When I introduced the project called “A Year of Dwelling Well,” I didn’t know what the year would bring. Even so, the intention remains exactly what I want: to live well within whatever circumstances we face. Dwelling Well isn’t about ideal conditions; it’s about making the most of our present situation, creating more peace, comfort, and belonging. It’s striking to see how unexpected events reshape how we live, and the ideas in Dwelling and the companion journal Dwelling Well feel especially relevant now as we navigate uncertain times.
These are challenging days. Many of us are carrying fear, loss, and worry. It can be hard to know how to respond, and I understand that struggle. My approach has been simple: show up and do the next thing.
Dwelling and the Dwelling Well Journal were written from my heart to encourage others through life’s ups and downs. Right now, we are on this journey together.
Below is an excerpt from the “Loveliness” chapter of Dwelling:
While writing this chapter, I received two heartbreaking calls. One involved a young woman who nearly lost her life; the other concerned a young man who will not have enough time. Both situations felt overwhelming and nearly impossible to process.
Life can feel very fragile. The news left me breathless; I sat still and cried. I felt too numb to continue writing as if nothing had changed. Everything felt different, and I struggled with the reality that some things would never be the same.
My emotions were a tangle of deep sadness, disbelief, pain, and fear. Words wouldn’t come. I felt as though I were walking through a fog, with only questions and no answers. When I tried to return to my writing, what-ifs and whys crowded my mind.
I wondered whether something as simple as creating moments of loveliness could still matter when everything felt so heavy. Where could loveliness be found amid fear and heartache? Doubt crept in.
Then a quiet reassurance surfaced, reminding me that loveliness isn’t reserved for easy times alone. It can be a steady practice even when life is hard.
I am comforted by these verses: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3).
I couldn’t control the outcomes for these dear lives, but I could lean into what I know to do. Prayer, faith, and seeking ways to grow through suffering brought me peace and strength.
Hard times remind me that all we truly have is the present moment. How we react and grow is our choice. We may not be able to change circumstances, but we can choose who we become in response. The challenge is to cultivate beauty even when the ground feels barren.
If life were always easy and beautiful, our understanding of beauty might become shallow. Heartache can deepen our compassion and add meaning to our lives.
The moments that shake us can help us reorient to what matters. Faith sustains us as we persevere. Life is precious and fleeting, so making ordinary days at home as meaningful and beautiful as possible honors the whole range of experience.
When you don’t feel inspired to create beauty, receive it as a gift. Look out your window: notice a sunset’s colors, the glow of sunrise, the shapes of petals, the black-and-yellow stripes of a bumblebee, or the scent of a nearby tree. These small observations can steady us.
loveliness self-care
• Take a mental scavenger hunt and find a little loveliness where you least expect it—your commute, a pile of laundry, or a cluttered corner. Aim to notice at least three lovely things.
• Reflect on a difficulty you’ve faced and how it widened your compassion or gratitude. What do you appreciate now that you might not have before that harder season?
Having a simple practice to look for beauty can help you move through tough days. Focusing on loveliness day to day gives us the resilience to find it again across life’s changing seasons.
Beauty can act like a balm, softening rough edges.
What small thing of beauty brought you joy as a child? Do you still enjoy it? Consider the lovely elements from different seasons of your life and whether some of them could be reintroduced now. It doesn’t take much to revive those sparks.
Beauty can inspire more beauty. Daily life can be made lovelier even when parts of it are difficult. Sometimes we create beauty to celebrate; other times it is what helps us rise out of bed. Cultivating a beauty-seeking, joy-filled mindset matters in every season.
Where do you find beauty right now?
– this excerpt adapted from Dwelling, by NYT bestselling author Melissa Michaels of The Inspired Room
Sign up to receive simple steps and practical tips to support well-being and lasting, positive change.
A Year of Dwelling Well is more than a series of posts; it’s a chance to rethink how we want to live and take small, intentional steps throughout the year. It’s a mindset shift that helps refresh your home into a nourishing sanctuary, reset your well-being, and create more meaningful moments and connections.
If you want to be surrounded by encouraging people and find motivation to feel your best, you are invited to join the communities connected with this work.
Reading Dwelling while spending more time at home can offer practical ways to care for yourself and those around you. To journal through your own Year of Dwelling Well, consider using the Dwelling Well Journal—the guided pages are simple and designed to help you stay focused with realistic steps for creating an intentional, meaningful home and life.
To see videos about the Dwelling Well journal and how to use it, check the “Journal” highlight on the author’s Instagram stories.
Get Inspired:
How to Be Cozy at Home + Uplifting Music Playlists
Create a Spa Bathroom + Detox Bath Recipe
How to Design a Relaxing Wind-Down Ritual
Six Secrets for a Less Cluttered Home
