5 life upgrades I’ve recently made (that you might like to try too!)
I’ve become more comfortable with simple, natural expansion this year. Evolution is normal; it’s the way things are done. So why do we block and resist it so much? We’re so inclined to limit ourselves, yet the truth is that we are HERE to expand and grow and change.
And life flows like a river when we welcome that truth and give ourselves permission to stretch into new possibilities and experiences. Which is why I’ve made a few life upgrades recently. I thought I’d share them with you here today. You might even like to try one or two.
From simple to sweet to scary, these adjustments have made my life minutes (a term I’ve fondly borrowed from the fabulous Alexandra Franzen) that little bit brighter, better, more beautiful and bountiful.
Enough with the B adjectives?
Here they are.
1. Investing in a house cleaner.
Admittedly, the first time the beautiful Jessica arrived to clean our home, I felt a pang of awkwardness and unworthiness.
‘This is too much! A house cleaner? Who do you think you are? Just do it yourself!’
You know, the general crap that runs through our minds the minute we decide to streeeetch into new ways of living.
But do you know what? Having a clean home is actually the greatest. And I just don’t like cleaning. Never have. Never will. Every single housemate I’ve ever had will attest to that!
And as I spend probably 80% of my life minutes working within the walls of our lovely home, a fortnightly investment in keeping our space free of dust, dirt and dog hair, has been a delight. :)
2. Getting decent tea towels.
While I’ve always had a soft spot for adorable, printed tea towels (that would generally end up behind a photo frame as opposed to draped over my oven door), I’ve never been one to even consider splashing out on quality tea towels.
That is, until my man’s awesome Mum bought us a set for Christmas last year. I decided to ‘save them’ (LOL) until we moved into our new place, and now that we have unwrapped them… OMG.
They’re thick and thirsty and they get the job done (that kinda sounds like something that has absolutely nothing to do with tea towels - ha!) and it’s safe to say I’m hooked. A minor life upgrade perhaps, but a brilliant one all the same.
3. Buying a new computer.
I’ve wanted an iMac for so long! And after lay-bying this baby and slowly paying her off, she now has pride of place in my new office. No more hunching over my laptop all day or stacking it on piles of books to get some height before a client Skype session!
I’ve now got a big, juicy screen which is awesome for writing, coaching, creating and editing (seriously - the Adobe suite just did not function optimally on my laptop), plus I’ve now got loads of disk space and ABSOLUTELY NO EMAILS SET UP ON THIS COMPUTER. Admin stays on my laptop, period. Hello, productivity!
Which actually brings me to…
4. Having an office.
Remember way back when my man and I lived our entire lives out of one room and I also worked a full time job from said room? Ewwww. I do.
So when we were looking for a new home together, I was adamant we find a place that had a spare room that I could turn into my office. Because, romance. There is nothing sexy about seeing your To Do list on the desk when you’re jumping into bed!I’ve decked my office out with my favourite books, cushions, candles, photos and art and it’s a space I can (and actually want to) retreat to, which I think is so important when you’re living with your lover.Having my own office feels like I’m taking my business seriously. Honouring it. Devoting it. Going pro. And of course, the ability to close the door on my work at the end of the day and switch off = PRAISE THE WORK FROM HOME GODS.
5. Reading and writing fiction.
This feels so indulgent to me! You guys know I’m a non-fiction, personal development, memoir junkie, BUT I used to love reading and writing fiction as a kid. So many of my childhood life minutes were spent with my nose buried in a book or scribbling short stories into a notepad.
In the first module of my eCourse Wild, Well & Creative we begin to explore the creative activities we used to love as a child (it’s been so interesting to see what has come up for everyone!), so I’ve taken this opportunity to dive headfirst back into the world of fiction. It feels GREAT.
So I can recommend this book, this book and this book and when I’m ready to share some of my short stories with the world (eek), you’ll be the first to know. Promise.
So there you are my friends, a wee glimpse into some of the adjustments I’ve been making over here of late. It feels good.
I’d love to hear from you now! Tell me in the comments, what life upgrades have you made lately? Or what might you like to try?
Like everything, it’s all an experiment! And it’s all about expansion. Allow it. You’re worth it.
Claire x