This year Mental Health America's focus for Mental Health Month is to consider how your environment impacts your mental health. People are being asked to "look around, look within" and in doing so to consider topics like housing, home environments, neighborhoods and towns, and the outdoors and nature. (Mental Health America).
Regarding home environments, it seems like there is a lot of focus on minimalism and tidying/de-cluttering. A Google search will give result after result after result of sites tossing out quips like "tidy house, tidy mind" as the word "clutter" is used synonymously with "messy" and "dirty." There seems to be a bit more forgiveness if you trade the word "clutter" for "maximalism" or "cluttercore"
Note: "maximalist rooms require curated collections, whereas cluttercore spaces encourage a cheerful jumble of objects that seem arranged without much forethought. While maximalist collections are carefully edited, tailored, and paired down to create a pleasing balance in the room, cluttercore collections encourage you to find as many pieces as your heart desires, and then display them with abandon around the space. One is pre-planned, and the other is more spontaneous. " -The Key Differences Between Maximalism And Cluttercore By Becca Lewis)
When 2020 had us all stuck at home, some people took the time to declutter and others took comfort in finding ways to display and surround themselves with thier things. Either way, it was about having control over something during a time when everything seemed so out of our control.
"Joseph Ferrari, who studies the psychological impact of clutter at DePaul University in Chicago, describes home as a “situation for living” and a foundation for identity. Home is not simply a place, he says, 'it is an extension of our selves, a living archive of memory'” -Cluttercore: the pandemic trend for celebrating stuff, mess and comfort by Morwenna FerrieWhen it comes to creating an environment based on seeking comfort, There is the concept of Hygge, which in the most basic of definitions is about feeling cozy from the inside out. Meik Wiking's The Little Book of Hygge : Danish Secrets to Happy Living and The hygge life : embracing the Nordic art of coziness through recipes, entertaining, decorating, simple rituals, and family traditions by Gunnar Karl Gíslason and Jody Eddy provide tips on creating hygge aesthetics, activities, and recipes. Another source for bing cosy is Laura Weir's Cosy : The British Art of Comfort
"The Danes have hygge. The Swedes have lagom. Now, Laura Weir, a beloved lifestyle journalist and editor-in-chief of London Evening Standard's weekly ES magazine, introduces American readers to the Brits' best-kept secret-coziness-an indulgent, luxurious, yet unfussy way of creating comfort and joy.Cosy is "the slacker's guide to staying at home, an antidote to peak frazzle." With trademark Anglo cheekiness, Laura Weir perfectly captures the British essence of cosy. She celebrates socks, warms to the joys of toasty open fires, and extols the virtues of a quiet walk, ultimately enticing us all to create the British magic of cosy in our everyday lives. With more than 140 whimsical illustrations and interviews with British lifestyle experts, including Melissa Hemsley, Sophie Dahl, and Dolly Alderton, Cosy is a perfect reminder to slow down, have a cuppa, and settle in when life pushes you into overdrive." --Provided by Publisher
"This book promises an opportunity for self-reflection and lasting change, by getting to the bottom of why we've accumulated too much stuff in the first place, therefore allowing us to transform our lives. Professional decluttering and design team Cary and Kyle of New Minimalism will take you through every step, from assessing your emotional relationship to your stuff to decluttering your home to then turning it into a beautifully designed space that feels clean and tidy without feeling sparse or prescriptive. And all of this without filling up a landfill-you'll find resources and strategies to donate and reuse your stuff so you don't have to feel guilty about getting rid of it!" --Provided by Publisher
In Dominique Browning's Around the House and In the Garden, She writes about having a couch in her kitchen. A concept that I love, not just for the cozy comfort of couches in general, but the whole idea that there are kitchens big enough to put couches in. I also love the concept of having a garden that I could relax in, except that I seem to have a black thumb instead of a green one. Baylor Decorating With Plants by Baylor Chapman lists the care level of plants as part of the basics for each plant highlighted in the book, I'm hoping there is one whose care is easy enough that it could survive me.
"In Decorating with Plants, Baylor Chapman walks readers through everything they need to know to bring houseplants into their home. First, there's Plant Care 101: from how to assess light conditions to tricks for keeping your plants alive while on vacation, Chapman gives readers the simple, foundational info they need to ensure their plants will thrive. Then she introduces us to 28 of her favorites--specimens that are tough as nails but oh-so-stylish, from the eye-catching Rubber Tree to the delicate Cape Primrose. Finally, she guides readers through the home room by room: Place an aromatic plant like jasmine or gardenia to your entry to establish your home's "signature scent." Add a proper sense of scale to your living room with a ceiling-grazing palm. Create a living centerpiece of jewel-toned succulents for a dining table arrangement that will last long after your dinner party. From air purification to pest control, there's no limit to what houseplants can do for your home--and Decorating with Plants is here to show you how to add them to spaces big and small with style."--Provided by Publisher
In Japan, the practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest-bathing, began in the 1980s. It's a practice of eco-therapy, helping people gain psychological and physiological wellness, by immersing themselves in nature. It doesn't actually require being in a forest, (although I often contemplate what it would be like to live in a cabin in the woods), a park, a beach, or any natural environment will do. Just sit, walk, and/or be in nature, let your senses take in your surroundings, and breathe. This practice is just one of the topics covered in Katie Coopers Plant Therapy: How an Indoor Green Oasis Can Improve your Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
"Plant Therapy showcases the theory behind the recent surge in the 'self-care' approach to living with plants, no matter what your environment. We all know that being in or surrounded by nature is good for our health, but few of us take the time to understand why. As urbanization swallows up ecosystems, and humans move away from the environments they've adapted to, it has never been more important to understand the relationship between plants and people. Broken down into five chapters: The Human-Nature Relationship, Plants and Health, Plants and People, Living with Plants and an informative Plant Directory, the book first explains how we have come to exist in an environment that is at odds with our mental, emotional and physical needs, then explores how we can readjust this balance, before showcasing plants that help us to breathe, restore balance, and boost our wellbeing. A stylish yet practical book, Plant Therapy brings together two major trends - house plants and wellbeing - and enhances the value of both through making clear their connection with one another. When research has shown that the presence of plants can decrease blood pressure, increase productivity, and calm anxiety, both at home and at work, why wouldn't you pick up this book and create your own calming oasis?" --Provided by Publisher
"The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project discovers a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, and love: by tuning in to the five senses. For more than a decade, Gretchen Rubin had been studying happiness and human nature. Then, one day, a visit to her eye doctor made her realize that she'd been overlooking a key element of happiness: her five senses. She'd spent so much time stuck in her head that she'd allowed the vital sensations of life to slip away, unnoticed. This epiphany lifted her from a state of foggy preoccupation into a world rediscovered by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. In this revelatory journey of self-experimentation, she explores the mysteries and joys of the five senses as a path to a happier, more mindful life. Drawing on cutting-edge science, philosophy, literature, and her own efforts to practice what she learns, she investigates the profound power of tuning in to the physical world. From the simple pleasures of appreciating the magic of ketchup and adding favorite songs to a playlist, to more adventurous efforts like creating a daily ritual of visiting the Met and attending Flavor University, Rubin show us how to experience each day with depth, delight, and connection. In the rush of daily life, she finds, our five senses offer us an immediate, sustainable way to cheer up, calm down, and engage the world around us-as well as a way to glimpse the soul and touch the transcendent. A Life in Five Senses is an absorbing, layered story of discovery filled with profound insights and practical suggestions about how to heighten our senses and use our powers of perception to live fuller, richer lives-and, ultimately, how to move through the world with more vitality and love"--. Provided by publisher.
Stress, anxiety, and exhaustion are all-too-common features of our crazy-paced, curveball-throwing contemporary existence, and it's sometimes hard to see how we can make it from one week to the next intact. But there's a solution to the struggle: resilience! In Resilience For Dummies, Dr. Eva Selhub--former Harvard Medical School instructor and director of the Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital for six years--outlines the proven steps we can all take toward optimal resilience to build healthier, more purposeful, and increasingly joyful lives. --Provided by Publisher
"In a humorous, heartfelt memoir about one woman's midlife obsession with Benedict Cumberbatch, the author shares how her preoccupation with the British-born actor helped her feel passionate about something at a point in her life when she had lost touch with her own identity and sense of self." --Provided by Publisher
Process difficult thoughts and feelings with art therapy. Essential Art Therapy Exercises shows you how creating art can help ease depression, anxiety, PTSD, and life's other challenges. Art therapy activities like drawing, painting, and sculpting will help you better understand your state of mind in order to gain control over your emotions and improve your self-esteem. From drawing a representation of your favourite song, to writing affirmations and taking photos to match, these therapeutic exercises will help you overcome the mindsets that are holding you back and lead you toward inner peace. Some take only five minutes, others up to an hour, but all of them explore a range of artistic mediums, so you can choose exactly what works for you. Essential Art Therapy Exercises offers:The art of getting better - These sophisticated exercises are a springboard for insight, self-expression, mindfulness, acceptance, and self-compassion. Insights and questions - Every activity describes its benefits and offers thoughtful prompts to help you get the most out of each experience. No experience required - You don't need to be an artist to use art therapy. It's about the experience of creating, without worry or judgement. Let art therapy help you paint, draw, and write your way to a happier frame of mind. --Provided by Publisher
"A beautiful collection of curated poems, individually selected to provide the perfect balm for every emotional need. Sometimes only a poem will do. These poetic prescriptions and wise words of advice are tailored to those moments in life when we need them most, from general glumness to news overload, and from infatuation to losing the spark. Whatever you're facing, there is a poem in these pages that will do the trick. This pocket-size companion presents the most essential fixes in William Sieghart's poetic dispensary--those that, again and again, have shown themselves to hit the spot. Whether you are suffering from loneliness, lack of courage, heartbreak, hopelessness, or even an excess of ego--or whether you are seeking hope, comfort, inspiration, or excitement--The Poetry Remedy will provide just the poem you need in that moment"-- Provided by publisher.
- "50 empowering lessons on creativity, self-help, and mental wellbeing from hip-hop's most influential voices. Grant Brydon has interviewed some of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Pharrell Williams, J. Cole, Flo Milli, Big Sean, and Dreezy. Inside, he shares inspirational advice gleaned from these one-on-one interviews to help you take control of your own narrative and make simple outlook changes with major positive consequences."--Back cover.
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