 It's a simple week! Nothing too exciting happening! But, still, inspiration appears, inside & outside.
I look next to me & I see the most stunning cat. His long black fur is so soft & shiny. His gentle purr is so calm & soothing. His bold green eyes match the green colors that are so vivid out my back window. Amongst the luscious greenery out back is a row full of cattails. The sights & sounds of summer are fabulous, yet fleeting, so grab it when you can. Simple as that, a touch of inspiration & as always, I'm filled with gratitude.
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 Coffee inspires me! It starts my day off right! It pulls me through long days! It is a go to for comfort for me! These days I am trying to be more mindful about even the simple things, like coffee, that really inspire me. It is so easy to not think very much about grabbing that morning or afternoon cup of joe, but the smell, the taste, the art of the whole experience is definitely something to take notice of. So, I created a coffee corner in my home as a reminder that coffee is more than just a habit, it also inspires me. My Hamilton Beach coffee maker has been great. I can make a full pot of coffee or a make a single cup. Most days, I set the timer in the evening to make a full pot of coffee in the morning so I can wake up to freshly brewed coffee. I also love my Cuisinart coffee grinder! The smell & taste of freshly ground coffee is hard to beat!  Another little gem in my coffee corner is my Nespresso machine. Being able to make a quick latte or a simple shot of expresso is fantastic. I just pop a little pod into the machine attach the milk container if I'm making a latte & away we go! A cup of inspiration just like that!  Like everything in my home these days, I'm trying to keep things simple & clutter free. So, while establishing my coffee corner, I made sure that my coffee cabinet was up to par too! Simple white mugs on the bottom, then a coffee canister & beans, to go mugs, espresso cups & saucers, & up top some seasonal mugs just for fun! The cabinet is stream lined & functional with only the things that we need & use.
If coffee inspires you, don't let it just be a routine habit, really enjoy the experience. Whether you are relaxing at home or on the go, always take at least a moment or two to be mindful of the things that inspire you!  Life can become so fast-paced so it is always good to establish a "peace" place. I have two coveted peace places. The first peace place is right out my back door. I love this space in the morning with full sunshine or in the evening with the fire-pit creating some ambiance. With a good book & a cup of coffee in the morning or with some music, some friends & a cold beverage in the evening, any which way you slice it, this space is a little slice of heaven!  The second peace place is right out my front door. This space, like the back space, can either be enjoyed with full sunshine or can be enjoyed later in the day with the fire-pit creating a cozy space. With a little bit of rearranging of the seating, it can be a fun space to entertain friends as well.
In my neck of the woods, these spaces are seasonal, obviously. They are not as enjoyable in the winter! But, in the winter I just create my "peace" place indoors. Although I prefer to be getting fresh air outside, the indoor season creates a nice change of pace & there is always spring/summer to look forward to. The main point in all of this is...create a "peace" place. Create a space that you can retreat to when you need to refocus or recenter yourself. Create a space that you can go to when you need a little bit of inspiration to get you through your day. Create a space that just simply brings you joy on both good days & bad. It's a fast-paced world out there...be sure to create your "peace" place!  There are so many aspects of the life-changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo that have changed my mind-set! I read the book quickly & started tidying up as soon as I could find a big enough window of time. Kondo suggests doing it all at once & not breaking it up into smaller sessions.
The way I used to go about organizing was to go room to room, look at all of my stuff & then go out & get more storage units to organize it all. After reading Kondo's book, I was reminded that " sooner or later all of the storage units are full..." Yes, my house was filled with full storage units. Although they looked nice & organized with cute little labels, they were filled with lots of unnecessary items. I love Kondo's idea of "discard first, store later." I was able to successfully discard 3 car loads full of stuff first & then organize what was left. The items left in the house at that point, for the most part, were either functional or "sparked joy." As I went through each item, I asked myself, "does this spark joy?" I allowed myself to part ways with gifts based on Kondo's saying, "The true pursuit of a gift is to be received. Presents are not "things" but a means for conveying someone's feelings." She also says, "keep things because you love them- "not just because." This helped me part ways with gifts, pictures, greeting cards & much more. I recycled stacks of old grad school papers, workshop notes & donated stacks of old books. The idea that "I might read that book later" made me realize that later never arrives & those books/papers just continue to collect dust. The information from old notes & books that was meant to stick & be used is within my being & those books will never be referred to again. This task left me only with books that "sparked joy" & with those I created a personal shrine of the books that I love. The one thing that I didn't follow was her idea of, "don't change the method..." Oops, I did change the method a bit. I don't believe that one-size fits all for anything. I do believe that you have to honor your own personality & tweak it a bit to meet your own personal needs. For example, I will not be folding my socks! Overall, this book allowed me to part ways with many items that just cluttered up my living space. I was, in turn, able to create a home that "sparks joy" & brings my family & me much happiness. |
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