CHRISTINA J WARREN | Aesthetic to Abundant (@christinajwarren) Instagram Analytics

I have a million things I could be doing.

I could be more “productive.”

Instead I made time to make this little rug for my daughter’s dollhouse (our dollhouse lol)

It was SO satisfying!

I think creative women need to make things so we can bring what we see in our minds to life.

Whether it’s the tiny thing or the big thing, it all starts from the same place and feeds us.

Even when it’s not checking something off a list or making money.

It just makes us feel good. I makes the day nicer and we deserve that.

I lost 25 pounds and most of it was during the cozy months.

I still enjoyed all of the holiday goodies, I just learned how to do it in a way that matched my goals.

Here are things that are simple and extremely powerful:

1. A dumb pedometer is one that isn’t connected to any bluetooth. No checking your phone etc. Just simple and it helps you figure out how much you’re moving.

find a healthy step goal for yourself and make it happen.

2. When I used to drink coffee before breakfast, it would make me think I was full and then I’d end up eating poorly or not enough or too late in the morning.

3. Starting the meal by eating veggies first helps with slowing down how quickly your blood sugar rises thanks to the fiber. It helps to fill you up with healthy food before more calorie dense foods.

4. What I mean about cottage cheese-when I stopped eating so much dairy (even if it was high protein), weight loss became a lot easier for me. My digestion was so much better too.

5. Find your carrot: as in find the payoff you will get for feeling great in your body. What will you gain in your life?
*BONUS: Ask yourself throughout the day, “What would a healthy person do?” Then do that!

Comment FOOD for what I eat in a day.

make sure you’re following @christinajwarren so the message goes through

🎃 Comment BANNER for a free printable to make your own Halloween mini banner for anywhere in your home!

This dollhouse represents a lot of deep feelings for me.
From wondering if I was going to meet “the one” after 30 to a mom of 4.

Decorating it for the holidays is a funny thing-everyone is delighted by it!

It’s playful and a great place to channel light, creative energy that brings smiles around.

That’s why I share it here with you.

I can pick apart all the things that I do or don’t like about this space, but here’s the thing…

This space feels amazing. I wanna sit here on a Saturday morning with my family, eat donuts and laugh while we roast each other.

I knew it would get there eventually and it’s still a process, but beauty is something you can’t pick apart one piece at a time.

It’s an overall aesthetic and feeling that you can aim for.

That takes time.

Even the top design designers switched things out 1 million times before they “done” with the space.

also keep in mind that it’s those little unexpected accents that make a room have a magical feeling.

I was dragging my feet and adding the shelf and the curtains but once I finally did even if I wasn’t in love with them, it was going to give me information.

I was gonna get closer to what I wanted by taking messy action.
What do you think?

Follow @christinajwarren for more mindful design made for real life.

All the moms at the mommy and me meetup looked so amazing. I wondered what their secret was.

When was I going to bounce back like that?

Everyone was being vulnerable so when it was my turn I said, “I still can’t fit into my old jeans.”

One of the moms looked at me and said, “I just bought new jeans.”

I was shocked! She looked amazing!

I thought that if I bought jeans for my current “larger size” as in “not my ideal size,” it would mean I was settling for my current state that I didn’t want.

Then it hit me.

When you see yourself as worthy and do things that make you feel great-like new clothes that fit, your mind does something you’re not even aware of.

when your brain says, “I look cute” then you’re just going to continue to look better on a subconscious level.

Why?

Your self image improves and when it does, you do things in alignment with a good self image like eating better or moving more or learning how to do your hair at its best!

Want to know exactly how I convinced myself that I was a healthy person and lost 25 pounds at 45 years old after 6 pregnancies and 4 kids?

Comment MIND and I’ll send it to you.

Make sure you follow me @christinajwarren so that the message goes through.

Have you considered a “pattern interrupt” element to design your space and make it stand out?

A design element that just doesn’t make total sense but adds the zest to the room that just makes it?

But why is it so hard to figure out the exact thing that will make your space special?

You’re an emotional decorator! You’re someone who walks into a room and knows she loves it but can’t explain why.

I’m here to help!

Part II of Translating what we love about this space-Nancy Meyers edition!

This iconic kitchen from It’s Complicated, is so funny because Jane is in the works to finally renovate to get her DREAM KITCHEN and we would all love to have this one as it is right now!

Why?

Notice that there are layers of detail from floor to ceiling and even ceiling!

If you want your home decor to feel cozy, there’s nothing like decorating every surface.

Keep it neutral if too much business overwhelms you.
When I spotted this window shelf in the movie, I thought it would be the perfect way to add some interest to our very boxy dining room-my pattern interrupt.

What do you think?

Follow @christinajwarren for more home transformation.