Everybody in this world belongs to a family. May it be biological, adoptive, or even just a group of people who you have grown with as a person, everyone has someone whom they call their family. It is human nature to yearn and seek for a family, for people who love you regardless of fault. We are programmed to be social beings and a family is our first-ever chance to become social.
In easier terms, a family is where you feel loved and secure. It is where you grow and become better and it does not really mean that you have to be related, it just needs to feel like you are accepted and appreciated because sometimes, a family can be what brings you down.
Family dynamics are different for everyone. What may be normal to me, may not be normal to many. This is why it takes a while for children who grow up in abusive households to realize that what they are experiencing is abuse because to them everything is normal and they think what is happening is all just an expression of love. So, when they get a chance to be with other people or children their age, they do the same thing because that’s normal to them.
It is a sad reality that many face which is why it is always a good thing to make sure that a family makes improvements in their home. We are not just talking about improvements that are physical but we are also talking about emotional and mental improvements. We have to make sure that the family that we are caring for and the family that we are fostering has a healthy state of mind and a healthy environment.
A family is different for everyone. Some people have two dads or two moms or no dad or no mom and some people have both parents at home and that is perfectly fine and normal. What is not okay is allowing your family to be in a situation where someone is not happy or someone is feeling left out.
So, if you want to move some furniture around or maybe you want to remodel a few areas, go for it. Involve everyone in the family. Make it a point to make everyone involved in the home improvements because this can also become a bonding moment for everyone.
I remember my mom would ask everyone what color they wanted to paint their rooms and everyone would gather around and then we would choose the color that we liked. We would paint our rooms and we would make fun of each other for choosing this color or that color because we would always think that the color we chose was better than everyone else’s. It is a memory that I would never forget because it was a time when we were struggling financially as a family but it was also the happiest times we had when we were all living together. I will always treasure moments like those because it made me feel that I was in a healthy place despite the struggle. Moments like those are what have made me who I am and so, I encourage people to do the same. To try and find the silver lining in everything because a healthy home creates a healthy and happy life.
Thinking of making a change at home? Go ahead! New curtains? New furniture? A treehouse? A dog? Anything is acceptable as long as it helps you and your family achieve both better sustainable homes and mental health. As a kid, I used to love watching videos on YouTube about girls making over their rooms, painting furniture, or buying rugs. It is an exciting thing to have a chance to do things around the house with your family. So, I would always run up to my mom and she’d give in to my little requests making sure to make me feel good about what I’m doing.
With everything that is happening in the world today, we have to make every second count with the people who matter to us the most. Oftentimes, we neglect to spend time with them and we eventually regret that decision. After all this, I’m leaving you with one last note. Make time for the people that matter and make it last. Improving your home also means improving your relationship as a family. Start doing things that you do not normally do together and make it a point to show love and care to the people you value. You’ll never know, today might be your last because tomorrow is never secure.
So go ahead and plant that garden, paint that room, buy that couch, move that table. Everyone needs to be involved and everyone needs to have a moment they can hold on to for the rest of their life.