Beauty & Abundance & Joy at Home
I am making things feel happier in my home these days, in a simple way. The darkness of Seattle winter has been making me dragggg. I need some beauty & abundance & color right now, don't you? It’s akin to the women who had to have their red lipstick to get through wartime. It’s human nature to seek beauty & delight in the small things.
Lately, my favorite thing to do is to take a huge glass jar and fill it with candy. Yup, fill it all the way up . It’s SO gorgeous to look at and also, sure, when I feel a little winter blah's, a Charm Blow Pop does actually help me feel better. You can get a jar or bowl at the dollar store or goodwill. If candy is not your thing, I have seen people do a jar full of new crayons or glass marbles. Both of these also have the same effect on our psyche.
There is an actual science to this: Read Ingrid Fetel Lee’s “Joyful” or check out her website for more information. Her research has shown that there are common threads of what humans consider joyful regardless of age, culture, geography. She explores how the mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one place makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters delight and sharing — and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.
This candy jar is a visualization of abundance, and lives on my mantle where I curate a collection of things that make me and my family smile: bubbles, fresh cut flowers, kaleidoscopes, small cute Japanese wooden dolls that are colorful, yo-yo’s, cards with nice messages on them etc. Having a colorful and playful vignette creates a little boost of happiness, and will give you a little thrill . The full jar of candy is a reminder every day to feel the joy we felt as children, while we continue the hard work of adulting.
