I believe that although we live in a world where people kill, steal, lie and slander others we have to make sure we are in control of what we can be in control of–our surroundings. When my husband watches the news, it saddens me. Not because he’s watching, but because there is so much calamity. That’s why I make sure that my space is pretty, makes me happy and keeps me in a mode of thanksgiving.
I make it a habit to surround myself with things I like, smell good, look good and in some cases those things taste good too–it’s no coincidence that everything I’m sharing here is all pink! Pink has become my favorite color. But even more than that–creating pretty surroundings helps to keep my emotions in check.
The University of Minnesota wrote an article on the impact our surroundings have on us. In it the article said:
First of all, humans have a strong need for safety and security and look for those attributes in their environment. We also look for physical comfort, such as an environment with the right temperature. In addition, we seek an environment that is psychologically comfortable: for example, environments that are familiar, but offer the right amount of stimulus.
They also said:
Retailers and the hospitality industry know this very well and try to provide an atmosphere that creates a positive customer experience and offers three important attributes: comfort, safety, and entertainment. These attributes are equally important in healthcare as well.
My office is my safe place. Last week I purchased a gold bookshelf and added some pretty things to it and instantly realized that is all that was needed to stop me from making our living room sofa my second office (as my husband says) and actually use my office.
In a nutshell my office wasn’t inviting enough, pretty enough, or a place that made me want to go there and write, read, listen to audio books, pray or just be creative. I’ve made a vow to treat myself to at least ONE pretty thing per month. It could be a trinket or a new candy for my candy jar on my bookshelf–but ONE pretty thing a month is the rule I put in place to keep me in a space and frame of mind for continuous productivity–and it’s working.
Photo Credit:
Sugarcane Guava Candle at Target
Silk Flowers at Wayfair
Pink Silicone Keyboard Cover at Amazon.com
–
