Home improvement projects are the act of cherishing your space- and self-creating a loving imprint on each person who enters.
Home Improvement: D I WHY?
Have you ever found yourself torn between hiring someone vs. tackling those home DIY projects? Why DIY When You Can Buy? The Home Improvement Dilemma! Sometimes the convenience is tempting.
Right now my entryway foyer is begging for a new coat of paint. It is TWO STORIES TALL. If I stood on the top rung of the ladder, wearing stilts I don’t think I could reach high enough.
Instead of getting paint, I’ve been getting quotes.
“I prefer being IN this quote than obtaining one”- me.
Pretty soon we are going to find out how high the ladder will go. Because in the end, we always choose DIY. It may seem daunting at times. But it’s always worth it.
Home Improvement DIY: Three Whys
DIY home projects don’t get a lot of air time other than tutorials.
In this post, I’m going to share three significant ways this life skill rewards you. If they inspire you to try something new, I’ve got just the thing at the end of the post.
1. The Confidence in Creation
Years ago when my son PJ started high school, he was assigned to make a catapult. He was not a DIYer! We all jumped in to help: stepdad buying the wood, sister measuring and spotting, and grandparents advising.
The end result was something the size of the Trojan horse…with an air compressor! I saw a transformation in this shy bullied 14 yr old boy. PJ proudly took that six-foot catapult *that really worked* to 9th grade- and came home beaming with A+. He volunteered with my husband to rebuild the neighbor’s porch. There was a belief growing in him. He could do things. He could even take control of the bullying.
2. The Magic of the Moment
Have you ever felt 100% present in the moment of creating, where it all makes sense? You weren’t aware of it making sense. Because it just was. (Am I making sense?). All things are all right.
Contentment swirls around us. We are focused, relaxed, and inspired. In that space, there is just peace.
Peace acts as a catalyst that unveils the magic of our true selves. I discovered that through DIYing. It’s not an original thought.
Studies and experts have long linked mental health benefits and DIY/home improvement. The Man himself endorses it
3. The Home Improvement Caused Self Improvement
Because you cared enough to nurture something that matters, the result is felt by not only you but by everyone in your piece of the world, who comes in your door. The place is elevated in energy. Enjoy it. Share it. Every time you walk by, you admire it.
I bought those peel-and-stick tiles to cover the ugly kid’s bathroom floor (sorry, the kids aren’t ugly). Hubby had never done it before but he you wouldn’t know it. He cut them so nicely, perfectly pieced together, as a surprise for me. And my gosh! Everyone that walks in there says “Wow!”- It’s an inexpensive “tile” but the care and intention turn it into a showstopper. He also learned out to to use subway tile (this was real ha) and did all the kitchen walls to the cabinets. As your experience becomes your history, your skills sharpen and you find you start accomplishing things you had no idea about before.
And what about my boy PJ? He ended up improving more than just the neighbor’s deck- he did it day by day, his entire life. Now he’s running things on the other side of the world. He’s actually a big dill.
Now, it’s not always a dream. This is real life. There will be weird frustrating moments when we say “What the hell have I done!” when we can’t see how good it will turn out. It always turns into something we cherish. Or fix. More DIY!
So I think I’ll go get that paint this weekend.
If you are new to DIY, here’s a simple way to start (how I did, myself!)
Also, check out:
For our seasoned DIYers, I’d love it if you left a comment sharing your experience or insight about DIY and what your favorite projects are.
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