Remember how you were feeling alive in your last dreamy vacation where you immersed yourself in a new culture you’ll never forget? Or maybe that was a staycation where you got time away for yourself to relax and do nothing, or just lay by the pool. I can relate to both!
And, I love rooftop views!
…When Life couldn’t be any better. Vatas love this Cloud 9 feeling from heightened senses in different places, Pittas love the getting back to productive routine, and Kaphas love their homey comforts and sleeping in their own bed again.
Life is good and one big harmony for everyone when you’re feeling alive and good again! And you can feel this way in all these different ways because you have all these traits in you (in varying degrees).
Wherever you are, take those feeling-alive dreamy vacation feelings with you. I do!
Sprinkle those joyful feelings throughout the rest of the 365 days. Here’s an example of a typical practice I have.
When I first start my workday, I look at a small framed piece of inspiring artwork in front of me (and I can take an inspiring desk calendar with me wherever I go). It puts a peaceful smile on my face. All is well. 🧡
I also keep a changing-up scenery screensaver on my computer. This is super important for a Vata! But if you like to see the same image over and over again, then find a framed image or words that inspire you.
For now, I have a Matisse postcard image in front of me that is just as good as if I took a look at the image in an original museum painting because I choose to see from the lens that I’m not missing anything.
Visuals are oh-so-important and especially so if you don’t have a vivid imagination. Colors play into the mix. That’s why people feel differently when they wear different color pieces of clothing. Do dogs react differently to different colors? You betcha!
I had one that loved the boldness of red (that’s the same color that bulls run to). And so do us, people. Except we’re a bit more refined and complicated with our color palette choices… more on that below.
As A Vata, if you are one like I am, you’re constantly changing things up and inspired to change at least the colors, if not the clothing style or the entire room (and hopefully your spouse or roommate doesn’t mind. Your dog won’t) 😉.
Using all your senses can drastically help to change your mood and so you’re feeling better. Nothing has to radically happen around you. You make the change by inspiring and invigorating your senses and your mind.
When I was doing a lot of traveling overseas, I could experience refreshing and enjoyable differences. I could taste the Limone Parisian crepe in all its light delicateness… the pistachio gelato in Florence… and the handmade Bologna tortellini that’s a local specialty (it can’t all be sweets!).
It’s like being a kid in a candy shop with eyes wide open.
I brought all those tastes back home with me in my mind. And if you’ve visited New York City (or maybe you have friends there), you can’t forget the smell of hot pretzels in Central Park. And the sounds of the city filled with yellow cabs. There’s no other city like it and then you can escape into the park.
That’s part of the sensory experience. And if you want to have a sense of what imbalance you need restoring, then think about what type of vacation you most want now.
If you’re yearning to be by the quiet ocean waves vs. a bustling city full of new excitement. And if that’s not your usual modus operandi, that could be an imbalance restoration-needing sign. A faster way to find out is to check in with your body.
Whatever that balance (or imbalance) is for you in this season, try to bring back those alive feelings you want again that you’ve experienced in the past. Maybe it’s seasonal desire. Like every fall you can smell hot apple cider and see the fiery orange fall leaves.
You anticipate everything pumpkin. You can recreate this mood anytime right where you are with the digital and real-life resources you have at your fingertips.
The lines can be a little blurred sometimes between the two and you may get off balance with too much of one way or the other (too much of a cloying, good thing isn’t good anymore), but something will prompt you to get back into what’s important if you pay attention to your cues and clues like a thoughtful detective. Your longer-lasting moods will help guide you.
Colors and The 4-D Experience
When you can make good experiences come 4-D alive (over 2-D), then you feel empowered to take feeling great again next steps. And that’s how you grow faster in this season. A 4-D experience is one that is stimulated through your senses (body), mind’s eye, and imagination (mind).
One way of being mindful can come from feeling alive at this moment with the colors in your home and surroundings.
These days the rage is all about white kitchens as you see photos everywhere with minimalist touches and white subway tiles and countertops. The clean look. The one associated with an oceanfront mansion and coastal living. The white walls zhughed-up with a few (and I mean few) accents.
Ummm… that’s not my taste.
For me, that’s incredibly boorrring. I find white is actually harder to make work than with other neutral colors. Like, white walls against dark brown wood don’t work. I prefer black against white. Beige is okay to pair with other colors but for me, I’m still not feeling it.
But gray, now we’re talking! A happy medium. 😊
Here’s a gray I can live with…
To each her own. Ok… and I do love the cuh-luhs! Always have. When it’s done right and tasteful, the combination of hues is interesting. Are you still with me?… it’s okay if you have a different opinion than me.
I lean into my Vata as one minute I will love one color palette and the next I love another. And that’s because of… moods. You knew I would bring this point home at some point.
Your moods are influencing you more than you may notice.
You probably thought I was going to say your horoscope sign. But since I’m a Taurus that is known for being steady, practical, and earthy, that wouldn’t make any sense.
But with my Vata side, that makes total sense. See, there’s a strong association between balance and your preferences.
And that’s why you lean towards certain colors because your body (through your eyes and mind) is telling you what you need more of.
As a neutral color, white has the presence of every color and shade in the rainbow.
Just so you know, I’m not knocking on white, lol… it has a special time and a place. But for balance, white won’t cut it. And neutrals don’t count when it comes to balance. You can think of them as fillers.
So… when you look around at your surroundings, how do you use colors in your life? If you’re not sure yet or for this season, try out different colors in front of you and see how they feel. You’ll be drawn to some and not to others. That’s how you should view your best colors or best colors now.
Don’t go with the one-color wardrobe to help with decision fatigue. That’s hogwash and boredom fatigue. The people who see you regularly aren’t color blind.
Pick bold colors if you’re feeling tired, as they are good for awakening, and pastels are good for relaxing. When I gravitate towards a deeper green like in trees or grassy images (that’s actually not one of my favorite colors), or teal green, then I have a hunch I’m a ‘lil anxious-irritated. Isn’t that interesting? Like in this photo here where I just gave the biggest presentation of my life and my smile is one of happy relief it was over! Unwinding around greenery is just what the doctor ordered (and yes, it’s in the middle of the City but my mind was far from the hustle-and-bustle if ya know what I mean!).
And then contrast that image to this cool image with the cutest dolphin in the world (aren’t they all cute?)… and where you may just wanna jump in the water?…
…see, how this feels different?
We’re just talking cool colors here. I’m not competing with the dolphin for cuteness. 😃
When you gravitate towards bluer tones in the sky and waters, you know you want to relax. Color preferences are a little different for each person, but if you start to pay attention to the color choices you’re attracted to and what makes your feelings come alive. Then you can also make the world around you a more inspiring space for your balancing (e..g better mood) needs.
You get the idea and are maybe learning a thing or two about natural body balancing, hopefully, yes?
And that’s where I wanted to leave you today… feeling a little more empowered to shake up your environment with staying vacation memories that never leave you, and the idea of sensory-balancing colors to brighten up each day (and in this season no matter what your situation is).