This post really is about decorating your home, but if you will indulge me, I want to first talk about clothing shopping.
And mirrors.
A few days ago I went shopping at our local mall. I have a bunch of events, weddings, travel, etc. coming up over the next few months and I just wanted to do one big shop and be done with it. I should have known better than to go to my own mall. It is useless. I left the first store feeling deflated and awful about myself and they way things fit me.
Then I started walking through the mall towards another store and I found myself looking at what all the other women were wearing. I kept thinking to myself, "oh, that looks so nice on her." After a few rounds of that I realized they were wearing very similar outfits to what I had just tried on and hated on myself. Why was I unable to grant myself the same grace?
Yesterday, I set out determined to try again and go in with the right attitude. I put on a nice outfit and did my hair and make-up and drove about an hour away to where I knew there were stores I always had better luck at finding things. In one of the first stores I went in, I caught my reflection in the mirror.
Ugh, my "cute outfit" was awful.
I decide right then and there to never wear that outfit again and I walked out of the store discouraged and uncomfortable. I went about my shopping, found a few things, but still felt uncomfortable. Later, in another store, I walked into the dressing room and caught my reflection again.
Do you know what I saw?
The cute outfit from that morning. Why was I so quick to believe the mirror that I hated my outfit in and not believe the mirror from the morning? Don't we all do that? I find it easier to believe the bad things about myself than the good things. Why couldn't I believe the positive mirror?
And the same goes for our homes. How many times have you walked into someone's home and they start making excuses of why their home is not "just right" or what they are planning to do in the future to make it better. Yet, in our eyes as their guest, we only see the things we love and the things that make it uniquely their home.
Or, how many times has someone walked into your home and you started explaining all of the things you were planning on improving instead of just welcoming them in?
Why don't we grant ourselves and our own homes the same grace we give others? Why don't we believe the mirror that shows how beautiful and welcoming our homes are?
The lovely Melissa from The Inspired Room has just written a book that helps us with just that challenge.
Love the Home you Have walks your through the journey Melissa and her family took in trying to find "the perfect home". After many tries, she realized it was right under her nose the whole time. And now, she wants to encourage you how to find your own perfect home, right where you are right now.
Her book not only provides great insight and encouragement, but it actually takes you through the specific ways you can accomplish your goal of loving your home. And she even concludes with a "31 Day Challenge" that gives you specific tools and tips to move you along in your journey.
One of my favorite parts is where she discusses the balance between real life messes but still trying to keep her home beautiful and in control. The reality is the blog and Pinterest images that we see are of course featuring the best sides of our homes, but that doesn't mean when the camera is put away it is comfortable to live in pure chaos.
On the night after my first shopping excursion, I was online and came across a headline that read something like "What Celebrities Look Like in Real Life". I couldn't help myself and I clicked over. I didn't laugh or judge. I felt comforted. It brought to light just how edited the images we see everyday are. The same practice happens in home publications. The images we see are set and staged because that is what is most appealing to readers. We can take pieces and parts of that for inspiration, but don't let make you feel that your home doesn't measure up. Those moments are not the moments of living which is the most important part of our homes.
I have always believed that the journey of "Finding Home" is about creating a place where you are most comfortable and is a reflection of you and your family. Let that be your guide, with inspiration from all that is around you, and with tips and ideas from
Love the Home You Have, to make the home you live in right now one that you love.
Oh, to wrap up my shopping experience, after the second mirror interaction that showed my "cute outfit", I found two dresses that I really love. I wonder if I would have loved them as much before I reached the second mirror. It was such a reminder to me that it is all in your outlook and perspective with ourselves and our homes.
If you would like to learn more about Melissa's book, including a super cute video and more of the graphics found above, visit the
Love the Home You Have site or you can
purchase it directly on Amazon.
Thanks so much for reading.
