Tag Archives: beauty

Nudged: Have a cup of coffee/glass of wine on the front porch

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Backstory: Many years ago, upon returning home from a vacation in France, I thought about what had been so special about our experiences–specifically, what were some practices or rituals I could continue back at home. One that had a huge impact was how we eased into dinnertime.

For several weeks after that trip, instead of my usual dash from office to kitchen at 6:00 pm (or 7 or 8), I made a point of slowing down, breathing, pouring something lovely (wine or Pellegrino with a slice of lime), then sipping that while nibbling a few olives or cubes of delicious and aromatic cheese. I’d like to resume this practice and make it a habit.

Maybe I’ll take in a sunset, or maybe I’ll get up with the sun. I plan to sit on our front porch; you might step into your backyard or ease into a chair with a lovely view. Whatever the circumstances, let’s be intentional about taking a few minutes to rest and reset ourselves.

What Happened: Inspired, I got up early one morning and sat in the quiet. Birdsong, clear skies, a steaming cup of tea (it’s what I was in the mood for), and Louie by my side. What a beautiful way to start the day.

The Ah-Hahs: No surprises with this Nudge, just reminders of how lovely my front porch is and how good it feels to sit here for a while and enjoy it.

 

Nudged: Spiff up something

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Backstory: I had to look back at my notes to remind myself why I included this nudge, and I’m sorry to report they aren’t particularly inspiring: “Clear it off or clean it up.” Geez.

But if I’ve learned anything during these past several years of nudging, sometimes the “simplest” challenge reveals a deeper significance. And as I sit here considering what I might do, I think perhaps “I” might be the recipient of some spiffing up this week. Spiritually, emotionally, physically…lots of possibilities there.

As always, make this your own.

What Happened: Moments after I posted this week’s nudge, I grabbed the tube of adhesive caulk that has been sitting on our dining room table (for over a year) and re-grouted the floor of our shower (that has been leaking for well over a year). Nudge done!

Well…maybe not. It seemed too easy. Sure, this task has been on my to-do list for far too long, but I felt there was more I could do. What else has languished on my list? What else is in need of a spiffing up? What else is on my overloaded dining room table?

My eyes landed on the wooden W that fell off the wall and broke (over a year ago). Thinking I could whip through this repair job too, I grabbed the glue and went to work.

Before.

Two days and three types of glue later (oy), it was back in its rightful place.

After.

The Ah-Hahs: Notice anything different in the before and after photos? (Besides the obvious split, of course.) Just below the V on the left, there’s now a blue spot. When I applied the third type of glue, the super-strong one that finally held, I didn’t realize it had seeped through to the paper I’d placed beneath it. In the process of drying overnight, this area soaked up the color of the paper.

And you know what? I love it. It reminds me of the Japanese art of Kintsugi, when gold is used to seal cracks or breaks in pottery. The end result leaves the piece more interesting, more beautiful, than before.

As I look at the repaired W, I’m reminded of all the times we have been broken–have failed, been disappointed, taken detours–and how all of those experiences have come together to make us who we are today. I love that every time I pass this, I am reminded that we are resilient and truly beautiful just as we are.

I’d love to hear what you spiffed up this week. Will you share in the Comments?

Nudged: Paint sample squares on the office wall

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Backstory: My office is in our home, and it’s an incredible space. Big bay window that looks out over our backyard. Mementos of past projects on the walls. A huge pine desk. And now a puppy pen in the corner. For years I’ve wanted to give it a makeover. I want color, I want pizzazz, I want something that represents my best self. I want it to look not just like a spare room that serves as an office, but as a truly beautiful creative space.

To that end, a couple of years ago I picked up sample bottles of paint to try out. This is the week I find them (they’re somewhere in the basement) and paint those squares on the wall so I can live with them and figure out what color I want my walls to be.

Thor and I have done this before. We completely changed the look and feel of our dining and living rooms with color. I also know that this is the gateway to more TLC for our home. Painting the walls is the first step that will eventually lead to nice curtains, a rug without holes, and lighting fixtures that don’t date back to the 1970s.

I’m excited to finally get this project started.

Lots of options for making this Nudge your own. Maybe you pick up some of those paper color swatches and start with that. Or browse online and create a Pinterest gallery for a new couch/reading chair/bathtub. Or fix one small thing in your home that has been on the to-do list for a while. If you need inspiration, check out Apartment Therapy, a site I’ve been following recently for motivation on decluttering.

Pick one small step in the larger project and get it done. Let’s show our homes some TLC this week.

What Happened: OMG, I actually did this! I had every excuse ready to flake on this Nudge. I even spent part of my lunch break on Tuesday snooping around Sherwin-Williams‘s website and playing with their “visualizer,” telling myself this would count as completing the Nudge.

But dangit, I’ve put this off long enough. I did, in fact, find those two sample bottles in the basement and was embarrassed to discover I didn’t buy them “a couple of years ago” but in February…2015. How long has “spiff up my office” been on my Wish and To-Do lists? Too long.

So this afternoon I took advantage of the puppy’s nap time and got to work.

Pretty, right? That’s Butter Up on the left, Jonquil on the right. They’re on the wall that I face when I’m at my desk, and I plan to live with them for a while, to see how they look in different lighting during the day, to see which one feels right. Or maybe I’ll decide to branch out and try something totally different. I have to say, there is a light, almost gray, lavender that caught my eye when I was browsing the website.

The Ah-Hahs: Painting these squares + clean-up took less than 10 minutes. I’m kinda beating myself up for putting this off for seven years! But it’s done, and I’m excited to move forward to next steps: choosing my palette, finding a coordinating rug + curtains + lamps. I’m also reminding myself that this is my Process for achieving things, a skill set I haven’t used in a while: Break a big goal/dream into small steps and do one by one till it’s complete. It feels good to be moving forward.

The other ah-hah is I noticed how calming the physical painting was. My breathing naturally aligned with my brush strokes. The colors lifted my spirit. I’m smiling right now as I look at these two colors.

Isn’t it fun when a Nudge turns out to be packed with unexpected gifts?

P.S. What do you think: Butter Up or Jonquil or…?

Nudging: Paint sample squares on the office wall

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Backstory: My office is in our home, and it’s an incredible space. Big bay window that looks out over our backyard. Mementos of past projects on the walls. A huge pine desk. And now a puppy pen in the corner. For years I’ve wanted to give it a makeover. I want color, I want pizzazz, I want something that represents my best self. I want it to look not just like a spare room that serves as an office, but as a truly beautiful creative space.

To that end, a couple of years ago I picked up sample bottles of paint to try out. This is the week I find them (they’re somewhere in the basement) and paint those squares on the wall so I can live with them and figure out what color I want my walls to be.

Thor and I have done this before. We completely changed the look and feel of our dining and living rooms with color. I also know that this is the gateway to more TLC for our home. Painting the walls is the first step that will eventually lead to nice curtains, a rug without holes, and lighting fixtures that don’t date back to the 1970s.

I’m excited to finally get this project started.

Lots of options for making this Nudge your own. Maybe you pick up some of those paper color swatches and start with that. Or browse online and create a Pinterest gallery for a new couch/reading chair/bathtub. Or fix one small thing in your home that has been on the to-do list for a while. If you need inspiration, check out Apartment Therapy, a site I’ve been following recently for motivation on decluttering.

Pick one small step in the larger project and get it done. Let’s show our homes some TLC this week.

Nudged: Give myself a home facial

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Backstory: This Nudge hits on two themes: self-care and household decluttering. I wish I could go out for a professional facial, but I’m still not comfortable being in enclosed spaces. (Darn COVID.) But that’s no excuse to pass up a chance for some pampering. Besides, I know there’s a treasure trove of potions and creams and stuff hiding in the bottom drawer of my bathroom cabinet. Time to dig something out and put it to use!

Note: Like with all Nudges, you can follow along with mine or do your own thing. Maybe you can splurge for a mani-pedi at your favorite spa—go for it! Maybe you got a fancy gift set of bath bubbles for the holidays—break it out! Treat yourself to something that makes you feel good.

What happened: The directions weren’t specific as to the time—just “Let dry and rinse with warm water”—so I figured I had about 10 minutes. Immediately after I applied the mask and washed the residue off my hands, I started looking for a way to multi-task. I could sort laundry, put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher, make the bed, check emails, glance at headlines….Whoa.

STOP!

A better choice, I realized, was to sit my butt down and relax for those 10 minutes. Close my eyes, breathe. It was hard, but I did it.

Ah-Hahs: I love how Nudges surprise me, how what I expect to experience goes out the window. I thought this one would be a simple act of self-care. Instead, it was hard for me to do, which was a little disappointing. I did my best, but will admit I was fidgeting and distracted. Which makes me think maybe I need to give myself facials more frequently, for the health of my skin and my soul.

I wish you a happy, healthy, and fun new year! xoKathleen

Nudging: Give myself a home facial

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Backstory: This Nudge hits on two themes: self-care and household decluttering. I wish I could go out for a professional facial, but I’m still not comfortable being in enclosed spaces. (Darn COVID.) But that’s no excuse to pass up a chance for some pampering. Besides, I know there’s a treasure trove of potions and creams and stuff hiding in the bottom drawer of my bathroom cabinet. Time to dig something out and put it to use!

Note: Like with all Nudges, you can follow along with mine or do your own thing. Maybe you can splurge for a mani-pedi at your favorite spa—go for it! Maybe you got a fancy gift set of bath bubbles for the holidays—break it out! Treat yourself to something that makes you feel good.

Nudged: Take 1 photo/day of something that makes me happy

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Backstory: I see this campaign, or something like it, on Facebook all the time: Post something that makes you smile! Share the 27th photo on your phone!

Actually, though, it was Carrie at Me & My Quite Contrary Life who inspired me to “capture my joy” for this nudge.

One week, seven photos. Starting with…a perfectly relaxed and civilized breakfast.

What Happened: I almost cheated! How easy it would have been to snap seven quick shots on Sunday and be done with this. But I’m so glad I resisted that temptation, because this nudge (as usual) turned out to be more than a simple task.

Here are my other six, one per day:

Great books.

Scharffenberger dark chocolate. No nuts!

Louie, my cuddle bug.

My beautiful old home (with circa 1928 tiles).

My Thor, my everything.

Healthy plants that feed my body…

…and my soul. These were both gifts from friends, and I think of them whenever I see these plants.

The Ah-Hahs: This nudge was super fun. It totally lifted my spirits this week, and it taught me about noticing and appreciating in the moment. I found myself searching for things that make me happy all week long, and I easily could have posted 100+ photos. I slowed down, I paid attention, I looked at the details.

The bathroom tile came late in the week and kind of blew me away. I love our old house, her character, her strength. We’ve resisted doing any serious remodeling in the bathroom because we don’t want to lose the great tiles. In fact, I love showing it off — even with some of its signs of age — when we have guests, but usually I just point out the pink tiles on the walls, the checkered floor. It wasn’t until I went in close to take the photo for this nudge that I really appreciated the designs within the design. What a gift!

Over the past couple of months I’ve struggled to find joy amidst the challenges. So often I told myself I’d get through it all by looking at the Big Picture. I’m now recognizing how looking at the small picture, appreciating the delightful “little” things in life, can really help too.

Wow. 🙂

Nudged: Get to know one great female artist

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Backstory: I don’t recall what originally inspired this nudge. Maybe it had to do with wanting to look outside my comfort zone for creative inspiration. Now that I think about it, I recently encouraged a client, who was experiencing some burnout, to take a break from writing writing writing! He had fallen into a rut of forcing himself to churn out pages or a set word count, so I suggested he go to a museum and take in some visual art for a change. Or just get outside and take in some natural beauty. He reported back that he returned to his desk with renewed energy and ideas for his work. Huzzah!

So maybe this week I’ll wander a local museum and stop whenever I’m attracted to something. Or maybe I’ll check out some books about an artist or school of artists from the library.

I do need to acknowledge this nudge is not about revisiting my favorites (Monet, pretty much all the Impressionists) and focusing on female artists. As I think on this, I’m leaning toward getting to know a new-to-me visual artist, but for you it could be a musician, actor, or other entertainer. Or a poet, essayist, or novelist.

Have fun with this!

What Happened: I started by jotting a list of great female artists off the top of my head–Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Annie Leibovitz, Berthe Morisot, Judy Chicago–the usual suspects. I added one I know personally, Anna Mita, whose gorgeous paintings blow my mind, then added Mother Nature because, well, why not? But I am already familiar with their works, so it was time to expand my horizons.

An online search led me to “10 great female artists you need to know”, and that’s how I found Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653). I thought the name sounded familiar, and as I read her story, I realized we’ve heard a lot about her in the past few years in connection with #MeToo. As a teenager, Artemisia was raped by her teacher, then she was tortured during his sensational trial with thumbscrews, a method employed to verify her testimony. Good heavens! He was found guilty, though he didn’t suffer much in consequence. She was called a “noble survivor”.

Then, exhibiting remarkable resilience, she channeled her energy and experiences into her work. Many of her paintings are described as “bold” and “dramatic” and feature heroines. She was once described as having “the spirit of Caesar in the soul of a woman”, and she is the model for some of her paintings, including this:

“Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting” by Artemisia Gentileschi. Now in the British Royal Collection.

Artemisia was successful during her lifetime. In fact, she was the first female member of the Academia di Arte del Disegno in Florence. You can learn more about her work in this video.

The Ah-Hahs: I suppose I could say I’m inspired by Artemisia’s resilience. She could have given up on her ambitions after her early trauma, lived a quiet life as a wife and mother; certainly that would have been the norm in her time. But honestly, this nudge was just a pleasant diversion. Sometimes I don’t need to learn more or embolden myself or gain some life-altering insight. Sometimes all I need to nudge myself to do is notice and appreciate the abundance of beauty in my world.

Nudged: Splurge on something for me

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Backstory: When I pulled out this nudge this morning, my first thought was CHOCOLATE CAKE! 🙂 That’s really not what I want for myself, for I know I won’t feel great after a slice (and certainly not after a whole cake).

My original intent for this nudge was to break one of my “rules” and get something that’s way outside of my comfort zone. Something extravagant. Something expensive. (And that’s where I’d be breaking the rule.) But I included in my notes that if finances weren’t up to the challenge (and they’re not), then I would get creative.

So maybe this is the week I give myself a home spa day. Or maybe I buy just one chocolate truffle from the fancy chocolate shop I’ve been meaning to visit and really savor it. Or maybe I see if that beautiful lingerie shop is having a sale and I can find something silky and lovely without blowing all of the grocery money.

The point is to give a special gift to a special person: me.

How might you treat yourself this week?

What Happened: I gave myself a $10 limit. That’s what my budget would allow, and I certainly came up with other “needs” for it, but I felt this was important to do for myself.

So…did I want a thing? Or did I want an experience? Did I want something I’d consume, or something built to last? I considered a bunch of options, and kept coming back to one: I love having fresh flowers in my home. On my nightstand and dresser, on my desk.

Since this was a splurge, I talked myself out of the more practical (and long-lasting) carnations and hydrangeas and went for one of my favorites:

Feminine, elegant, lovely. (And within the budget.)

I smile when I see them.

Nudge accomplished.

The Ah-Hahs: The tricky part for me was having to talk myself out of spending the money on other things we needed. There’s always a bill to be paid or a gift to be purchased or a donation to be made. You know what, every so often it’s good and right to appreciate myself with something beautiful.

Nudged: Buy a new houseplant

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Backstory: I have no recollection of why I put this on the list. It doesn’t feel dramatic or uncomfortable, other than spending money on things like new houseplants is way down at the bottom of the to do list. We have plenty of plants, and I like having fresh flowers in my office and bedroom especially. Hmmmm…. This one could be a dud.

What Happened: Early in the week, I took a tour around our home and evaluated the plants. It was interesting to me how many of them came with backstories, including several we received as housewarming and hostess gifts from dear friends. I do a pretty decent job of keeping everything alive. But there are no plants in our bathroom, and it seems a pretty obvious spot. Good indirect light, lots of steam. Or may I need to move things around, see if one of the plants would do better in a different spot. Hmmm…

I continued to mull while I ran errands, then was hit with inspiration at the grocery store. Five dollars at Trader Joe’s. I’ve spent more on a large mocha! For five measly dollars, I now have this sweet succulent, with its elegant dark-pink edging, for my bathroom counter.

That’s the space I decided needed some love. Every so often (like when we were expecting company), I’d buy some fresh flowers for that spot, but before this morning, I had a vase with dried flowers there. Now it’s fresh and happy and makes me smile.

The Ah-Hah: Let me be honest: Those dried flowers had been sitting there for at least six months and were covered with dust. Gross. Now I have something live and pretty and low-maintenance (it’s a succulent, so I should be able to keep it alive with minimal effort).

So, nothing earth-shattering learned from this week’s Nudge, other than a reminder to look around my home once in a while and think about how I might treat it like the lady she is. And think about how I spend my money. A $5 mocha is a nice treat once in a while and will make me feel peppy for a few hours. But a pretty plant that will last for months (if not years) feels like a bargain.