spirit soar. But, on this day, the beautiful landscape only lulled the waves of emotion that would rise to the surface and catch in my throat. I knew the evolution of time had caught me by surprise. How could it be that our oldest daughter was ready to be launched into the world without me there holding her hand each day and kissing her goodnight every evening? Thoughts swirled through my head… Had I done enough to prepare her for her journey? Should I have focused less on bedtimes, frozen blueberries on the floor and imploring requests to help out? What could I do in these last moments that would set her up to fly and help her understand in an unspoken way how much she was loved. The answer came when we rounded the corner of her new room and peered in at the grey plastic mattress, white walls and traditional dorm room furniture that consisted of a dresser, metal framed bed, desk and chair. My mother hen instincts kicked in and I knew in my core that the room needed a redesign to help support her. I needed to create an environment that would nurture, revitalize and inspire her as she embarked on this new adventure and traversed the foreign landscape of living away from her nest.  I had 2 hours to make this into a haven that would help my little bird fly. Using the four pillars of the Home in Harmony lifestyle, the 4 tips ahead share what I did to help her launch, calm my anxiety and support you in feeling nurtured, vibrant and rejuvenated…

1. Color

Color can transform an environment and your mood from “blah” to “ahh”. Taking the time to realize which colors make you feel vibrant, rejuvenated and supported is important when creating a well-designed space that nurtures you or those you love.  In the dorm room my daughter chose two colors that she loves and we incorporated them into the all aspects of the design so that the space flowed gracefully and felt harmonious. Pink and pool were found on her towels, comforter and accessories. These colors were chosen because of their fresh and upbeat vibe and the uplifting relationship that she has with these colors.

2. Healthy

Initially we struggled at finding needed dorm room items that were both teen and mom approved.  We either found comforters that were chic and toxic or ones that were drab and healthful.  I understood that she wanted to arrive on the scene with something cute and fun that matched her personality. But, I wasn’t willing to compromise her health knowing that it is critical for health and vitality to choose home furnishing items that are non-toxic.  This is especially true when sleeping for eight hours (I hope!) and breathing in the off-gasses from bedding. We finally found bedding that met her teenage standards and my health conscious criteria!  Phew! This was true for her sheets, towels and toiletries as well.

3. Organization

Creating an organized environment is critical for overall success and feelings of well-being. Disorganization can create chaos in one area of your life that spills over to all areas. Taking the time to arrange her or your environment in an orderly and structured way is one way to set her and you up for success.

4. Inspiration-Motivation

We included a variety of items that would make her smile and inspire her to be the best she can be. The easiest way to do this is to find an item with your favorite affirmative or inspiring saying on it and place it in your space. You can also include mementos that will remind you of special moments in your life that made you smile. Take a moment to include some of these things in your space to rejuvenate you when you need it most.

These are some of the things I did to make a nest for my little bird who is beginning to fly on her own. Deep in my heart I know how important her environment is for her overall wellbeing. I want to ensure that she is set up with a space that supports, nurtures and rejuvenates her mind, body and soul.  I also want the same for you.

P.S. I have a fabulous FREE project that I am about to announce! To receive all the details that are coming soon be sure to join my newsletter at the right of this page, if you haven’t done so already, and you will be the first to hear!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO