Lesson:One of the things I’ve learned to do over the years is create “small points of joy” throughout my home. They are small things that make me smile, make me feel good, or simply feed my soul and give me internal joy. We’ve all had days that are completely draining and stress-filled and the only thing we can think of is getting home and having some peace and quiet. Thinking of the serenity of home has gotten me through many difficult days. When I was a school administrator and I anticipated a stressful day ahead, I used to prep my small points of joy before I left the house that day. This usually included a really good savory meal, my favorite pajamas after a hot shower or bath, a cozy blanket (that I would throw in the dryer to make it nice and warm) and a movie or a magazine. Oh those were the days 🙂

So small points of joy can be created for the moment or they can be things you incorporate into you home so that you can appreciate them daily.

Here are the small points of joy that I have incorporated into our home for daily appreciation.

Flowers: I LOVE flowers! The vibrancy of the colors in a bouquet of flowers really brightens a gloomy day for me. I know it may sound corny to some but I really find joy in smelling fresh flowers and just gazing at them. Flowers are a real pick me up!

My Bed: My bed is the best! My husband and I call our bed “the clouds.” 🙂 A good quality set of sheets are the key for me! They have to be ultra soft on my skin when I get in the bed! My favorite sheets are organic bamboo and they have to be blue white or I’ll settle for a light gray if they are really soft. Whites and cool color palettes are definitely a part of this point of joy for me. I also like lots of pillows and a good quality, oversized white down comforter! I literally try to make our bed feel fluffy and cozy as how I would imagine clouds would feel. 🙂

Pictures: Pictures of our loved ones and pictures that inspire and comfort us are displayed throughout our home. Some pictures just warm the heart and make people want to smile from ear to ear. While others remind us of what’s important and what can get us through hard moments in life. Both are apart of our home. Just a glance at those pictures help on the hard days.

Lighting: Anyone that knows me well knows that I REALLY enjoy and thrive off of natural light. If there are windows with curtains or blinds covering them, as soon as the day breaks, I’m opening them! AND I am going to keep them open until the last glimmer of daylight is gone. When I finally have to close the blinds and curtains because it’s dark outside. I make sure that all of the lamps and light fixtures in our home have “daylight” light bulbs as opposed to traditional warm light bulbs. They have a white/blue hue to them as opposed to the warm light bulbs that have more of a yellowish glow. There is just something about lighting and the balance of lighting that really speaks to my mood.

Everyone gets fulfillment and joy from different things, so definitely don’t get boxed into the ones I have listed for myself. My husband’s points of joy include seeing the lines in grass after its freshly cut, having a refrigerator full of varied choices and eating popcorn & licorice while watching a movie. He also finds joy with walking into our house to a pleasant aroma or scent (which I make sure to take care of). 🙂

Application: Reflect on what small things bring you joy and then try to incorporate them into your home for your daily appreciation. In addition, think about the atmosphere you can create after those especially tough days when you need a special boost of joy or relaxation.