Back from vacation, I love walking into my house after being away. It doesn’t matter if I’ve been gone for a weekend, several days, or just over night. It’s always the same. I walk into my house, and really see it like I’m seeing it for the first time. OK, maybe not the first time, but I look at it with renewed eyes, and I always have a deep appreciation for it. I am grateful to have it to come back to, and it welcomes me in with opened arms.

There really is no place like home.

During the normal chaos of daily life, it’s hard to sometimes see past the piles of laundry, trash that needs to be taken out, and dishes that constantly need to be cleaned. Underneath all the daily chores that are necessary to keep our house running, is a beautiful canvas, filled with all my favorites: pictures of my family, keepsakes collected over the years, and gifts.

Everywhere I look I’m reminded of someone or somewhere I love, and it comforts me.

Is your house a true refection of who you are? When you walk into your home, after being away, does it welcome you home, invite you in, and make you feel like you want to stay? If the answer is “no,” it’s time to fix that.

If there’s something you don’t like, can you change it, paint it, or get rid of it? Do the colors speak to your soul, or make you feel cranky? You should feel the best when you’re in your home, regardless of it’s size or value. You can’t put a price tag on comfort and security, and that’s what your home should be: a safe place for you to come back to, after venturing out into the world.

Everyone needs a special place in their home. A place where they can curl up with a hot cup of tea and a blanket, and be alone. A cozy place to think, meditate, and dream.

And I don’t consider hiding in the bathroom from your family a special place. Although, I’ve done this many times. In fact, sadly, my kids don’t think anything of coming into my bathroom, even when I’m using it.

If you don’t have a place in your house to call your own, I encourage you to take the time to find one. Maybe there’s a chair in your bedroom where you can sit and be alone? Perhaps a porch will offer the perfect quiet spot, or even a couch that gets the morning sun? It’s different for everyone, but find a place where you can go to be alone, feel peaceful, and just be.

Make your home your safe place, your special corner in the world, and it will bring you joy you never knew existed.

Find meaning each day,

Dara