Overcoming Decorating Paralysis: Habit first, change next - Fieldstone Hill Design
Author: {darlene}
Description: Habit First, Change Next {This post is part of the Overcoming Decorating Paralysis series, which has helped many a Paralyzed decorator!} * * * I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your incredibly kind and insightful comments yesterday. And for your supportive comments! Journeying on the side of heaven can […]
Date: 2013-11-19T05:02:41+00:00

Fieldstone Hill Design
Overcoming Decorating Paralysis: Habit first, change next
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 by {darlene}

# Habit First, Change Next

{This post is part of the Overcoming Decorating Paralysis series, which has helped many a Paralyzed decorator!}

* * *

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your incredibly kind and insightful comments yesterday. And for your supportive comments! Journeying on the side of heaven can be tough. But it is so much better when we share our travels with friends; when we speak the truth about this life, and allow God to redeem any pain we have ever had. I especially appreciate the comments that were questioning. It is so right to bring our questions before God. He calls us to knock, and the door will be opened. He is not afraid of our questions.

So, Habits…

I have been thinking about habits lately. Not by mistake… I have actually been pondering the notion of habits while I’ve been walking away on the treadmill. For the last five out of six days I have exercised after we put the bed kids down to bed at night. And trust me: exercising has NOT been my habit as of late, as you can imagine. My new workouts have been a bit pitiful, a bit painful, terribly slow and quite short.

But I realize that what I have been doing the last six days has nothing to do with getting in shape with my body. At least not yet.

### What I am working on first is habit.

Whether it is a habit of organization, a habit of choosing what we truly love for our homes, a habit of decorating to please others, or a habit of exercising, sometimes the hardest thing to change is our habits. Should we continue shopping like we used to, or do we need to change our habits of picking out the same old mistakes? Should we always put our dishes away in the same spot, or is it time to revisit that habit? Should we continue thinking about exercise like we used to? Should we sit on the couch and feel sorry for ourselves again tonight? Or is it time to change our habit?

Can you not afford your dream couch because you have a habit of buying a zillion knick-nacs at Target? Change that Habit. Is the last thing you ask yourself before you purchase something for your home, “What will my mother/sister/friend think?” Work on the Habit part!

Sometimes I can’t make a change because I am overwhelmed by that change.
But changing a little habit… now that is one thing I can do. I can get my mind in shape.
So this past week, I got into the habit of marching into my basement and getting on the treadmill. For 20 minutes. It may not be much of a workout, but I am reshaping my habit, and that feels hopeful and wonderful.

###

### What habits do you need to revisit?

### Do you have any household habits or storage habits or decorating-purchase habits or mental-tape habits that could really use an overhaul? Do share!

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* * * * *

I am into natural choices for my family, and this is the main way I avoided taking any medicines during pregnancy, and now, while I am nursing.

### 11 Comments

- emily
  November 19, 2013 at 6:55 am

  love, love, love this post. i think about this all the time…what habits are holding me back from having what I really want. thanks for this!

  Reply
- Julia@Cuckoo4Design
  November 19, 2013 at 7:38 am

  I can’t believe you can exercise at night. LOL! I could never and I don’t think I could sleep afterwards either. But I think it’s awesome that you get it done.
  I’m constantly trying to change my habits and my husband struggles with that. He can’t stand changes.

  Reply
- Jennifer Stark
  November 19, 2013 at 5:04 pm

  Love your explanation about how you are not doing it to get in shape right now but to keep up the habit. You’re so smart! I need to be better about keeping up good habits instead of finding excuses.

  Reply
- Christie
  November 19, 2013 at 11:24 pm

  Hmmm…exercise? yes. decorating? yes. organizing? yes. Need help with all those. Love the idea of working on the habit. Good thoughts!

  Reply
  - {darlene} (@@fieldstonehill)
    November 20, 2013 at 3:55 pm

    don’t we all!!!

- Rhonda
  November 20, 2013 at 4:44 pm

  Love what you had to say!
  I have been a homemaker for 41 years. (Also worked outside my home, but my home has always been my first love!)
  One of my favorite things to do is re-purpose items. For instance, I wanted a certain pair of chicken pictures but they were $95 each. I was just about to put a pair of pictures that I no longer wanted in a garage sale and realized that if I purchased just the prints and covered the mats with fabric, I could have the same pictures for just $8! I’ve had them for several years and I still love them!
  I agree with you about saving up to buy those purchases that you REALLY want. I’ve spent more money on cutesy little things and have just ended with a lot of cute clutter! I’m trying to bless others with it now….sure wish I had all the money I’ve spent on impulse!

  Reply
- Jennybc
  November 21, 2013 at 9:55 pm

  Since school started this year, I have been trying to establish the habit of everything going back to its’ home. That means I have had to clean out some things…yes, my dishes are in a different place now but goodness it is so much more functional!!!! I don’t think of myself as a pack rat but I am finding that I have mindless stuff (empty boxes, knick knacks I never really used damaged items, etc.). So my new habit is to take a few minutes at a time and one space at a time to eliminate what isn’t needed and then for everything in the space to have a home. This is leading to a peaceful home and a faster clean up.
  I really like the thought process of first starting the habit. It’s encouraging.

  Reply
  - {darlene} (@@fieldstonehill)
    November 22, 2013 at 10:33 am

    So wonderful! One space at a time is so key!
    Thrilled that this is encouraging… that is my #1 online goal! Thank you!

- Verónica Domurat
  November 27, 2013 at 1:20 am

  Great post!! I also loved every single thing you posted before about your sweet Georgia Luisa and the things you went thru before!! Everything is encouraging thank you

  Reply
- tammy
  January 21, 2014 at 6:33 pm

  I have a habit or should say funk I get into about decorating. I would get to thinking about decor and then I would start thinking how I wasn’t any good at it and then I would get depressed. Since I really enjoy DIY and Decor I started praying and declaring positive words. I haven’t gotten depressed about it, but I have got angry when I started disrespecting myself about it. So my goal is to give myself some credit and to think of things over the years that people have said to me. I also need to start, really start, not just talk about it eating healthier.

  Reply
- Kate
  February 15, 2014 at 10:09 am

  This post is wonderful, I was thinking about the habits which I must change while reading this post.

  Reply

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