January. The holidays are done. Some are thankful December is over and are recovering from the chaos. Others are sad there is “nothing else to do.” The holiday decorations are put away and the house looks “empty.” Many parts of the are country and cold, dreary, and there is no green grass to be found, let alone sunshine. The Capricorns are goal setting and driving full steam into 2022. It’s Dry January for some. It’s back to the gym for many. I’m in all the above plus, no more cookies for a couple of months!

January Is A Fresh Start

So literally on the bright side, January is a month of renewals, a fresh start and a clean slate. Every day when you walk out the door, you set your intentions for yourself and everyone in your car. I can 100% tell the difference on how my mood and intentions for the day, affect my children’s mindset. Are we rushed and running behind? More than I would like to admit. Are we prepared for our day? Yes. Do we have our masks (again) and water bottles for the day? Yes. Do we smile and say good morning to everyone? Hopefully. Did we feel good when we walked out of the house what we will come home to later???? YES. This is so huge for me. I have Alexa speakers everywhere in my home and they are all in a “group” so when I say, “Alexa, play music everywhere,” she literally does. Even in my garage. As I walked out the door today and turned off the lights, I turned back around and said, “Alexa, play top pop.” Why? Because my children walk home from school and will get home before I do. I want them to come home to an inviting space waiting for them to settle in, even if I’m not there. There is a probably way to automate this at 3 PM, but I don’t know how...so moving on. 

How Your Home Makes You Feel

How you feel when you leave your home and what you hear, see, feel, and smell when you return set your intentions for your day and night, even at a subconscious level. Do you walk into a messy house that quickly reminds you there is laundry to be done and the rug needs to be vacuumed? That is one of the most stressful feelings for me in the world and I stay up late or get up early everyday to avoid it. I want peace and calm, or at least children having fun, when I walk in the door, not house chores! I want my house to smell good. I want it to be tidy. I don’t want it to be too hot or too cold. I want to love where I live and if you haven’t checked out my blog about the 50 year old home renovation I did the past year to accomplish that mission, you can get some great ideas here! 

It's All About First Impressions

First impressions matter - not just to your guests, but to you and your family! This is your home; live in it in the way you want to. Create your environment. Turn on the lights, set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature, light a candle, and turn on music. Many people do this before they are expecting company; I do this every single day. Side note: do people still use the word "company?" I might have just sounded like my grandma, but God love her. Don’t save your house for special occasions. Take the sheet off the sofa. ;) Live a life well lived* by enjoying your family, friends, and your home. 

Thanks to Jane Miller with Gallup for teaching me so much and helping lead the research on creating a culture of women in the workplace and a life well-lived.

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