MINDSET REMODELING BY SUSIE ROBB

Mindset Remodeling

BY SUSIE ROBB

Do you have a home that needs some TLC? Maybe for you it’s needed renovating since the day you moved in. You had high hopes for the outdated kitchen, didn’t you? “We can knock out this wall and build a new island here,” you told yourself. “We’ll just take down that wallpaper and paint it a nice neutral,” you thought. But as the months turned into years and life threw its curves, that kitchen remodel never did get done and that wallpaper is still up. Now you find yourself making excuses like, “Oh, it’s not so bad. I just hide that broken tile with this rug, and we just don’t open that cabinet door cause the hinge is broken…” You want to make the change; you’ve created the vision boards (Ie. Pinterest boards) and you promise yourself you’re starting on it soon, but the truth is, every time you look at that room you hate it and you just can’t seem to start (or finish).

BEFORE

Photo: @cortneydaniphotography

As a designer I’m amazed at how long people will live with spaces they don’t like. And the reason they don’t change, is not always financial. Sometimes they’ve gotten really comfortable with the space and sometimes they are afraid of change (no matter how much it’s needed). Remodeling is a lot like our relationship with ourselves. We get really motivated at first to make the changes we need to and then when it’s time for the rubber to hit the road, we settle back into what we’ve known. Remodeling does require a financial investment, but the principles are the same. If you want something bad enough, you’ll make it happen. You’ll go get the bids, you’ll set money aside, you’ll hire a professional (if you are not confident in your design choices); but you’ll invest your time and your money into creating what you keep dreaming about.

The parallels to our relationship with ourselves only continue throughout the remodeling process. When you start a new workout regimen or you begin to see a counselor, oftentimes things get worse before they get better. You’re working towards change and you've got to look at the mess for what it is. You've got to clean out the cabinets so you can demo them, much like you’ve got to face the traumas you’re trying to overcome. When working with homeowners, so often I see the look of dread when demolition has started, and the space is a complete wreck! They often wonder, “Was this a good idea?” The idea of not being able to turn back sometimes overwhelms them, but when the demo has started it’s truly too late to go back. I suggest you use this point of no return as just that! Draw a line in the sand and keep going. You won’t go back to the way things used to be, you’re now committed to manifesting what you want. Bumps in the road during personal development can look like losing motivation, wanting to give up, or unexpected life events. The same is true for a remodel. We can’t always predict what trouble we might run into, but when we hit that snag, we just have to keep going and adjust whatever needs to be adjusted.

AFTER!

Photo: @cortneydaniphotography

I’ve joked that interior designers often serve as marriage counselors. Tensions can get extremely high when working with couples on a home renovation. Many times, I have had to be a mediator to remind the couple what the goal is and how we can get there. The same is probably true for your personal trainer or life coach. Sometimes we all need a little helping hand to push through, but when it's all said and done, the most common phrase I hear from my clients is “why didn’t we do this sooner?” When the final product is revealed you forget all the pains you might have experienced during the process. You couldn’t really envision this before, but now that it’s here you are just so excited! The same is true for before and after photos of your physical transformations or that feeling when you’ve reconciled with that estranged relative. It’s worth it. The work is always worth it.

I would encourage anyone who is stuck living in spaces that they just can’t stand to finally reach out and get some bids. Start saving and invest in creating a home that you’re going to love and take pride in. That same feeling of accomplishment and joy will spill over into other areas of your life! If you want to make change in your personal life, I suggest you start investing in that too. Don’t be afraid. One day you won’t remember what it was like in that old kitchen or in that old mind set. You’ll look at photographs from the past and think, “Gosh, how did we ever live like that.”

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Susie Robb for ELLA Inspires Magazine

Photo: @cortneydaniphotography

Susie Robb is owner of décor shop, From: Susie, and founder of the 626 Foundation, a non-profit interior design firm that offers no cost services to families effected by tragedy. You can view her work and read more of her design tips at www.susierobb.com.