A lot has changed over the last few months. I went from building a thriving interior design business to deciding that designing homes for others was not for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love design. I love anything related to beautifying and personalizing a home, but the daily stress of ensuring every detail was accounted for became a bit too much for me to bear. These feelings came on around the start of the new year, so I sat with them for a bit and knew in my gut that I needed to make a change.
Normally, I would come up with a plan pretty quickly, find a way to tie up loose ends, and move on to the next thing. But this time was different - maybe it’s the middle-age in me - I didn’t want to just hop to the next thing. I wanted to sit with my thoughts and take time to discover where and how I wanted to spend my precious time.
Ask any of my closest friends, they’ll vouch that I’m the queen of the pivot. In my younger years this was something that I felt slightly embarrassed by. Why couldn’t I just pick a career path and stick to it? Now that I’ve made it through a few decades, I look at my ability to pivot as a strength. I know when something has run it’s course, when it’s draining the life out of me, and no longer feels like the right fit. In these moments, (and believe me, I’ve had my fair share), I find a way to pivot or as Liz Gilbert might say, I continue on my path as a ‘hummingbird’.
I began by asking myself “What do you really want to do?” A question that I’ve asked myself many a time before, but this time the answer felt very different - it felt like it was less about me and more about creating connection with others. How could I find a way to gather all of the creative ideas I’ve collected and share them with others? How could I reach more people and build a community? And the answer was The Keeping Room!
The Keeping Room is the community I’ve always wanted to create - a way to share favorite easy recipes, life-changing product recommendations, and ideas for living intentionally in this crazy world. Although I want this community to be about all of you - a sisterhood of sorts - I will continue to be vulnerable from time to time and share reflections on what is happening in my life. Vulnerability. Isn’t that what Brene Brown tells us is the easiest way to connect?
Tell me! Do you love or loathe change?
I’ll be back next Sunday with issue no. 2, but in the meantime check out this week’s recommendations:
READ/LISTEN/WATCH.
Stray by Stephanie Danler. Not a new release, not a best seller or Hulu series like her debut book Sweetbitter - this is her memoir. A story of growing up in a family shattered by lies and addiction. Memoirs are my favorite. And if they’re yours, you’ll love this one.
Episode 96: The Mel Robbins Podcast - Secrets to a Long, Happy Life. I’m a podcast junkie and The Mel Robbins’ podcast is one of my favorites. This episode about her 85-year-old mother-in-law was so motivating/inspiring that I immediately sent it to my best friend. So of course, I’m now sharing it with all of you .
Dolly Alderton reads a letter of advice on Botox and Aging. I discovered this while reading another favorite Substack newsletter called The Hyphen by Emma Gannon. I read her ‘Sunday Scrolls’ religiously every Sunday morning with my cup of coffee.
IN THE KITCHEN.
Creamy White Chicken Chili. I made this earlier in the week and it was sooo good. I didn’t care that it was 95 degrees and humid as hell. I had jalapenos and poblanos from my little garden that needed a purpose and I was craving something fall-ish. My go-to weeknight hack to get dinner on the table with a quickness is to use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. This is not revolutionary and I’ll bet most of you do this already, but if you don’t, please take this one tip and make your life easier going forward. Oh, and I served this beer bread on the side. Yum.
Grossy Pelosi. Was I somehow living under a rock for the last year or so when Dan Pelosi became an Instagram sensation? His down-to-earth, home cooking vibe in stories is what drew me in, now he’s one of my favorite follows. Fans and cookbook hoarders like myself have been patiently awaiting his cookbook debut ‘Let’s Eat’ (it came out on Tuesday). You can also access tons of his delicious recipes on his website.
IN MY CART.
Lume. Not one, but two, of my friends told me over the weekend that this stuff is life-changing. I’ve been on the hunt for the best aluminum-free deodorant for months now and have had no luck. I tried a little sample for a couple of days and now I need the full-size version. It’s much cheaper at Target than Amazon and I’m going with the Toasted Coconut scent. Oh, and do the cream not the stick.
Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm. My bestie recommended this to me over a year ago and it is something I have repurchased every time I run out. It’s that good! Feels luxurious and gets even the toughest of mascara’s off.
I’ve had my eye on two different sling bags for fall. I’m the girl that carries the same bag for months on end, so when I decide to switch things up bag wise, it has to be something I’ve had my eye on for a while. I’m waffling between this one and this one (a REAL bargain).
The Happylight. I would say I have a generally positive disposition and am more of a ‘glass is half full’ kind of gal, but come those darker, colder months, I start to feel less motivated and a bit down in the dumps. I’ve been told by doctors in the past that it’s likely Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD). I might try to head it off this year with The Happylight. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive. One reviewer said “I would give this six stars if I could”. I’ll report back once I test it out.
What’s in your cart? Let’s discuss over on The Keeping Room Facebook Group.
DESIGN INSPY.
(inspy = inspiration)
The interior designer in me wouldn’t feel right about putting a newsletter out into the world without giving you a bit of design inspiration. You won’t find perfect or pristine images here though. I find it much more inspiring to see how people really live. There’s something so much more relatable and attainable about homes that showcase real life. The images I share here won’t make you feel like you need a $100k kitchen renovation. Hopefully they’ll just give you a few ideas or inspire you to work with what you’ve got :)
If you’d like to see more of this lovely home, go here.
If you loved this issue of The Keeping Room, or think you might know someone who would, please feel free to share!
Change is really the only constant in my life, over time I have learned to accept change and as I have been retired for 7 months I am starting to embrace change for all gifts it offers.
I have been patiently waiting for this vision to come to life! I'm so excited to see what you do with the keeping room. Your first post was fantastic. I love your honesty and vulnerability and the natural desire you have to share you knowledge, thoughts, and experiences with others. I can't wait to read more! Oh and thanks for all of the recommendations, I've made a few notes!