Thriving in Your Space

Twenty years ago when we built our house, it included a special room on our lower level that was labeled “Cynthia’s Craft Room.” As you can imagine, this was all pretty exciting and life was full of expectations to flourish. At the time I was heavy into card making, wreaths, and iconography.  After a couple years of overzealous Christmas card projects, and working on the grand total of one icon, I didn’t understand why I wasn’t flourishing in my space like I thought I would. 

Later I needed a home office, and of course this was the room for the job.  However, I would meet with a client then rush out. What happens when you spend time in a room and rush out?  It becomes cluttered. As in, strategic piles that kept what I needed for future client sessions in close reach.  Other piles that pertained to continuing education. The iconography area that was ready for me to continue work on the Archangel Michael. The supplies for card making that sat lonely on a table while people were (in my mind) wondering why they were no longer on my Christmas card list.

I decided that the problem was that it wasn’t nicely decorated. I had focused on the rest of the house instead of my own personal space. So I decorated top to bottom. I repurposed old furniture by reimagining what they could be used for, painted, hung window coverings, rearranged furniture… and it turned out quite nicely. 

I still didn’t want to be in there. 

Then the great Father’s Day Flood of 2023 happened. Water was raining in from a pipe that burst while I was innocently watering flowers outside on the deck.  It took about six months for remediation, but in the meantime, I realized that there had been water damage behind the wall and under the carpet for a while.  What does that mean? 

 Mold 

Unhealthy environments are detected by our bodies and contribute to that “just get me out of here” feeling.  WiFi can also be responsible for this. When we finally had the room remediated and back together, I hardwired my office with its own line and got rid of the router.  

Now that feeling of “get me out of here” wasn’t as strong. But still, something was missing.  

The space did not evolve with me over the years.  I am no longer as crafty as I used to be, and my focus on my own personal wellness has had to become more serious than it has ever been.  

The new and improved Damaskos Wellness Center is the result.  It’s funny how just naming the space gave me the inspiration I needed to use it.  It is now rearranged so that half is dedicated to wellness work with clients, and the other half is dedicated to personal wellness work. Each morning I go down to the DWC (Damaskos Wellness Center) with my cup of tea and start the rituals of turning on a couple lamps, starting the quiet spa music and essential oil diffuser, and lighting the candle in front of an icon. This sets the stage for reading my daily devotional, prayer, silence, reading the Life of Saint Paisios, and some journaling. Then physical therapy, strength training, red light therapy, grounding, and I’m ready to go for the day.  Some days, I just don’t want to leave, and that’s when I mosey over to my desk where I’m working on an icon, and make a little progress. This room in my home can represent whatever space you are living in.  

One of the key places that we should be able to flourish is in our homes.  Our homes can inspire us to thrive, and allow us to pursue dreams and use our God given gifts and talents.  But this isn’t always the case.  

You may be someone who is so busy running here and there, it seems like you are running away from your home.  Why would you run away?  Maybe when you’re in your home, you don’t feel focused, you’re tired, or you feel overwhelmed. Based on my own experiences, here are some ideas.

Maybe it doesn’t reflect who you are.  This can include anything from living with family antiques and hand me downs that you have not chosen yourself to a beautiful example of a Pottery Barn catalog. With both examples, your identity is not reflected.  You may feel like a stranger in your own home.  

Clutter. Clutter creates chaos in our heads.  A part of us may be thinking that we really need to get to work cleaning and organizing, while the other side of us may just be trying to get through the day and get dinner on the table. (maybe even remember to eat!) Either way, flourishing is out of the question.

Mold. It is the common consensus of many studies that over half of our homes have mold. Mold likes to hang out in places that you cannot see. If you are not flourishing in your home, it’s a good idea to get mold testing done.  One of my favorite books on the topic is Breaking the Mold by Dr. Jill Crista. 

 EMF’s.  It is unfortunate that many people are finding that WiFi is behind their fatigue, lack of concentration, and fuzzy brain.  

Steps toward uncovering the obstacles:

1. Identify the purpose of your home/space and name it.  I know it sounds weird to name your home, but trust me.
2. Make it a space that appeals to your senses. A place you go that reflects what you value, your personality, and purpose.
3. Conduct environmental experiments. Do you feel better when you are somewhere that does not get any Wi-Fi or 5G? Do you feel better when you are on vacation or other places outside of your home?  It doesn’t hurt to do a mold test on your home and/or your body. I’m happy to share with you the correct ways to do this.
4. When you go into your home or your space, utilize rituals that set the tone for fruitfulness. Turning on lamps, using a diffuser, lighting a candle, (mine is battery powered, given to me by Molly for Christmas one year 😊) and listening to beautiful music are all ideas that can be used as triggers that support flourishing.

Flourishing is YOU being YOU. The unique individual that God created with your own special gifts and talents.  Gifts and talents that are used to bless others, serve them, and support them.  Gifts and talents that make this world a more beautiful place that fosters love, joy, and peace.  

It can all start at home. 

Want us to help you flourish?  Check out our Back to Basics course which is starting on May 11th!