Slow And Steady
I haven't worked on a house project in three weeks and it's been pretty nice. I've been a bit of a machine since the start of the new year. I've been knocking projects out left and right and it's been unbelievably fun and rewarding. But I inevitably (and predictably?) burned out. I don't know if it was the countertops or the kitchen plumbing that finally did me in, but I was toasted.
I'm so stinking proud of myself for the work that I accomplished, but that process took it out of me. The overwhelming fear and stress that I would ruin the butcher block and the physical exhaustion of the job just got to me. When everything was finally in its place, I knew I needed a break.
So I took one!
It's been three weeks and I'm feeling revived. But I'm also learning a lesson. Do you remember the word hygge (pronounced hoo-guh)? I wrote a blog post all about it here. To recap: hygge is a feeling of comfort and safety. A feeling of calm. It's the way I want to feel when I'm in my home. It's the goal behind every design decision I make - does this make me feel happy? Does this feel like home? If the answer is no, then it's not going in my house. I want to cultivate a home that feels like an exhale - release and relief. But hygge isn't just found in design aesthetics, it's found in the way I live in this space too. If I'm constantly, franticly rushing to finish a project, then I'm definitely not cultivating hygge.
I love doing these projects. I love learning new things. I love using my hands to create spaces that are beautiful and meaningful to me. The whole experience is therapeutic from start to finish. But I lose that when I'm rushing to the finish line! After my little break, I'm deciding that it's ok to take time and enjoy the process of creating. It's ok to slow down.
As I move into the final stages of my kitchen renovation, I'm going to take it one day at a time. I'm going to move as fast or slow as I see fit. I'm going to allow myself to move at my own pace. I'm going to protect the hygee within my home.