Bring "interior" design into your life

If I asked you what excites you about your life, would you have a ready answer? If not, maybe you need an "interior" overhaul, a new design on life, a little updating, so to speak.

You've heard the phrase on that commercial that says, "the mind is a terrible thing to waste." It's referring, of course, to drugs. Nevertheless, the phrase rings true on another level as well. Your mind IS a terrible thing to waste; it needs to be recharged every now and then because you deserve to have a mind that is refreshed and ready to take on new challenges.

If you're not changing things up a bit in there, the space becomes stale. It loses interest.

The good news is, you don't have to hire anyone to do this job for you. To spruce up the space and create a new "interior," all you need to do is put your senses to work and go from there. Here's what I mean:

COLOR--You're naturally drawn to certain colors. Do you pay attention to that? Are you bringing those colors into your life? You can do that in the design of your home, yes, but also in the car you drive, the flowers you pick up at the market on your way home from work, and in the clothes you buy. Take a look around you. If your wardrobe or furnishings or accessories ignore your true colors, think of how and where you can incorporate them. For instance, I love blue and green, and I like to wear blue jeans and solid print shirts with those colors on them. But I really craved the color red after my divorce. I was seeking something bolder, something that expressed my break from the sadness. So I bought a red leather couch. Whenever I look at it or sit on it, I am reminded of my Inner strength. (There's that I in the BIKE.)

TEXTURE--Have you ever noticed how plants, blankets, and the clothes you wear feel a certain way? Do you like certain textures and avoid others? In the desert, plantlife is often prickly yet softened by the tiny and billowy leaves of the mesquite tree or creosote bush. It balances out the view. Owls find protection in certain plants, as do ground squirrels and rabbits. They navigate toward the prickly bush or the tall palms, depending on their natural instinct to survive the heat or predators, such as the rattlesnake or coyote. Animals rely partly on texture to protect them. You can, too. Texture can protect you from the elements as well as from boredom. You may navigate toward sillky fabrics in order to feel sexy, or rough and woolen materials to stay warm. And if you need to change things up, you may seek out something with a mixture of both, or you may need to buy a flower with an unusual shape for your dinner centerpiece. Different textures exercise your mind, allowing it to adapt to change. So look around your personal space. Do you see varied texture? Is there someplace where you can add it. For example, I like to take a stack of books and arrange them so that they are at an angle. There's no rhyme or reason, I just like how it looks. When it comes to texture and what I might need at any given moment, I let my Killer instincts be my guide.

SOUND--There are times when I seek silence and there are times when I prefer sound. I might put a CD on the player. I might open the door and listen to the birds outside. I might turn on the water fountain, or go someplace where I can hear the sound of water falling into a pool or pond. Maybe I need a trip to the ocean. I can tell when I'm not feeling my best, because I'll go for days or weeks without listening to a single piece of music. I know then that it's time for a change. Just turning on the stereo in the car on the way to a meeting can cheer me right back up. It's no coincidence that we have ears. Of course, they are there for our personal protection. But they also exist to allow us to hear nature's beauty, to experience the world in decibles, and to enjoy conversations with others. Incorporating sound into your life can not only brighten a mood, but it can activate a dull mind. If you're in need of sound, if you've been neglecting the purpose of your ears, now is a good time to investigate what you might need to do to correct that. Sound works in conjunction with your Expressive voice when it comes to determining what you need to feel complete.

SCENT--I came home from a road trip this weekend to notice my gardenia bush in full bloom. I immediately bent down to smell the lovely scent. My boyfriend told me he loves it when you pluck the white flowers and place them into a fresh bowl of water. They give off their scent for days that way. I haven't tried it yet, but I think I will this weekend. They'd look nice on my kitchen table. Not too long ago, I was working on a project that left me tied up at the office for several months. I was working so much, I had no time to experience much, if any, of the outdoors. As soon as the project was complete, I visited a Farmer's Market. While there, I gravitated toward the booth where a woman was selling her handmade soaps. I smelled each and every one. I bought half a dozen to take home and wound up giving most of them away as gifts. But now I want more. I can tell when I need to incorporate scent in my life, because I'll go exactly where I need to go to find it. If you're noticing you could add a little scent into your life, maybe it's time to buy a new bottle of perfume or experiment with bath oils. Maybe a quick walk through a rose garden will do the trick. Accepting your need for things that smell good and make you go Ummmmm is a good indication that you're ready and willing to be your Best self--the you that embraces all the gifts that you and your life have to offer.

Just as we get bored with the way our rooms at home might look (and decide to add a splash of color here, or a new carpet there, perhaps purchase new furniture to replace the dilapidated couch we've had since college), we can get bored with ourselves as well. An "interior" redesign like what I've explained here can give us new perspective, offer us that new lease on life, and just plain feed our soul.

Feeding the soul keeps us motivated, keeps us interested, shows us where to look for more. It's yet another way to continue the forward movement.

If it's time for your "interior" design, share with us here where and how you can incorporate one into your life.

And if you like what you're reading here, consider signing up for the RSS feed (E-mail sign up is on the right-hand side of this page) or adding me as a Follow on your blog.