Loving paper the way I do, I’m a big fan of Sarah Schwartz’s blog The Paper Chronicles. Last month she was doing a giveaway of a print from J. Falkner, and I was a lucky winner!
The print is of a lovely sentiment from Jack Kerouac: “Be in love with your life. Every minute of it.”
Here it is framed and in the corner where I have my prosperity altar set up, which is off to the left of the photo.
I’ve been using this phrase as a touchstone I keep returning to. While it’s true I really do love so much about my life, I think this is a beautiful invitation to look even more deeply. And frankly that hasn’t been that hard these past few days where I’ve felt a bit wobbly. Too much winter, too much tiredness, and too much mess.
The mess is kind of driving me crazy. It’s actually part of the SoulSpace challenge I’m playing in, where we’re tackling our homes in an effort to have them totally reflect ourselves. This week we’ve been immersed in the discovery stage following our dreaming stage, and that’s been mostly delightful. But I’m also still working on the purging piece and that’s where some of the rub is. I came up with what I thought was an inspired idea for re-organizing paper stuff, and half way through I’m not only overwhelmed but realize this isn’t the fabulous solution I thought it was. Ugh! That’s never a wonderful feeling, particularly after you’ve invested a hefty chunk of time and effort.
But still, progress is being made. And while I certainly celebrate that, I’ve been conscious that I’m needing to tweak my attitude a bit as well. I went into this SoulSpace project knowing that while I wanted to put energy in refining my sanctuary, I wasn’t going to commit to huge expenditures as I’m certain we’ll be landing in a new perfect-for-us new space, and hopefully soon rather than later. But I have to admit to being surprised that even knowing my shifts were going to be smaller than most folks playing, I’ve caught myself feeling a number of times like what I’m doing is not enough. Whoa! When I start using something other than my heart compass as my direction giver I know I’m off track. And so there’s been a lot of paying attention and re-focusing. Rinse and repeat.
Last year I did a number of vision boards about my yet-to-manifest space and one of the quotes I found that deighted me was:
“I am going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life.” – Elsie De Wolfe
For me that really IS the essence of the SoulSpace project, and even more fundamentally my life. I think our lives should be beautiful creations and we should love every minute of them. Don’t you?
I love the quotes you’ve shared today. And I totally hear you on the “not doing enough” feeling. I think we all experience that, no matter how big or large the project at hand. I’m excited for you and your husband to create a new space, though — looking forward to blog posts in the future where you describe your perfect-for-you new space. 🙂
Thanks Harmony. And I can’t wait to share details of our new home when it manifests.
Oh, Deborah. Thanks so much for sharing a bit of your SoulSpace adventures! And I love that I actually have a TAG. Something about having my very own tag on your blog excites me, you know? We’re blending.
As for your progress, my dear, anything is lovely. I love what you came up with, about it really being about making everything around you beautiful. Eric and I are in the process of buying a second (rental, for now) home in FL. A part of me wants to focus all energy there, but that is not where I am. As I was thinking about this project and what was stopping me from working on this place these last few years, I realized that I have spent much of my energy being somewhere else.
Although I get that you are planning to leave your space, I think that this is a perfect time to push through some of that resistance and find a way to love your space EVEN THOUGH you are leaving it. I would even say to love it BECAUSE you are leaving it. It has served you well. If you find yourself taking little tiny baby steps towards making it beautiful (size does not matter when it comes to steps towards a goal, as long as you are moving forward!) you will be surprised by how much beauty that you can manifest to present to the new owners. Think of it as cleaning up for house guests, except these houseguests are staying as long as they like!
I am pretty sure that whatever you have in your space is beautiful, as I know the care that you show to everything that you do. I can’t wait to see some photos of your creations! I love the little corner with your Jack Kerouac quote. Precious. That face is really cute too!
I really appreciate how thoughtful you’ve been about this SoulSpace process Amy, and your insight about previously having your energy elsewhere keeping you from working on your home feels like a really powerful understanding. It’s that now moment thing – you can’t keep your energy pushed out into the future ahead of you, nor trapped in the past behind you.
I’m totally on board with loving my space now, even knowing it may not be mine forever. I’m just not willing to invest huge amounts of money on fixes or furniture. But I am thinking about a new perfect-fit kitchen table, so all thoughts of shopping are not banned. 🙂
Your prosperity altar is so LOVELY! And the new addition of the Jack Kerouac print fits in so nicely.
Do you still have your vision boards up or are they put away since they are from last year. It would be fun to see those too. I so enjoy each of the quotes. (I am a quote gal after all!) 🙂
Thanks Elda – although to be clear my prosperity altar is just off to the left of this so it’s not actually visible in the photo. But I’ll post a pic of it soon as well.
I do have my vision board still up, since it’s for something that isn’t particularly time-sensitive. But I’m always a bit hesitant to post photos of boards where the images are cut from magazines, as I know this is one of those tricky areas as permission to use those photos hasn’t really been given. I personally know a couple people who have been gone after by stock photo companies for using photos inappropriately and I really want to be in integrity with right usage.
I frequently have the “not doing enough” feeling, and I’m only comparing myself to myself!
It does seem like there are endless opportunities presented to us to be kinder to ourselves!
Love your prosperity altar! Beautiful! I have yet to do my vision board for this year. Perhaps that is what is missing! I am ready for winter to be over. I normally love this time of year but I find right now, I am longing for green grass, sweet breezes and time out on my deck!
I love that there are always opportunities to start things. Astrologically speaking the new year starts with the March equinox so that’s one choice. Or how about the upcoming Chinese New Year, or a new moon cycle, or your birthday when you begin another journey around the sun. I love new beginnings and fresh starts – and some days I need LOTS of them.
Wishing you warmth and greenery and lots of sun as we finish out this seemingly extra-challenging winter.