I'm happy you're here

What does a beautiful life look like? What would it feel like? 

Obviously the desired outcome would depend on the personal preferences of the dreamer. However, I would argue there would be a lot of similar threads regardless of whom you ask. When it comes to Creating This Beautiful Life- for me- there’s a few cornerstones on which this house is built. 

I am rich in my faith as a Christ follower, devoted immeasurably to my family-my most precious treasures, and I know I cannot show up in any capacity for the ones I love without my health so I make it a daily top priority. 

Maybe your cornerstones are similar- or maybe not. 

One of the things that I believe makes me uniquely me is my consistent and intentional pursuit of the woman I want to be. 

You see this journey for me has been a very intentional one because I have been struggling with poor health for about 5 years at the time of writing this. I don't plan on sharing a lot about my health journey because at this point the entirety of it feels private- and unfinished. 

But I do plan on sharing how I fought against illness and didn't surrender my hopes or dreams for myself and my family.  

Though it wasn't a horrible hand, I've never accepted the hand I was dealt. 

I remember from a young age dreaming of who I wanted to be. Lo and behold, I set out to be her.  I never wanted to be famous or had big dreams professionally, but I've always had dreams of well, Creating This Beautiful Life. 

I realized a long time ago that striving to live life fully for say when your on vacation- is a waist. How rarely are we on vacation- what about the rest of the year? What if finances or time don't allow for a vacation- then what? What if you could live FULLY and LOVE the daily? 

We aren't promised 6 months from now- or even the tomorrows anyway.

So, what if you could romanticize the daily tasks that could feel mundane, find comfort and joy in routines, and take pride in doing what you choose to do (or sometimes have to do).

I believe it's possible because it's how I live. I don't live a particularly grand life- though it has gotten bigger as I've gotten older. I have been grateful and chosen to see the beauty in what I have and what's available to me each step of the way. 

I don't remember being taught how to do this but in different ways it was modeled for me. What I didn't know I sought. I sought and studied women who did it better- different that what I was shown. 

Women whom I could learn from. When I didn't know the right person to turn to I found books or shows to help me understand behaviors and thoughts that weren't readily available to me. 

It's easy to say that sounds weird- creepy. Society's ideas about being untrue to who you are (lie). 

Despite how I feel on a day to day I strive to build this life brick by brick, and to keep with the above metaphor I'm not apposed to calling in experts when I have hit stumbling blocks.

Children learn by modeling behaviors, and they can only model the behaviors that are available to them- they don't know to look further or have the ability to seek different influences. But as I got older I realized I could, so I did, and I learned so much. 

I had to learn to be intentional. I learned to carefully make my choices. 

Lord knows I've made plenty of the wrong choices, but it's always been a learning oppertunity.

I've learned enough that I feel ready to share. Bursting to share.

Share ideas, thoughts, and beliefs that have helped me along the way. 

I have found that all the extras-the systems I use daily to create peace and flow, the intrinsic details to create beauty in my home, the bandwidth in a schedule left for joy- the ornaments of life if you will… come after identifying my life’s cornerstones. 

If you'd like to join me as I learn and strive to create this beautiful life, I hope you will feel inspired and take away something that helps you lean more fully into the life that you are building- and make it a life that you love!

With Joy,

Melanie