I don’t agree with the whole “new year, new you” perspective. Shaming yourself into thinking you need to completely change isn’t healthy or necessary. But I can get on board with making small changes that will improve well being. True change is small and sustainable, so in today’s post, I’m giving you 5 ways to improve well being in your home in 2020.
5 Ways to Improve Well Being in Your Home in 2020
1. Introduce Essential Oils
Poosh
There are so many benefits to essential oils. Different oils do different things and essential oils can help with everything from concentration to if you have the sniffles. This post won’t be going through the benefits of each (that’ll be a separate post), but I do recommend doing a google search to see what’s right for you.
Here are my favorite ways to use essential oils:
- in a diffuser
- DIY skincare
- DIY cleaning products
Essential oils are very powerful; my bedtime blend to diffuse is lavender and frankincense. During the day, I like energizing oils like lemongrass, grapefruit, orange, and peppermint. When I have a cold, Thieves and eucalyptus are fantastic.
I also add a few drops to my laundry for some natural fragrance and bonus, many essential oils are antibacterial and can even be used in cleaning products.
2. Incorporate More Blues and Black
Banner Day
This one sounds weird, right? But the reasoning comes from Feng Shui! In Feng Shui, there are 5 Elements; one of them being the water element. When you think of water, what comes to mind? For me it’s ease, calm, renewal, and deep peace and pondering. If you watch my instastories, I take a walk by the water every single day.
According to The Spruce,
A harmonious feng shui water element will bring a refreshing energy of calm, ease, purity, and freshness.
Fun fact: the water element is also the ancient symbol for abundance. So, if you’re a believer in the law of attraction and manifesting, you’re going to benefit from adding blues and black to your decor.
Are you scared of black? I used to be too. But I have grown to learn that you need a deeper color like blue and black to ground your space. And that’s exactly what the water element does…it grounds. So maybe challenge yourself to utilize these colors to improve well being in your home!
3. Cleanse Your Home’s Energy
The Citizenry
Wait! Don’t leave! I super promise this is worth it. Thankfully, Eastern practices are becoming more mainstream in the Western Hemisphere. This means we are being exposed to a more holistic way of life and ways to sustain ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Everyone is suddenly interested in improving their well being and that is incredible.
Energy (Chi)
In the East, energy/life force (or “chi”, “bala”, “virya”, etc) is everything. Your energy affects your physical, mental, and emotional health. Woah, right? Stagnant or trapped energy can actually contribute to (or cause) disease.
The way that it was explained to me is that if you take note of a river, still waters get mucky and dirty, but waters that are flowing are always clean and clear. You need to keep the energy in your body and home moving for optimal health.
Have you ever encountered Asian men and women in the park flinging their arms around while twisting side to side? They are moving the energy “chi” inside their bodies to ensure nothing is trapped. The same idea applies to your home.
You’ve probably encountered trapped energy before without knowing what it was your were sensing. Have you ever stepped into a room that just felt heavy? The expression “there’s a weird vibe in here” essentially means the energy in the room has a low vibration.
Cleansing
Ok, so how do you cleanse your home’s energy? Opening windows, smudging (using sage or palo santo), keeping your home tidy so the energy can flow easily without getting stuck (another Feng Shui principle), using a Tibetan singing bowl, plants, crystals, intention, incense, etc.
With all of these, we are trying to raise the vibration of the energy in your space. We are clearing out the negative energy and inviting in positive energy. We are creating a space where bad energy doesn’t get stuck, but moves right along and out the window (why I open windows even in winter).
4. Master the Quick Tidy
Emily Henderson
In my experience, anxiety is created with unfulfilled to do lists. What I mean by that is that if I know I need to do something, and don’t do it, there is a disconnect between my body and the environment which causes stress. Enter: the quick tidy.
The quick tidy or “righty tidy”, which is what I call it, is when you give yourself 5-15 focused minutes to tidy up. Move things back to their place, put dishes in the dishwasher, pick up clothes from off the floor, put shoes on racks, hang towel, etc. Everything that happens during the day, you are rewinding so you once again have a fresh home.
In 5-15 minutes, you’re not going to get everything done. That’s not the point. The point is to improve well being by decreasing physical clutter and therefore decreasing mental clutter.
My friend had a dining room that turned into a craft room. She thought it would be such a huge undertaking to clean it up and therefore the mess sat for months. I brought up giving herself 15 minutes and see how far she gets. Guess what? She tidied the whole thing in that small window of time.
5. Create Fresh Air with Plants
Farmer Nick NYC
There are many reasons to get some indoor plants. According to The Sill, an online plant retailer, plants can reduce stress, boost mood and creativity, clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, and can have a therapeutic effect.
Any time you connect with the earth, you’ll feel calmer. That’s how our bodies are made. With our lifestyle of busyness and city living, it is so important to create a tranquil oasis in your home; one that is full of good energy, fresh oxygen, and good vibrations. Your sense of well being starts in your home.
If you live in a city, it is very important for your health to pepper in some plants. A quick google search will show you low light plants, beginner plants, succulent varieties, etc. You can find the perfect starter plant for you. And bonus, taking care of your plants is therapeutic too! So a plant is literally the gift that keeps giving.
With 2020 right around the corner, what ways will you improve well being in your home?
-Kristen
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