Hello again!
I am definitely feeling a bit drained by the weight of the world at the moment, as I imagine many of us are, so I thought I’d keep this issue focused on what actively sparks joy in my life. Let’s dive in.
Living in a space you love
Interior design is (obviously) a great passion of mine, but just as importantly, if not more so, is my passion for the way in which we live in the spaces we’ve designed for ourselves. I believe that good design is meant to be interactive, warm, and nurturing.
To break this down to an understandable starting point, there are certain basic household items I believe you should never be too thrifty on, namely, your bed, your sofa, and at least two of your chairs. Comfort is absolutely key here. Feel free, however, to cut corners on your dining table (these are often best secondhand), your coffee table (form over function anytime) or any sort of tabled surface, really.
What you do with your space ultimately defines your happiness, and much of that is also determined by the routines you build within your space. I do believe you can “hack” your way into living a happier life, just by making minor changes.
Going forward in Brunch at Sera’s, I’ll be covering these hacks by introducing a weekly series on some notable design and living choices — this will encompass links to furniture recommendations and unique pieces, well-designed spaces I’ve seen seen on social media, and commentary on living intentionally.
Eating intentionally
I went vegan just a little over a month ago now. As someone who wasn’t even vegetarian before, believe me, I’m surprised by it too!
Last month, I was in Greece for the weekend, with a few friends who have been vegan for quite some time. We spent our few days there having discussions about climate change and consumption, and it finally triggered something in me.
At dinner one night, we were talking about how at the beach club earlier in the day, the server kept on bringing us plastic straws, despite our instance that we didn’t want them. In response to that, one of my friends said that the plastic straw narrative is just Big Oil’s way of making us think the onus of responsibility is on us, rather than them, as a way of making us feel bad on a personal level, when they’re actually the true villains.
While I do completely agree with that, I had something of an epiphany in that moment. I had never really thought about it at length before, but I suddenly realized that I actually did care very much if I used a plastic straw or not. I understand that it’s more convenient (especially over some of the horrible paper straws anyone who’s lived in a large, liberal city has been exposed to over the past five years or so) but using single-use plastics, regardless, is out of alignment with my own morals.
I mean this in the least preachy way possible, but I do believe that every use of plastic adds up, and I also believe that it starts on a personal level. In a world where we are constantly made to feel so completely powerless (as the news is currently aggressively showing us) this is one thing — one tiny, little action — that makes me feel like I’m in control of my life. That I’m not living my life in vain. I don’t believe that this earth was created for us to endlessly consume from, as climate change very urgently validates.
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