by Kathy Gates
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.
Kathy Gates is a Professional Life Coach in Scottsdale AZ. If you liked this
article, you’ll love her “7 SECRETS To A Great Life” program. Get more
information at her website Real Life Coach,
http://www.reallifecoach.com/success.htm and sign up for the newsletter.