Baggy eyes and a power ranger detox

Day 6: Big Peace December

I woke up with baggy eyes this morning. Unfortunately, not from weeping with joy all night. I picked my son Charlie up last night from somone who has cats. I'm definitely a dog person, not a cat person. My eyes swell up like golfballs when I spend time with cats.

So I'm lying there this morning looking a bit deformed- my son screamed when he saw me - that cheered me up no end - and I was thinking about what the big peace task of today could be.

After watching a bit of Indiana Jones through slitted eyes in bed with Charlie, I started to notice the clutter around my bedroom - a wobbly pile of self help books, magazines, my son's power rangers and last night's uneaten mince pie.

I know the Big Peace is all about changing our thoughts but you know what, changing my sleeping environment may help too?

So I have followed this exercise (see below) from my hero Martha Beck (author of Steering by Starlight and all round amazing, funny and inspirational guru) and taken all my self-help books back to the bookshelves, thrown out my Hello! magazines (my guilty pleasure) - my  bedside table is the only time you'll see Jordan hanging out with Deepak Chopra (er, probably...)

I've hoovered behind the bed, I've got a candle, some flowers in a vase that a lovely client gave to me on Thursday and feel at peace with the world. And without Power Rangers digging me in the bum all night, I'll probably sleep better soon.

So today's task is a physical one. This is taken from the glorious Steering By Starlight by Martha Beck.

Choose an area of your house that you like the least. Now think of some other space that you adore – maybe a room you’ve seen with your own eyes or a house you saw in a film or a place in nature. (For me, this is that amazing beach house in the Hamptons in As Good at Find with Jack Nicolson and Diane Keaton) a pictoral image that reminds you of this place and put it somewhere you can see it. Now think of three adjectives that describe the beautiful place. Is it serene, gorgeous, creative? Now go and find some physical object you can bring to your home – be it paint colour, piece of fabric, pillow or photograph that can be described by at least one of the adjectives and put it in the spot in your home that you dislike. Now throw something away from that spot that is less beautiful or inspiring. Repeat the steps above until you love the space you once hated.

Comments

[Jules]

Something's Gotta Give is the name of the film. I love that house too and how natural and great she looks as an older woman.