It’s mid summer and I’m headed into the store. My skin, a little tender from the long sunny days. My feet, free as a spirit in my favorite sandals. Only to be greeted with a wall of Halloween candy and decorations.
This has bothered me for years. Replace Halloween with any of the holidays here in the Americas and I find the same story playing out. One continuous loop from one event to the next. No breaks in between and each one seemingly starting before the other one ends. Maybe it’s just me but when this happens I feel like I’m being forced? Rushed? Out of the current season, mostly, so corporations can make money.
I’m not ready and I don’t care about their bottom line. I want to continue to enjoy the short time I get with the current season.
Although I’m speaking from a perspective that has always had seasonal weather as a basis, it goes much deeper than that. Take the weather out of it and the feeling of being pushed out of the present moment still stings just as bad for me. And I don't want it. I don’t want to live in a world where I’m being told to live a certain way. Especially when that way is rooted in anything but the present moment.
We all get the choice to create a life we want to live in and I want to live in a world that is slow, intentional and soaks up the little things. For me, my surroundings are a big part of how I create an intentional life. The spaces I choose to spend time in impact so many different things from my mood to the things I focus on and sometimes what I decide to do day to day.
So yeah, decor is important to me.
I use decor to embrace the current season and all the beauty it brings. I use decor to highlight the moments I’m currently experiencing. I use decor to remind me of the little things I can pay attention to day to day to stay in a mindset of gratitude. And, I use decor as a physical representation of the values that are most important to me to live towards.
As I progress with this little sewing business adventure in creating home decor, I have to consider how I’m showing up and sharing the things I make. When I first started three years ago I felt like a failure because I was struggling to make Christmas and holiday pieces in October. And, honestly, I still have those feelings pop up every now and again. I see makers on social media [seemingly] crushing it, promoting spring pieces in mid winter and I feel like I’ve missed the boat.
That’s when I have to remind myself the foundational reason I created this interchangeable system for decor was to allow myself more time to be in the present moment and live the life that truly fills me up.
I understand this model of making and selling decor isn’t the norm. I also understand that what bothers me might not bother other people. Not everyone will embrace the same boundaries I have around staying in the present moment and I know they will happily find their decor pieces elsewhere.
I also know there are people who prioritize staying in the present moment and want to notice the little things as much as possible. Those who choose to live an intentional life even if it looks a little different than societal norms.
It’s the people who are creating a beautiful life by living in the moment and doing all the things they love to do, that will immensely appreciate the way I offer decor. Buying a few foundational pieces to keep up all year ‘round. Maybe buying a full collection of Switches or Buttons to embody all the seasons. Or they’ll order a few specific and carefully crafted pieces that speak to them.
And then they’ll go on about their beautiful days living in surroundings that embrace the present moment with handcrafted and heartfelt art pieces. They’ll walk into stores being able to ignore the next event being pushed on them because they know it’s not for them. And without the distraction of buy this now, they’ll be more apt to be fully present for all of the small and wonderful things life brings them…because they decided to.