I love the fall season and the cooler weather that it brings. Each morning, I look forward to my hot cup of coffee and my cozy nook in the living room. But this is also when I find myself mulling over unfinished projects, and wishing we could have a fresh start elsewhere. I know that in order to reach our goals, we have to stay put. Am I happy about it? Not really. When we first moved here, I welcomed the newer space and the possibilities our home offered. But eventually the novelty wore off and I started noticing things I didn’t love about our space. And I’m certainly not the only one. I can’t even recall the number of times I’ve heard someone mention how they wish they could move from their current home.
I recently heard someone say that being content with what you have means you’ve given up. As much as I respect this, I completely disagree. Just because I’m grateful and can embrace my current circumstances, doesn’t mean that I’ve given up on my dreams. There’s a fine line between being driven, and being unsatisfied. And just because I’m content doesn’t mean I don’t have the drive to move forward. It simply means I’m grateful for the current journey I’m on. Why do I approach life this way? Because I never want a discontent attitude to cloud my blessings.
But how can you counter these negative feelings? Here are some tips to help you embrace the home you’re in:
Make it welcoming
Even if your current home is not your forever home, embrace the space you’re in. Make it a welcoming safe haven for your family. Light up candles and add throw pillows to your sofa to warm up the space. Create your own nook with the things that you love. I have a reading chair in the living room with a throw and small side table that I look forward to each day. In other words, counter the negatives with the things you love and value.
Focus on the positives
One thing I really wish I could change about our home is the location. Although it’s not in an area we love, we’ve decided to embrace it while we live here. We’ve learned to appreciate its close proximity to local grocery stores, our church and family. Our home is also on the smaller side, but it also means our utilities have decreased since we moved here. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of your home, embrace the things it offers your family.
Your home may not be the problem
We’re constantly flooded with images of beautiful homes through TV shows and media, so it’s easy to get bitten by the “bigger is better” bug. Perhaps your home is the perfect space for your family in the current season you’re in. But if you constantly have an attitude of discontentment you’ll never be able to appreciate it. Take a minute and write down all the things you actually like about your home. For us, the positives have surprisingly outweighed the negatives. Living here has enabled us to have more financial freedom than any of our other homes. That alone is way more important than having more square footage.
My prayer is that you find peace and contentment in the space your in. I know it’s not easy, but it truly begins with your attitude. There are so many things in this world that are far more important than a home. This is the space you’ve been given, so make the best of it while creating memories with your loved ones.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts so feel free to drop a line below. 🙂
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