Rejection and Acceptance: What to Keep and What to Let Go of for a Happier Home

Having a happy, positive home sounds ideal. While the word “rejection” may have negative vibes, learning what to reject and what to accept in your home can help you build a strong foundation for a happier living space. 

Try taking steps to reduce negativity and increase positivity in your home.

Five Things to Reject for a Happy Home:

1. Stress: While everyone experiences stress and ridding ourselves of it completely may be unrealistic, we can learn to use stress-management techniques at home. Identify the sources of stress can be helpful. Brainstorming ways to address what’s causing the stress can be empowering. If there is an action that can be taken to address the stress, then try taking it on. However, if the source of stress is out of your control, then try practicing acceptance. Simple ways to bust stress at home include listening to music, taking a walk, or talking to someone.
2. Grudges: Feelings of resentment or anger can wear on you. Letting go of grudges can help you forge healthier relationships at home and relieve you of the lingering negativity of past conflicts.
3. Overuse of technology, especially social media: Technology has all kinds of benefits. It can keep you connected with others, give you great ideas for your home, be a tool for working from home and offer you a wealth of information. However, overuse of technology, and particularly of social media, can also be overwhelming and lead to feelings of insecurity. So, try using social media in moderation. Recognize its value, but also its realities. Those perfect pictures you may see are virtual, so try not to compare them with your reality. Be mindful of screen use, too. Too much exposure to the blue light that screens emit can interfere with healthy sleep patterns.
4. Clutter: A soothing, clean space can help ease anxiety, promote restful sleep, and promote feelings of peace and calm. Cutting clutter can also save time and reduce stress. If you know what you have and where it is, you’ll be in great shape to find what you need when you need it.
5. Guilt: Your house may not look perfect all the time. Imperfection is part of life. While a clean house is good for mental and physical health, pressure for your home to be perfect and look perfect does not add value to your life.

Five Things to Accept for a Happy Home:

1. Small things that have big meanings: Life at home can be quite routine. Instead of focusing on what may seem like the monotony or challenges of everyday living, try looking for the good. Expressing gratitude—feelings of thanks for even the smallest things in life—can help us feel happier and more hopeful.
2. The power of color and light: Try surrounding yourself with colors that you love. Try different colors on walls, furniture, fabrics, and accessories. Some colors may be soothing, others may be energizing. You can try picking whatever shades and hues make you feel good. Also, try to let in as much natural light as possible during the day. Sunlight boosts mood and helps regulate healthy wake and sleep patterns. So, lighten up and color your world.
3. Acts of kindness and healthy communication: Healthy relationships are key to a happy home. Try engaging in strong communication techniques. Express yourself honestly and respectfully. Try to verbalize your needs at home and ask for others to do the same. Also, try being kind to those you live with. Giving someone else a compliment or offering them help can be a win-win: you can boost your positive feelings and those of others. 
4. Your strengths and the ability to change: Identifying and building on your strengths, as well as the strengths of others you live with and your home itself, can be less frustrating and more productive than worrying about personal weaknesses or your home’s shortcomings. And if there’s a weakness you’d like to strengthen, have confidence in your ability to make positive changes. 
5. The power of what’s outside your house: Your home can be a refuge; a place to rest, work, recharge, and connect with others. But stepping outside also has benefits. Spending time in nature can boost vitamin D and mood and help promote healthy sleep at night. 

Try decluttering your home, not just of things but also of negative attitudes, for a happier, healthier space.

Author Bio

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.