Imagine what would happen if we got up each morning and made the choice to be positive. With the innocence of a child, we approach each day with great expectations that something wonderful is about to happen.

Imagine if we had an attitude of gratitude despite the storms of life – counting our blessings and being thankful in all things.

Imagine if instead of focusing on all that is bad in our life, we help someone who is struggling. I am sure you will find that not only is it a blessing to the person receiving your help…..it will be a blessing to you, and completely changes your perspective. It’s like magic! Try it!

The truth is, we are not guaranteed a trouble free life. But the beauty is that we don’t have to go through life alone.

I have learned that gratitude is one of the best things you can do for yourself  when navigating life’s murky waters.

What do you do when life hands you lemons?

Do you plan a day at the spa or lunch with friends? Dive into a hobby, or a good book? Or do you fall victim to complaining, impatience and ingratitude? I admit that I am guilty of the latter, but like many of you may testify, I am a work in progress. When I catch myself complaining, I turn it around to being grateful for the things that are going right. I go to my happy place: Laying in bed and reading one of my favorite shelter magazines or a book on design (I have quite the collection, so there will always be self-indulging moments like this ). House Beautiful and Traditional Home are still my favorites!

Source: House Beautiful magazine

Source: Traditional Home Magazine

What they say is true: It really is the little things that make all the difference.

Below are some great words to live by.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend filled with joy and blessings. Don’t forget to do something nice for yourself!

Here are my links to contact me and shop for designer bedding, pillows, rugs and the recently added category doggy styles (dog fashion and beds):

Store

Contact and Connect

Please comment and share!

Be Inspired!

  ]]> http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/2013/11/09/saturday-self-care-snippet-2/feed/ 0 http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/2013/11/02/saturday-self-care-snippet/ http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/2013/11/02/saturday-self-care-snippet/#comments Sat, 02 Nov 2013 04:44:30 +0000 http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/?p=3345 Continue reading →]]>

I grew up in Jamaica where the culture dictates that working hard is something to be proud of, and rightfully so. But when working hard means overdoing it and forsaking your health and wellness, then a change needs to be made…..and fast!

Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do and enjoy the challenges that keep me on my toes and allow me to express my creativity. But there is a thin line between healthy challenges and stress! Yes, I said the “S” word. Between my recent move from one home to another, move from one studio to another and developing the new space, clients and projects, the kids and life in general, it has been really hectic for me.

I switched my diet to an almost raw vegan diet a few months ago, and for sure thought that I was doing enough for my health and well being, but I was stopped in my tracks by a recent visit to an alternative medical doctor. My lab results showed I was anaemic (iron defiency), very dehydrated, my body was very acidic, and I was borderline diabetic (which runs in my family)…….Yikes!! Time for that change!

So with my doctor’s recommendations, I have tweaked my almost raw vegan diet to include less fruit, more iron rich veggies, nuts & seeds, supplements, plenty of water and exercise…..and drinking baking soda everyday for a while (eeewww!) . In about 4 months or so my body will heal itself through detoxing, and reward me with new healthy blood cells and it will be all good

What this means for my work?

I will continue to work hard and take on challenges and keep my goals in sight. It would be so boring otherwise.   But I will definitely balance that with healthy choices like rest, sleep, exercise, staying hydrated…..and never missing a meal, no matter how busy it gets.

So here’s my advice to those reading this: Take some time for you. Spend that time doing something that relaxes you mind, body and spirit. Your body will thank you.

That’s What I’m Talking About!!

Now this room makes me want to put away the iPad and laptop and just RELAX. Ahhhhhhh

Thanks for reading! Hope you all have a very restful weekend and be refreshed for the coming week!

Contact me HERE

Click HERE for online store

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

If you are like me, running a business and a household solo, you know what it is like to have a lot on your plate. Life can get crazy!! In fact, if things aren’t crazy in my life, I get bored. I really have not taken the time to take care of myself so that I can take care of business. I got away from exercising and eating healthy and began to drink coffee everyday which I have never done in all my years. I was beginning to feel really burnt out and tired all the time, so I decided to take my well being back from the norm of society.

So here’s what I have been doing for the past two weeks to get myself back on the path to being the best I can be

1. I started exercising again! – A little bit at a time, but I have so much more energy now.
2. Eating way better! – For the past two weeks my diet consists of juicing fruits and vegetables, raw and organic foods, one cooked meal a day (salmon and hard boiled eggs only), a lot more water and coconut water, no eating past 8:00pm
3. More time with the kids – I am listening a lot more because I have taken away the distraction of working at all hours of the night
4. Planning a weekend get-away with my friend Aimee – She has invited me several times to her hometown of New Orleans and I jut couldn’t find the time. I finally have and it will be fun!
5. Really qualifying prospects and valuing my time - I used to feel really guilty if a prospect called and I had to turn them down due to distance or unrealistic budget or knowing right away they wouldn’t be the right fit. I would spend countless hours driving to their homes (at no charge) and even giving them design tips and ideas (no charge) and sometimes even working on a preliminary plan without knowing for sure what the budget is or even if they are serious. I really didn’t want to be labeled as a snobby decorator, because unfortunately we already have that reputation. But I have now learned that saying no is not a terrible thing if it is the right answer. Sure I enjoy giving tips and ideas to people, and I will continue to do so through by Facebook pages (Casa Vilora Interiors and No Naked Windows), my websites (Casa Vilora Interiors and No Naked Windows), and my blog (The Naked Decorator).
6. Prayer and meditation time – This one is the ultimate self-care for me. I sometimes let life get in the way and don’t spend enough time in prayer meditation and reading my Bible. I need wisdom, strength and mercy for each day, so why am I not tapping into the proven Source?
7. Stress less – There are so many things I worry about everyday: My business growing, my kids, what people say about me, and most things out of my control. I have decided to worry less, especially about things that I cannot control.

Sometimes “NO” is the right answer

Here’s what I have been eating lately. I am just starting out, but I think it is a good start for someone who loved junk food!

I make this salad for dinner every night. I sometimes switch the eggs out for salmon

One of my favorite green juices. I had to experiment a few times to get it just right

My results so far? I have a lot more energy, I have lost weight (Not sure how much as I never weigh myself) and I am in a better mood these days and socializing a bit more. In fact, I may be going out on a date soon It may be bloggable, so stay tuned

Are you at the point in your life where you know something has to change? Whether it is the way you eat, the way you do business, the way you relate to others, or even spiritually? Tell me about it by leaving a comment below.

Have some!

As always, please contact me if you have any questions about my decorating an remodeling services, or visit my online store for custom drapery panels, bedding and pillows. Don’t forget about our summer savings going on now! Visit my online store for more details

Have Yourselves a wonderful Wednesday!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

It is not very often that I even think about the fact that I am a single mother raising a teenager and a pre-teen, running an Interior Decorating business, and just dealing with every single aspect of life alone. I just know what needs to be done, and I get up everyday and do it. If I make a mistake, I learn from it, put it behind me and forge on. I never expect a reward or a badge of honor for doing what needs to be done, I don’t even expect to be called a strong woman. I’m just a woman doing the best I can with what God has blessed me with.

I realized quickly that my sadness yesterday was tied to the fact that I am single, and have been for a while. I have done a great job of convincing myself that I don’t need a man to feel fulfilled and complete, and this is true. But there is that God-given sense of companionship that is there within each of us and we can’t just brush it aside as if it doesn’t exist. The key is how you handle that need for companionship.

I wouldn’t go as far as saying my life is painful, but being single is getting really old, and fast. Even my last relationship that lasted three years still felt like I was single. I mean, he was a wonderful guy who I believed loved me very much, but it was a long distance relationship (I mean another continent!) and so we hardly saw each other. We ended up just being friends…that was best for us I think.

Then there is the ex-boyfriend who didn’t quite deserve my love, but I still can’t seem to get over? Who still calls me up for advice and support even with relationships, and who clearly realizes that I am “the one that got away”.

So I haven’t been that lucky in love.

Why does it have to be so complicated?!

So instead of feeling sorry for myself for being single, and resenting other people’s happiness, I am embracing the fact that no matter what, I am living life to the fullest and loving my family with all that is in me. I will keep moving forward with my life and won’t settle for less than I deserve. I will continue to hold myself to the highest standards and will expect the same from a man. I won’t worry about the future especially where relationships are concerned. I believe that in time and with prayer, everything will fall right into place. I’m sure there will be days that I will feel alone and sad, but it’s amazing the joy that comes from being with your children and immersing yourself in a hobby or even work. Lucky for me, I get to do what I love everyday – designing beautiful and comfortable spaces for my clients!

Yes, I can honestly say, I am a strong single woman who doesn’t need a man to feel fulfilled or complete.

Thanks for taking the time to read about my minor emotional breakdown  I promise to get back to the business of interior design in my next post. There are big things on the horizon for Casa Vilora Interiors and No Naked Windows, so please stay tuned to find out. As always, you can contact me here for more information about my decorating service or visit my online store to purchase custom drapery, bedding and pillows.

Please comment and share!

Click my About.Me page to connect with me on all social media sites

Have a fabulous Friday!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

Bedroom From 2008 DC Design House

The soft blue walls and the white trim, the subtle pattern of the bedding, and the cozy canopy and draperies, create a restful and serene space where anyone would be delighted to lounge on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Have a restful and peaceful Sunday….

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

After a rough week of more than the usual challenges, I am really happy that it’s Friday, and I am definitely ready for the weekend! Being self-employed, the weekend doesn’t necessarily mean a day off work…. but it does feel that the world slows down just a bit.

This week, I had to choose between being joyful regardless of my circumstances or allowing them to make me miserable and angry. I chose the former, although misery and anger seemed like such easier responses. I have somehow developed a renewed appreciation for the little things in life. You know, the little things that are seemingly unimportant, but somehow you couldn’t live without….or life would be much harder without.

Just imagine for a second what your day would be like without a staple remover

Or even a stapler…..wouldn’t it be chaos with papers flying everywhere?

These are silly examples I know, but I’m sure it got you to think about the little things. For me, it is walking into my 11 year old son’s bedroom and seeing the drawings of dragons that he leaves on his nighstands (He loves the movie “How to train your dragon”). Or the short stories he likes to write in the notepad of the old, non-working iPhone that he lovingly claimed for himself. They sure put a smile on my face….especially when the superheroes of the stories bear a striking resemblance to me.

Or my 15 year old daughter’s artwork that she is so very good at. She reminds me so much of myself, although she is a much better artist than I am. She turns 16 this Sunday and I cannot believe how much she’s grown

There is so much in nature that also reminds me to appreciate the beauty and the little things that help to shift focus from the challenges that life throws at us. There will always be challenges in life, and I certainly don’t want to live my life being angry and miserable all the time.

This is why I always encourage my clients to decorate their homes the way they actually live, and not like the set of a TV show or magazine spread; especially clients with children. Most think that they cannot have a beautiful home with small children running around, but that is completely false. A little bit more thought needs to happen upfront, but a beautiful and comfortable home is for everyone. It’s one of the little things that makes your life so much easier. There’s nothing better than walking into a beautiful, organized and functional space that suits you perfectly.

Decorating with your children’s artwork is a great way to keep the smiles coming everyday! It costs nothing, and a wonderful positive reinforcement for your children. They will grow up to remember and will influence creativity in them.

Please leave a comment below about one little thing or a seemingly unimportant thing that makes your life so much easier.

Hope you all have a blessed Friday and a wonderful weekend!

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Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

My 15 year old daughter just started driving school this week. A very scary thought for me, but really excited for her. As if I wasn’t aware of her age, it hit me like a ton of bricks that my daughter is 15 and driving! Where did the time go? I thought by now I would have reached my career goals. It was a reminder that sometimes things don’t work in our timeframes. There are setbacks and obstacles on the road to accomplishing your goals. In my case, it has been many things including the loss of my husband to cancer. It has been 9 years, but having to raise 2 children and a Chiweenie alone, does shift your focus from a career and direct it to what’s really important – your family!

While I didn’t necessarily dream of being a world famous designer, I thought by now I would be much further along in my career. I work hard, I invest the time and effort and money into education and marketing and all the good stuff you are supposed to do for your business to grow. But the economy and other factors have really changed the way a designer needs to do business, and our survival depends on making changes along with the market conditions.

On the bright side, I can look back and be thankful for the progress I have made through hard work, commitment and dedication. It is a blessing to have children who are patient and supportive, It is a blessing to be able to wake up each day doing what you love. It is a blessing that I was able to move into my design studio, and although it is not the perfect space that I pictured in my dream, I am slowly getting there. Even though my family and friends think I am crazy, and some may even have disowned me, I press on to what seems an impossible feat. I do it everyday, because I know the burning passion in my heart. And oneday, I will be the world famous designer!

I read somewhere, that if you write down your dreams and goals, you are more likely to accomplish them (maybe that’s what I missed before ), but here goes:

1. I will have my design studio completed and magazine-ready in less than 6 months
2. I will have a clientele so large in the next year, I will need to hire more help
3. I will be published locally and nationally in the next year
4. I will have less tire-kickers and more serious clients who understand my value and my worth in helping them achieve their visions for their homes
5. I will continue to run my business being customer-focused, with empathy, honesty and integrity always
6. I will design and develop my own textile line in the next two years
7. I will be a leader in my community and give of my time and resources more to charitable causes always
8. I will spend alot more quality time with my children and dog always
9. I will take another trip to Europe and really immerse myself in the culture and design world
10. I will take more family vacations and maintain a good work/life balance
11. I will get more involved in my children’s schools through volunteering
12. I will meet a wonderful guy who loves me and my children, who shares my beliefs and values (too much? )

There’s my list! It’s now in God’s hands. I know I will keep working hard, stay committed and rid myself of all doubts and fear and negativity. Try making your list and see how good it feels.

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon