| Our day-to-day demands can quickly take their toll on our well-being if we are not vigilant about caring for ourselves as best we can. One way we can ensure that we have an opportunity to relax and recuperate each day is to create a soft place to land when we arrive home. This landing pad, whether it is an entire room or merely a small corner of an area, can provide us with a safe and comforting refuge in which we can decompress and recover from the day’s stresses. There, we are enveloped in feelings of security that transcend other issues that may be unfolding in our homes. Our landing pads also act as way stations that enable us to shift our attention away from our outer-world concerns and back to our inner-world needs. To create a soft place to land in your home, begin by scouting potential locations, or perhaps, your entire home is your landing pad in which case you may only need to declutter. Your habits can provide you with insight into the perfect spot, as there may be an area of your home you gravitate to naturally when you are in need of comfort. Any space in which you find it easy to let go of stress and anxiety can become your landing pad. Preparing these spaces can be as easy as replacing clutter with a small selection of beautiful objects that put you in a relaxed frame of mind. Remember to consider noise and activity levels when choosing the site of your landing pad. Your soft place to land should inspire within you the mantra, “I can breathe here. I can relax here. I know I am safe here.” When you return to your home after braving worldly rigors, you will feel a subtle yet tranquil shift occur inside of you as you settle in to this most personal of retreats and feel centered once again. You may also consider a soft place at work, if you are commuting to office every or a few days. And also consider soft places among the relationships you nurture: who is a welcoming and relaxing interaction, who are you supporting being their soft place. Last but not least: you can flex style and behavior from being assertive and exerting power, to being more receptive and vulnerable and being supported by your soft places. |
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