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It turns out your mother was
right after all -- Happiness really does begin at home,
with the things and the people you are surrounded by. Your
vision is one of the first messengers to send signals to
your brain as to how it feels. Therefore, it follows that
keeping your home happier will have a direct impact on how
you feel.
What do you see in your
home --Clutter? Chaos? Angry faces? What do you hear --
Loud voices; bad music?
What do you feel when you
look around your home? Stress? Unhappiness? Frustration?
UGGGGG!
What if instead you could
feel and “see” opportunity and optimism? Energy and
enthusiasm? Ok, maybe that’s going a little too far,
after all it IS just the living room.
Try these ways to let your
environment help make you happier.
1. Subtract the Ugg factor
Chances are if you’re
like most people these days, you are fighting tooth and
nail just trying to keep up with your life. Getting
organized will help you win the fight. Look for the ugg
factors in each of your spaces (desk, office, living room,
bedroom, garage). Start with the White Elephant, the first
thing that makes you go UGG when you walk into the space.
Fix it, clean it, organize it, get rid of it. Whatever.
2. Up the color factor
Color is the accessory to
our lives. Without it, while functional, it can be pretty
plain. And scientists have long knows the effects that
color can have on moods. Red and Yellows and Oranges
inspire and stimulate. Blues and Greens are calming and
restorative. Colors can also elicit memories, like
“hospital green”, or “college purple”. In my
family, we had a color called “Dad’s blue shirt”.
Look at the colors around you. If paint is not an option
check your accessories. Glue some inexpensive colorful
beads or buttons to terra cotta pots to use as bright
catch-alls for the bathroom, the desk, the kitchen table.
Buy colorful frames for pictures. Wear a colorful top.
When I wear red, I smile all day.
3. Don’t forget the smile
factor
The smile factor is truly
personal. I have a screensaver of my 2 puppies in a funny
position. I grin every time I see it, no matter how
stressed, no matter how irritated I am at my internet
cable provider. Take inventory of your space, one piece at
a time. Ask yourself, is it useful? Is it beautiful to me?
Does it make me smile? Or does it make me remember how
much my mother-in-law criticizes me?
4. Function is always a
factor!
Check the function of your
space. Take a look around -- is your home functioning in a
way that supports what you want and how you want to feel?
If the room is for working and reading, low lights will
make you uncomfortable and unhappy. Functionality is
increased when a multi-purpose -- or multi person -- room
is divided into zones so that more than one purpose or
person can use it effectively. Use your creativity. Even
the ubiquitous storage must-haves can be more than merely
functional. With a little planning and thought, they can
add visual interest and style to a room.
The steps to happiness
begin with what you are surrounded by most of the time.
Use positive psychology, positive messages, and positive
images to feed your brain positive feelings. If you put
these ideas to work, your home really can help keep you
happy.
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