Day 135/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
Charm. Such an old-fashioned word. It's not one you hear very often these days. Charm seems to have lost its charm!
Definition, Charm: the power or quality of delighting, attracting, or fascinating others. I think I've moved a long way away from fascinating others, however I do have the desire to create a home and living space that feels warm and welcoming.
Today's challenge is to create charm in your home
I'm not sure it's something you do, or something you are.
When I was feeling mostly miserable, charm wasn't something that I could conjure.
Nowadays, now that I have found my happy place, my place of contentment with life and joy for living, charm seems to ooze out of my pores as I bring more of myself into my surroundings, into my art and my craft, my garden and my home-caring.
Charm. It's not so much in the items but the arrangement, the texture of how and where they stand. Candles, pottery bowls and plates, books, cushions, plants, last night's attempts at art.
Crafted altered books and junk journals filled with stories and things of interest that I collect, the labels of newly planted shrubs, local handmade potions I'm trying out.
These are expressions of my authenticity that create the ambience in my home that charms me and those who visit, my family and friends.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.
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