Turning a Place into a Home: Why Where You Live Means More Than You Think

One of the main things I think helps when it comes to mental health awareness and self-care is making sure your home is peaceful and comforting. When we think about our home, it should reflect a place of sanctuary. It should be a place where we can go to after a long day and rest mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Putting emphasis on mental health without taking your home life into consideration is a recipe for disaster.

One way we can ensure our home is a safe and nurturing environment is to make sure everyone in our home also reflects that ideal. If there is a person in the home who makes you feel unsafe, uncomfortable or who is negative, it is going to affect how you feel when in the environment. Many times I come across clients who are too afraid to let go of the bad. Most of the time it is because the person is afraid of what life brings without the individual or those individuals in their lives. What we end up seeing when this happens is that because of familiarity, a person will continue to let negativity remain in their place of sanctuary. If your home is not a place you can go to feel loved, cared for and rested because of someone else, then maybe that is something you might benefit from looking into.

Another way you can ensure your home produces a positive mental health is to make it a reflection of you. When I first moved into my apartment, I did not decorate it. I had furniture, and other than the walls, I paid very little attention to color and design. I knew I did not like white walls, so I painted them a beige color. But this is about all I did. For a while, I did not feel “at home.” I could not figure out why. Then it hit me. It was because my apartment was a place that anyone could live in. It did not reflect me! Redesigning (or in my case actually designing) your home to fit you is a great way to ease yourself while you are there. Buy pillows for the couches to make it more comfortable. If you love nature, then perhaps you can get some plants. Hang pictures on the walls to individualize your space and to remind yourself of the people in your life who love you most. Whatever you decide to do, you will see that the more of yourself that is where you live, the more you will enjoy being you.

The third way we can make our home more relaxing is to do the things you love to do most while you are there. If meditation is your favorite pastime, then create a space with candles and potpourri. If you love having drinks with friends and family, then create an amazing bar in your living room. If you love hosting dinner parties but live in a small space, don’t have a living room at all. Turn your living room into a dining room. Who says your home has to be one way or the other? Just get creative with it. Its all about having a space that allows YOU to do what YOU like to do best.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *