An Experiment With Beauty

Today's article was written by a wonderful member of my Streamline Your Success program, Marilyn Webster. She is an artist and designer of gorgeous and practical handwoven kitchen towels. You can visit her website at www.whimsyandtea.com




I have been conducting a little experiment. What I'm learning from this experiment is deepening my understanding of the importance of beauty in the everyday and so I want to share it with you.

On Friday I went through my closet removing the clothes I no longer wear. When I looked at what remained, I wondered, "Do I love these clothes? Are they beautiful, to me?" With some I got a clear, resounding "Yes!" With others it was a hesitant, "They're fine."

And wouldn't you know, those in the fine category are the clothes I wear every day while working at home. Digging deeper, I realized that my reasons for not wearing my favorite clothes were similar to concerns I've heard customers express about using my handwoven towels: I am worried that they will get stained, ripped or frayed and then I won't feel comfortable wearing them when I go out.

Once I made this connection, I decided to experiment: to wear the clothes that I love when I'm working quietly at home with no plans to go out other than to walk the dogs and check the mailbox. To wear them just for me.

This is not about getting dressed up; it is about wearing clothes that I love and that make me feel good.

I'm only a few days into this experiment and already I'm finding small yet significant internal shifts. I take better care of myself. Not in a dramatic way. In a quiet way of paying attention to the details. Like drinking more water, being more aware of what I eat, and taking short breaks. I take myself and my work more seriously.

Because I'm in the habit of using beautiful things in other areas of my life, particularly in the kitchen, I have learned that chips and stains are part of life. I've become so accustomed to using my favorite tea mugs, that I don't always notice how this small act affects the rest of my life.

Wearing my favorite clothes while working at home has been a wonderful opportunity to learn in a new way the value of using things I find beautiful. It is a form of self-care. And taking care of myself in one way makes it easier to take care of myself in other ways too.

I am curious to notice what else unfolds.

Is there an area of your life where you are comfortable using beautiful things daily? Is there a new area you can stretch into?

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