The outer world reflects the inner world. If you're living in an unorganised, messy space, it directly reflects your mental state. If you work from home, it can be difficult to work from your bedroom. Your brain associates your bed with sleep, leading to procrastination and pushing you into a stressed mental state.
It is important to have a "Zen Space" in your home for when you feel burnt out or anxious. Having this space allows you to separate your environment into segments. It's why we associate our bed with sleeping and our desk with working. When we categorise our space, it helps our brain function accordingly.
So here are some tips on creating your own peaceful space at home:
1) Lighting Sets the Mood 🕯️
Warmer lighting in your zen space can really help make it a place to wind down. Bright white LED lights can be too harsh on the eyes. If you suffer with headaches, bright lights can overstimulate the senses. When you want to relax, the lighting needs to reflect that. Invest in a nice lamp, or if you have LEDs, switch them to a warmer setting. Warm light naturally makes us more tired, making it ideal for winding down before bed.
2) Pillows, Pillows, Pillows! ☁️
Having a bolster or fluffy cushion to hold when you need comfort is incredible. Humans naturally want to feel physical connection. That's why we instinctively hug our pillows, it relaxes the muscles and reduces cortisol levels. So if you want to make your space more peaceful, buy a few more pillows!
Being comfortable is key to feeling at peace. Grab whatever comforts you have to hand, a blanket, your childhood teddy, or whatever you like to hold on to. Sometimes our bodies just need to feel safe, and pillows can help us do just that.
3) Essential Oils Are Your BFF 🌿
If you don't have an electric diffuser already, you're missing out. It is a great investment for making your home your sanctuary. It's also a wonderful way to introduce essential oils into your life.
Oils such as Lavender, Frankincense and Sage are proven to help ground the body and calm the nervous system. Turning your diffuser on when you need to relax activates your sense of smell, connecting you to your body and promoting calm.
4) Music for the Soul 🎵
Activating the senses is a great way to connect with your physical body and promote tranquility. Listening to music is also a brilliant tool to help you relax. Try listening to whatever music makes you happy more often!
I personally love LoFi music - low fidelity music that is beautifully imperfect. Search "LoFi music" and I guarantee you'll love it! I listen to it especially when I feel overwhelmed or overstimulated. Incorporating more music into your day will help you feel more playful and creative, making your space feel safer and calmer overall.
5) All You Need Is You 🫵🏻
As much as we like to distract ourselves with shiny new things, the best resource we have is our own mind. Our mind is powerful and completely controls how we perceive the outer world.
If we spend time tuning into our thoughts each day, we will experience greater peace than any material object could provide. Even for just five minutes, take yourself away from others and be alone. Away from your phone, away from distractions - just you. It can feel daunting, but spending time understanding yourself on a deeper level helps you understand your emotions and learn to regulate them. You are the most important part of the zen space.