We decided that this year was the year to finally paint the inside of the main floor of our house. I actually thought about this project last year and the year before but couldn’t muster the energy to get the thought off the ground.
This year I was determined to do it!
Almost before we started the “might as wells” moved in and the project mushroomed from just a paint job to some minor renovations that would freshen up and give the house a face lift.
While I knew going in that it would take time and create mess and upheaval, I was quickly reminded that the devil was in the details. There were decisions to be made about paint and tile colours, shower door, blinds and lights. I did a lot of buying and then returning, faced delays and partial shipments, things needing to be redone, etc, etc.
Now that it is almost done I am reflecting on the lessons learned.
I was careful not to stress about the decisions or details, keeping focused on the big picture and remembering that it is only a house and not a life impacting project. I took great pleasure in having to sort through things to purge and give away. I strove to go back to basics, choosing colours that were warm and comforting and would lighten up the house. In the same way I am trying to lighten our lives – not replacing some of what we discarded and trying to keep things organized and in their place.
I tend to relate most events and projects with the Feldenkrais Method ® as it is such a huge part of my life. Like my house project, Feldenkrais focuses on keeping things simple, supple, relaxed and easy. Anything that requires a lot of effort does not lead to easy movement or facilitate learning. We learn awareness, paying attention to how we carry out actions so we can reshape some long held habitual patterns, be flexible and not be tied to only one way of doing things; if one way of doing things doesn’t work or leads to delays (or unavailable products) we are okay with choosing another option. Most importantly we try to learn something new at each class.
Are you intrigued? Want to learn more? Please join us at a class and/or workshop.
Boost your well being through mindful movements!
