Live in your strength
“There are certain landscapes and places that call to us again and again.
There isn’t always a reason, rationalization or rythm to this- it’s just the way of things.
Some of us may prefer the ocean and its tides, some the desert- barren and serene, some of us the eastern forests of vibrant green, and some the mountains, grand, wild, sweeping.
When you think of the land you inhabit, is it the one that calls you home?
Is it the one that comforts your body and being down to the bones?
When you close your eyes, what scenery do you most long for?
Remember, that we’re able to derive great strength and energy from our surroundings when they’re right for us.
Live in your strength.”
I've just arrived back in San Francisco for a month and these words are definitely speaking to me right now.
With three years of off and on traveling behind me I've been feeling over the last six to nine months that while I love exploring the world I miss having a 'home'. There's almost a restlessness of not having a 'home' but at the same time I love to jump between places and not feel tied down. This is led me to dive into what 'home' truly means to me and how I can have a sense of 'home' with me wherever I am.
If I can design 'home' from the ground up what am I really looking for?
When I close my eyes and visualize there's a sense of comfort and ease that I associate with a home. I miss having the place that you walk back into after being gone for weeks, months, or maybe just a few days and it welcomes you and pulls you back in. I want my bright and cozy spot that I like to do work, the lazy place to curl up and binge watch Netflix, the restful and relaxing retreat, this is good stuff that starts to make the physical space of home yours.
There's also the connection to the people around you. Home is more than just the physical space, it's also the friends, family, and whoever else helps you fill it. Community and tribe are so incredibly important (as I wrote about earlier) - and here at 'home' it's the physical proximity with these people that brings so much joy. I travel back to places like Cannes and San Francisco because both provide me with the community that I long for and each does it in a special way.
With thoughts about the physical space of a home and the community around me the big question is always location. What scenery do I want, do I need, do I crave? The quote above resonated so much with me when thinking about picturing where I might make a 'home' and keeping in mind the strength and energy provided by our surroundings. It is so much more powerful to live in a place that fuels you and calls you. I want to step outside each day and feel energized, calmed, and strengthened by my surrounding enviornment.
Personally I'm a sucker for water. The sound of waves and staring out over the vastness of the sea draw me in every time. There are even studies out there showing that living by water has a positive impact on mental and physical health - I definitely buy in! I certainly find myself calm, settled, and at peace with the ocean or sea near by.
For the next month San Francisco is 'home' and I'm eager to soak in the city, the water, the mountains, and all the good vibes of the physical environment coupled with community and comfortable space. This ticks so many of the boxes that pop up when visualizing and designing 'home' it becomes pretty obvious that my long time love affair with this city may be true love after all.
How does your environment impact you?
How can you 'live in your strength' more - be it surrounding environment, physical space, or community? How does adjusting one or more of these aspects bring you energy and strength?
xoxo
jessie