Weekend Design & Wellness Project
GROUNDING
Photo by: Amal Ben Saad @amalbensaad
Grounding is a practice of standing barefoot in the grass and imagining light entering through the top of your skull through your body and down past your feet into the ground. The light entering symbolizes a new beginning and pushes any negativity or pain into the earth. Standing in the sand can be a grounding experience especially with the flow of the ocean waves washing away any stress, frustration or grief that you carry around each day. Those emotions can become very heavy and interfere with your daily responsibilities if they are not released every once in a while. Water is very healing and comforting during rough times. This weekend try to place yourself near a body of water and definitely have those bare feet ready to release pent up emotions. Allow the lightness of the air to fill up your lungs while pushing down all of your troubles. Don’t worry, all of those emotions will pile back up on you soon enough so you will need to make this grounding thing part of your new cycle of releasing and resetting. Now, you will have a go-to stress reliever when you need it that can consist of you doing this while standing on your own lawn.
The next step to this process is writing or drawing right after your grounding experience. It’s important to capture this moment to see where you are in tuning into what your body needs.
Enjoy your beautiful and free weekend!
P.S. Remember when being “grounded” over the weekend was a bad thing…like the worst, life ruining thing EVER? Haaaa
Expansion
EXPANSION
Photo by: Kyle Glenn @kyleglenn
Expansion can been seen, felt and experienced in an emotional sense. Those qualities make discussing and describing expansion so much easier. In this instance, expansion is going to identify an emotion that leads to an absolute YES, straight from the gut. Sometimes we are asked to do a favor we find unpleasant and say a verbal yeah when our full bodies scream no. Why do we do this? It may be that we want to help and be a good friend so we “take one for the team” either returning the favor or assuming it will be returned when you need something. It could also be part people pleaser tendency, which will be a much longer post for a different day. If it’s the latter, start with some reformed people pleasing training wheels and say, “I’ll get back to you after I check my schedule,” to stall for more time. This will provided you some time to create a compromise or come up with another creative solution where you feel good about helping while rather than inconvenienced. No one wants to feel bitter while doing a nice thing for someone.
Back to expansion with a resounding, YES! When we are faced with a question or decision that require action, taking time to pause is essential. Taking a moment to pause and tune into how the body feels is important for staying true to who we are and living from our hearts. Check in with the all-knowing gut for final answers before blurting out a begrudged “yes.” Let’s keep our heads up high and consider our needs and wants rather than handing over our personal autonomy so quickly. During an expansive yes, the chest, face and shoulders physically expand as if the sun is pulling us up in a gravity defying movement. It’s a great feeling and sensation. Let’s have more of these expansive yeses.
Mini Architecture
Photo by: Life In A Dollhouse - blog
Ella, is the talented young designer and creator of Life In A Dollhouse, a collection of life-like dollhouses complete with detailed miniature furniture and accessories. Ella’s grandfather works with her to build her mini masterpieces along with the guidance of her parents who are both custom home builders. At just 11 years old, Ella was inspired to create her first dollhouse and now at 14, Ella’s has been featured in multiple publications and lifestyle websites. The details on the accessories are beautifully crafted and intricate. Ella is laying the foundation for a very successful design career ahead.
Take a look through Ella’s work on her site, Life In A Dollhouse to discover more of her creations and behind the scenes progress and process photos.
Below are some items in the Life In A Dollhouse shop.
Core Beliefs
Photo by: Joshua Woroniecki @joshua_j_woroniecki
A core belief is a default impression that is usually developed during childhood or after a major trauma in life. These beliefs are created as a protective defense even if the core belief is a negative one. A few examples of negative core beliefs are; I don’t matter, it’s my job to make others feel good, I’m unlovable, I’m a loser. Now, here are some positive core belief statements; Life is great, People are kind to me, I will receive help if I ask for it, I have many talents.
Try to become aware of the snap statements you say to yourself. If these statements/beliefs feel limiting or negative, write them down on a piece of paper and on the next line write a positive version of that statement. Reread the new positive beliefs over and over, first thing in the morning and last thing before you go to sleep. Repeat this for 30 days or until you truly believe the positive statement. What actions can you take to live an example of this positive statement?
For extra guidance listen to this brief meditation, Core Beliefs Meditation.
Foundations of Design
Foundation: ”Upon which something stands or is supported.”
Photo by: Fausto Garcia-Menendez @faustogarmen
A foundation is the most important part of any structure, product, business, garment or recipe. In many cases the foundation is unseen or covered with aesthetically pleasing elements. Throughout this week take notice to all structured items that you encounter including those that provide shelter. Think about the planning, engineering, construction and time that goes into creating the foundation of something. Too often, we expect the things we depend on to just exist or appear before us. Keep in mind the vast amount of minds and hands go into creating the many structures and items we encounter each day.
*Definition from Merriam-Webster