Born to Shine
I am a beautiful, divine, spiritual being…a unique expression of the source of all things. I was placed on this earth to share my individual gifts and to shine as only I can!
This is part of a mantra I say each morning before I get out of bed… a quiet reminder of the responsibility I have to be myself, to create from my heart, and to share and inspire in the way only I can. I believe it's a responsibility we all have.
I was listening to a speech Angelina Jolie gave recently, and something she said really made me think. She talks about “why me”…why she gets this life when there are so many talented, beautiful women in the world without the same opportunities. Women with extraordinary gifts who simply cannot share them because of their circumstances. I've been sitting with that same question lately. Sometimes I feel guilty posting outfit try-ons on Instagram or photographing a beautiful meal when so many people are suffering. I suspect I'm not alone in that feeling.
But here's what I keep coming back to…wasting opportunity is its own kind of wrong. I can lie awake in fear, or I can get on with things…do my part, pray for those who are suffering, and show up with as much joy and intention as I am able. That, I've decided, is the only answer. Not guilt, not silence. Usefulness.
It may seem like an unusual leap…from morning mantras to wallpapering a closet, but the train of thought made perfect sense to me. Lying in bed, repeating my mantra, I started thinking about my closet. It's where I create some of my shine. A space I designed myself, built around the things I love, that is a true reflection of my taste. It's where I get dressed to present myself to the world, where I get creative putting outfits together, and where I feel unapologetically passionate. It's not just a closet. It's a room that is me!
And honestly, that's become true of the whole house over the last year or so. Each room has become (or is becoming) a concrete expression of who we are as a family, filtered through my eye and my instincts. Home isn't just where we live. It's how we say this is us.
One of my greatest joys has been watching our daughters begin to create their own homes. I know that their desire to live in a beautiful space came from how they grew up. We had our ups and downs, as every family does. But through it all, home was always a priority. It was important to me that our space was as lovely as I could make it, filled with art and objects that actually meant something. Beauty wasn't a luxury as much as it was a value.
So…about this wallpaper! I chose it last year and after it came in, it sat in a corner of the closet for a couple of months because I had such a hard time coordinating with the wallpaper hanger! Finally, we worked it out and I couldn’t be more pleased! I absolutely loved how it turned out and it goes so beautifully with the stunning light fixture! I’m thinking about extending this same wallpaper onto the ceiling of the bathroom hallway. It seems a natural progression and I’ve been feeling like the bathroom needed a little something more.
We have wallpapered and painted ceilings all over the house and it makes the rooms so much more interesting. I love looking up and seeing color and pattern!
I am in the midst of switching out winter clothes, shoes and bags for the warmer months and feel so inspired to get everything looking beautiful! I am still looking for the perfect piece of art to place in the cabinet behind the island and need a few more pieces to hang on the wall, but I’m trying not to be in too much of a hurry and just let things evolve. I did think the other day that an area rug might be a good idea…something soft and warm to stand on and of course, for Amos and Archie to lie on!
These pictures were taken at the end of a “shoot day” with my photographer. I knew I wanted a few pictures in the closet and the light was just perfect when we opened the shutters. Late afternoon and early morning light is always the best! The closet windows overlook the woods next to our house and it’s such a pretty view, especially right now when everything is beginning to bloom! I am very blessed in so many ways!
This look (or similar) has been my uniform this spring since the weather has been so cool. The jeans are from Veronica Beard, the sweater is older and the fabulous sneakers are from The Office of Angela Scott. I love how they bring the whole look together along with the lavender sunnies and necklaces from Hart! I have everything linked in the boutique below as well as a few other sweaters and sneakers that look great with white jeans!
I'd love to know your thoughts on all of this. Does it resonate? Have you had some of the same feelings? There's no playbook for living in times like these…we can only do the best we know how. What I do believe is that it's worth slowing down to contemplate these things. To live as intentionally as possible. That's not a small thing…in fact, I think it’s everything.
Thanks so much for reading today!
~XOXO Suzanne