These are some crazy, isolating, anxiety ridden times, my friends...
And now, more than ever, we need to remember that We're All In This Together!
That is why I've created this print-at-home version of my "All In This Together" Flag Design so that you can tape it up in your windows, on your front door, even your car! Anywhere you want to BE THE SPARK that keeps the light of kindness, compassion & HOPE alive for others ☺️
Aaaannnnddd.... I've also created a Coloring Page to go along with it that you and your kids can enjoy! - no kids? Feel free to forward it to a loved one that does!
Let's turn our neighborhoods into RAINBOWhoods! #stayhomesavelives #beautifuldayintherainbowhood ✌️💖🌈
Let me see how you’re spreading hope + Love... tag me in your pics!
IG: @declarationhome
We’re all in this together!! and i’m happy to be in it with you :)
stay well + stay safe!
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I’ve tried my best to organize the links into categories to make it as user friendly as possible... scroll, click, GO!
I’ll be adding to this list over the course of the next few weeks, so be sure to check back often... and please SHARE with me any resources that you’ve come across and are enjoying! You can email me your suggestions at info@declationhome.com
Like they keep saying... We’re all in this together... so let’s be each other’s light & hope #spreadkindessnotvirus
Stay safe & sending all the healthy vibes to you & your loved ones
your creative mind appreciates higher level thinking, you tap into your intuition & you’re not consumed with the fear mongering news...
basically, you’re not a coronavirus, toilet paper hoarder 🙄
So I put together a list of things that I’ve personally been doing to spackle up those cracks and put myself (and my kids!) into a state of peace + wellbeing
Below, I’ve included some anxiety-easing self hypnosis audios, a calm-inducing breathing technique and a podcast episode titled “How to Stop Fear and Worrying” - very aptly titled if you ask me 😂
Also, please share with whoever needs to hear this! Anyone that needs some peace & realignment in their life
Stay the course friends! ... and keep washing ‘yo damn hands
P.S. if anyone could recommend a good hand moisturizer, my squeaky clean hands will forever be indebted to you 👐
**disclaimer: I am not a physician, nor do I have any medical training... these recommendations are based on my personal opinion & experience. Please do not hesitate to meet with a licensed practitioner if you feel you need help for your anxiety related issues. Also... while I do not receive any compensation for my recommendations for Jim Fortin nor Penny Chiasson, I am an affiliate of Uncommon Knowledge/Hypnosis Downloads.com**]]>
8th grader.
14 short years on this planet.
I have no idea “why”, and quite frankly, it’s none of my business.
But as a parent, it obviously makes me take a scrutinizing look at my own kids....
Is she acting more reclusive than usual (I mean she is 12 and loving her door being shut more than open these days). Is she moodier/angrier than even the raging hormones can take credit for? And how did her day ACTUALLY go... I mean “fine” only gives me so much insight.
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We teach them to be compassionate, start “empathy” and “kindness” clubs at school, applaud them for being a good sport and helping their opposing teammate up off the field... allow them the freedom of expression in all areas of their brand new, ever evolving, amazing little lives....
A boy at my daughter’s middle school took his own life the other day.
8th grader.
14 short years on this planet.
I have no idea “why”, and quite frankly, it’s none of my business.
But as a parent, it obviously makes me take a scrutinizing look at my own kids....
Is she acting more reclusive than usual (I mean she is 12 and loving her door being shut more than open these days). Is she moodier/angrier than even the raging hormones can take credit for? And how did her day ACTUALLY go... I mean “fine” only gives me so much insight.
I get it: Teen angst is not a new concept.... If I had to guess, I’m sure cave tweens were even rolling their eyes at their cave parents....
Let’s keep it real: Anxiety & depression in tweens is becoming increasingly more & more common... and documented at younger & younger ages.
Telling your kid to “stop acting like a baby”, “toughen up”, “grow a thicker skin”, “get over it”, after you spent the last 10 years teaching them be an empathetic superstar, is pretty counter productive.
So instead of trying to put a cork in their bottle of emotions, I take the opposite approach.
What I’ve been doing is simple....
I listened to her. I mean REALLY listen..... even the shit I don’t want to hear...
I encourage her to lay out every hurt, anger, bottled up emotion and give her permission to give it ALL to me, even at a deafening volume (I’ve put my fingers in my ears on more than one occasion).
This isn’t a free ticket to letting her lash out at me in anger in the heat of an argument... oh no, no...
No, this is me being proactive and recognizing that she’s been acting wound up lately....
This is me going into her room, shutting the door, sitting on the bed and letting her say WHATEVER she wants - including curse words (surprise, surprise...her favorite part)... and giving her my solemn promise that NOTHING will be held against her (i.e. no punishment, reprimand or scolding).
She feels heard. She gets all those big emotions off her heart. It builds trust.
Even though I might cringe at my 12 year old dropping the f-bomb or LOL when she calls her brothers “little shits” (did I mention how great laughter is for diffusing & releasing anger?!), I promised her that there would be no repercussions - and there aren’t.
After she gets it all out, after I get a front row seat at what’s really going on inside her 12 yr. old heart & mind, we take a deep breath, we laugh, we hug, and the room feels LIGHTER. <<for bonus points, insert smudging here>>
**Also a side note: I don’t take anything she says personally... I don’t get butt hurt that she called me a name or mortally wounded that she is angry with me... I’m an adult and can recognize that she’s hurting and throwing a temper tantrum because she doesn’t have the emotional maturity yet to handle it in a more controlled, productive way: in short she’s not an adult - BUT I AM - and I will NOT match her tantrum with an adult one of my own***
My goal as a parent is not to follow “the rules” of all the other parents, my goal is to raise amazing human beings that will do amazing things in this world.
Once they have the tools to handle all those great big, wonderful emotions, they will be able to do just that.
So tell me what you think... Are you/Would you do something like this with YOUR kids?
***Disclaimer: I am by no means a doctor, psychiatrist or any member of the medical community. I am a mom of a tween giving her opinion. If you, your child or someone you know is talking about suicide or exhibiting suicidal tendencies, please contact your healthcare provider and call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 ***
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The 3 colorways feature one of my all time fave, slap-in-your-face, AhHA, now-I-get-it, lightbulb-moment quotes:
Get Comfortable with Being UNCOMFORTABLE
that's where the MAGIC Happens
GAH! such a great reminder, especially since it can be so, so hard to do! But, let's be honest... how else do you expect to improve your life & grow as a person?
Create a family of courageous BADASSES by including one in your gallery wall, on your office desk, your teen's room or even suggest they put it up in their locker *wink, *wink - any place where you'd like a reminder to make waves, be brave & do the hard sh*t.
Click HERE to download.... And be sure to send me pics of how you're decorating with your new prints! Tag or DM me @declarationhome
]]>Now think back to when you were a kid.....
How often did you put yourself in those types of situations??
Maybe it was trying out for the school play... playing a sport, getting up in front of the class to show off your diorama (that your Dad totally DIDN'T take over and pretty much do all on his own), walking over to a lunch table and asking all those eyes staring back at you if you could sit with them.....
Yeah, you pretty much scared the shit out of yourself on almost a daily basis
Now fast forward to your current, fabulous adult self...
Have you made a new friend lately? Tried a new hobby or got back into playing that sport you used to love? How about standing up at your local town meeting to express your concerns or marching for a cause? How about telling your neighbor that they have their own freaking driveway and to stop parking in front of my God Damn House!...ok, that one was personal... but you catch my drift
You see, occasionally pushing ourselves past our normal limits is vital to our human experience. As Ran Zilca, explains on Psychology Today, staying too comfortable might lead to lifelong regrets:
“We live in a society where comfort has become a value and a life goal. But comfort reduces our motivation for introducing important transformations in our lives. Sadly, being comfortable often prohibits us from chasing our dreams. Many of us are like lions in the zoo: well-fed but sit around passively stuck in a reactive rut. Comfort equals boring shortsightedness, and a belief that things cannot change. Your comfort zone is your home base, a safe place not to stay in, but to return to, after each exhausting and exhilarating expedition through the wilderness of life. Take a look at your life today, if you are enjoying a shelter of comfort, break through it and go outside where life awaits.”
Whoa... so many nuggets to pull from that quote, right?!
Aaaannnd because, personally I LIVE for positive reinforcement, here are 10 Rewards you'll love for all that Kicking-Ass-and-Taking-Names that you're about to do....
This witty journal is all about female empowerment. From cracking the glass ceiling at work to being cool about Valentine's Day, achievement takes the form of 60 clever merit badges, each with a humorous description, colorful illustrated icon, and sticker to match. With plenty of blank space for women to wax poetic about their success, this journal will encourage and amuse in equal measure.
Packed with 150 ‘uncomfortable’ challenges, the Courage over Comfort Deck inspires you to face your fears by doing new things. Plus it's pretty damn funny... like this challenge: "Sing as loud as you can in your car, with all the windows down" or "Have a coloring book party with your friends. Wine is optional" {editors note: I would have to say wine is NOT optional for this one... LOL}
9.) Free the Tipple: Kickass Cocktails Inspired by Iconic Women
Sixty of the world's coolest and most influential women are the inspiration for this refreshing and fun collection of drink recipes that are sure to bring extra zest to your cocktail shaker. Free the Tipple pays tribute to a brilliant range of diverse women from the 20th century to today who have made waves in entertainment, the arts, politics, fashion, literature, sports, and science.
10.) Be Brave. Be Strong. Be Badass. Bangle Bracelet
Cute, understated accessory with the perfect hidden message... Smile every time you put this cutie on.
Ok, ok, so you know you HAVE to stop being the lion in the zoo, and you got all the gear above to inspire & reward you.... but now the question is... What's your first courageous act going to be?! Tell me in the comments below or DM on Instagram so you can inspire others too!!
]]>P.S. I'm super pumped to be carrying Colleen's card packs starting Holiday 2018! Not only will her sets be available in the shop, but one of her Holiday Cards will also be included in each & every Curated Holiday Gift Box! PreSale starts 11/6/18!
but I find nothing is more suffocating than having to follow a rule book ... now, don't get me wrong - a nice suggestion, a guideline, maybe even a "best practices" I'll take, but a hard & fast RULE BOOK?! no way- DAMN THE MAN!
That's why nothing makes me sadder than when someone loves a piece, whether that be a great new find, something that makes them laugh or a family heirloom that pulls at their heartstrings but they go, "Oh, I can't put that in my home - it just doesn't GO with my decor"... wait, WHAT?!
I'm not sure what's going on in YOUR house, but no one's ever come over mine with a grade book in hand (or at least one that I could see...)
Your home is the visual EXPRESSION of your personality, the EMOTIONS you want to encourage, the INSPIRATION you want to surround yourself with, the CONVERSATIONS you want to start... it's the one place you can be yourself the most and you shouldn’t feel restricted by anybody’s “rules”.
So stop taking yourself sooooo seriously - unexpected elements add LIFE to your home!
And here's a roundup of my fave life giving, pops of surprise....
Paint dipped thrift store art! [ image credit Oliver Jeffers via Apartment Therapy ]
Functional AND hysterical... nothing sets the tone like a cheeky doormat [ image credit Cut Up & Dyed Pillow Co. }
Embracing your retro bathroom and color blocking it! [ image credit Aileen Grodzinsky via instagram @homemadehappinest ]
Take it on the road! This adorable mini plant ornament is gives boho life even to a minivan [ image credit Declaration HOME ]
Because sending snail mail is totally cool & exciting again! [ image credit @personalpaperhugs via Instagram ]
Start the Conversation [ image credit "No Hate America" Flag via Declaration HOME ]
Moral of the story... have fun keeping it EXTRA and don't be afraid to let your personality shine!
Drop me a comment below & tell me what’s your favorite way to bring life to your home decor!
Remember: Life should be handmade!
❁ live FEARLESSLY, aim to INSPIRE & decorate with ABANDON ❁
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