Buddha dog posing in front of my zen table. My friend, Cassy, after visiting with me this week said maybe I should rename my writing cottage, my zen cottage. Since I’m now incorporating yoga, meditating and writing here in my cozy 10 x 12 space, I think she has something here. I shall now call this happy place my Zen Writing Cottage with Gidget the Buddha Dog. Might just attract many spiritual seekers from far and wide!
This outside shot was taken a few summers ago.
On my blog yesterday I said I would be spending the day cleaning out and simplifying my writing cottage. I wasn’t sure I’d get it all done in one day. But I did! This was the hardest room for me to do. So many sentimental things.
But in wanting to live with less stuff, which I’ve been clearing out of my house over the years, I felt ready to tackle my 10 x 12 writing cottage. Twp large garbage bags went into the trash, two and a half large garbage bags full of stuff I will be donating to Goodwill, and about 100 books I’ll be donating to our local Friends of the Library for their used book sale this summer.
At the end of the day I felt elated! I’m so excited about my new open, simplified look and I can’t wait to have my first yoga practice in my cottage, which was one of many reasons for clearing out stuff, organizing and cleaning.
Below is a BEFORE video of photos and an AFTER tour. Hope it inspires you!
BEFORE
AFTER
After my post yesterday where I shared a shot of the outside of my writing cottage and wrote about what my cottage means to me, I had some requests from others to see the inside. I also had someone ask what size it is. It is 10 x 12.
This morning I took some new shots, as things tend to change and move around in my cottage from time to time. This is part of my creative side that likes to rearrange. Before you take a little picture stroll through my cottage, I wanted to share how I got my cottage, which I didn’t share yesterday, though I have shared in the past. But for those new to my blog I’m happy to share again.
When I was working in the corporate world full time, I always wanted a little sports car. A Mitsubishi 3000 GT to be exact. Well, the day came when I could afford one and was so excited when I got my red, fast car. You see, for so many years I thought my sports car defined who I was. I got hooked into what society deems as “success.” As I went through my transition of really wondering what life is all about, suddenly that sports car didn’t mean as much to me anymore. I wanted my freedom and the freedom to be me.
I knew I wanted this writing cottage. But I couldn’t have both my car and this space. Also it’s important to point out that my car wasn’t worth all that much in terms of dollars. But it got me a nice little chunk of change to help pay for some of the materials for my cottage. The value for me now comes from being my authentic self and not feeling pressured to live by societal “rules” as to what defines a person as successful. This space defines who I am and supports who I am more than a silly car ever could.
I also think it’s important to point out that even if you can’t have a space such as mine, there are ways in which you can set aside a “room (or space) of one’s own” which I think is so important to feed our souls. Perhaps a small room in your home- or a corner of a room. Perhaps it is an altar with some of your favorite things that encourage your creativity. For a summer I had a screen room set up on our deck which I decorated with a table and chair and would sit with my laptop on my lap as I wrote.
Now on with the tour. I hope you enjoy and I hope it inspires you to follow your heart’s desire…
