Inside Out

On this chilly January morning, most of us may not be mulling around enhancement thoughts for our exterior spaces. But think about it, just for a minute. Your point of view from the inside out is critical during these winter months. We forget how much time we actually spend inside looking out.

Here’s a quick litmus test. Stand or sit next to a window in your home. What you see from the inside out can be a reflection of yourself. Does your window have a vase with fresh flowers or a houseplant thriving inside the warmth of your home? Small or tall it doesn’t matter. A houseplant can breathe in life. It takes away your focus on the cold outside. Speaking of that cold outside, let’s not ignore the exterior portion of your view.

Is there a structural planting, i.e., a tree or shrubs? Maybe there’s a wall, a terrace, a distant view or just some empty space you’ve been mulling around. What you see from the inside out matters more than you can imagine on these winter days. Even if it is the simple structure of a tree, your focus shifts to its limbs, its branches rather than the frozen ground.

Living in an urban apartment or setting? Place a houseplant or a vase of fresh flowers in the window you use for checking the morning weather for sun, clouds, ice or snow. It’s a simple home improvement to make during these winter months.

Steve Jobs stated it best. “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

One more Wednesday observation - place your strawberry order now. Fill those voids, those empty spaces by planning ahead during these winter months. What tugs at the heart of your home from the inside out?

© Image by Ann Bilowz

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