Pampering Yourself

@gemmax -- what a wonderful discussion to start ... especially in the face of illness, to make the very best of things and create a cozy nest for yourself that is just perfectly customized to your needs and your husband's, and which brings comfort as well as functionality ... that is just a fabulous idea.

I'm thinking that some of our members like @sandytoes14 @rosemarya @hopeful33250 @contentandwell @parus @roxie43 @techi @windwalker @johnbishop may have some thoughts about this concept and may have done something like this at some time. I'm thinking that perhaps @IndianaScott also may know some members who have found the idea of pampering yourself/a loved one who is ill by making your environment as comfortable as possible quite important along the way.

@gemmax -- what is the most comforting part of your master bedroom renovation for you?

@gemmax In reading your words I was delighted!! I have done this only next to my recliner-everything I need is within reach and not because I am a lazy person. I live alone and decided to make my living area into my art studio/gallery/library/my creating place-I call my habitat "my" woman's cave. i am surrounded by the things I enjoy and need. I am taking care of myself and doing the best I can to provide myself with comfort and convenience. It has been an adjustment learning to live in a body that no longer can perform all the things I once did.
Thank you for starting this thread and maybe there will be others that can share what they do to pamper themselves. Also, thank you for helping me focus on the positive things in my life that I have made for myself. Also lots of houseplants!!! A little about my cozy nest :).

@lisalucier It feels like a sanctuary...a spiritual place. A place to read which I love, a place to pray...a place to cry when I must.Many of us have lost alot, but we can still have what makes us who we are. The things we believe in, the things we love and the comfort and rest that we need.. I’m still looking for a beautiful cross for my wall , symbolic of my faith. I have much more to tell you all that i have done and will be posting as soon as possible.I would love to hear ideas and thoughts from everyone. Be blessed!

@parus I am so glad that you too have found the value in having a cozy place of comfort that is just for pampering. I hope that many have found this to be the case. I would love to know what everyone is doing to create space. I would love to read about lots of suggestions and helpful and fun ideas that we can share. This has been the most positive thing that I have done for myself. I will take out my tins very soon and tell everyone what I chose to put in them that I can't live without. Your post has reinstated my enthusiasm for this. Be blessed! Gem

@parus have a great evening.

@gemmax -- that is a beautiful thing that your renovated room feels like a sanctuary and a place where you are comfortable to be who you are. Hope you find the cross you are looking for for your wall.

I'm also thinking that @jo2010 @muppey @drashok @gailb @vdandy @liz223 @lioness @brightwings @pegbach @pkayh @pendragonart may be interested in this concept of making an effort to create a cozy and beautiful nest for yourself to make things functional and pampering for you in the midst of illness, either in one room, your whole house or an outdoor space.

Anything you've found, @gemmax, that particularly makes your master bedroom now feel like a sanctuary -- something you might recommend to others?

Parus I'm so happy to hear you being in love with yourself ,for if we don't love ourselves and be kind to ourself no one else will like we can Glad your so positive and take good care of yourself after all this is a new chapter in our lives Bless you Linda

@lisa lucier On the wall next to me I have a photo on canvas of the sun rising over the water called “The Great Light”. It reminds me that God can do anything and that He IS the great Light. Chronic illness can sometimes make us feel that we are forgotten and that is a dark feeling. I like things that remind me that we do not have to be there. I am sure that there are many sunrise photos and paintings . Mine is one where the sky is almost red and the sun bright white light. It reminds me of the Bible verse “...and God saw the light that it was good.” I think that it is important to be sure that we do everything we can to stay in the light. The window near my bed has a beautiful tree outside... it is covered, at different times of the year with white flowers and red berries. The birds love it. When I am in this room I keep the window open so that I can hear them and let the light stream in. Another thing that I have done is collect some beautiful boxes and tins to use. When I am able to, I head for my favorite secondhand stores and antique shops looking for treasures. I have also found a copy of the first cookbook that I ever used, with the recipe for the first cookies I baked, the old hymnal that we used in my childhood church and the book of poetry we used in the 4th grade to memorize poetry....Ahhh treasures.

Thank you for inviting me to comment on this thread @lisalucier. I decided a few years ago that my husband and I needed our own cozy nest at home. At the time we had owned our bed and breakfast inn, with a restaurant for 11 years. I had worked with joy to make each bedroom at the inn, a special, warm, relaxing place for our guests. I put feather bed toppers on all the mattresses, bought the best 600+ thread sheets, had lots of comfy pillows on the beds, assured there was a recliner or other seating for those who couldn't sleep in bed, and provided throws to use. I also got lightweight feather comforters and got beautiful duvets for each bed. We had 5 "units" with one unit having 3 bedrooms in 2 stories. We also had a 4 bedroom cottage for guests. I really wanted our guests to be able to totally relax and feel pampered. We provided a "welcome basket" with fresh fruit, chocolates, locally made cheeses, Amish made cinnamon rolls, and either wine or their choice of beverage, as well as bottled water. There was a small microwave, 1/2 high refrigerator, and small table and chairs in each room. Amish had built these rooms for us after my husband and I created the design. They had 3/4 yellow pine floors, wood trim and beautiful bathrooms. The cottage was bungalow style. It was a lovely and special place to stay. Outside we provided an arbor filled with flowers and relaxing places to sit and read, eat or just relax.

The reason I'm telling all this is because my husband and I worked very hard to make our guests feel pampered and cozy, but we were actually ignoring our own needs for the same thing. After we closed the restaurant (too much work for negative return to income), we decided to remodel the building it was in to make two additional guest rooms, the office, and a living space for us. That freed the cottage, where we had been living, to be available for reservations. I realized in planning this remodel that we needed the same pampering as our guests. We actually decided to put our four poster bed in part of our large living room. We added an antique wood stove from an Amish friend, my husband repaired and refinished it. The wood stove was in our small kitchen and was lovely. I used the same decorating and furnishing plans for our nest as I had for the guest rooms. Each guest space had a different decor, using plaid and fox hunting in the Hunter Room, girly bright colors in the Prairie Rose Room, rustic furnishings in the Rustic Suite, a garden theme in the Garden Room, and a very cozy and quite theme in the Retreat Room. In our space I used a traditional theme with Amish simple joys. Our bed was so comfortable with the feather bed topper and lots of pillows. Our side tables held all the things we needed at hand, including a drawer on each side for medications we both must take now. We had a large flat screen TV in front of the bed, and a recliner love seat between the bed and the TV. We really needed a nest to go to at the end of each day.

We have now moved into our daughter's home, and we are actually moving again with her to a new large beautiful home with a view and lots of pampering features. I am furnishing our bedroom which will have a king bed with massager, and electronic head and leg lifts. I am making it as cozy and nest like as possible. We now have our own zone heating and cooling for our bedroom which is wonderful. We will have 2 recliners and reading space in the bedroom as well. I so appreciate @gemmax description of what you have done in your bedroom. I will remember to include the small boxes and special touches you have used to make your life and space special. I have artwork created by my son who has a Master's in Fine Art, and artwork done by my mother who died in 1993. I have other original art done by friends of mine. This will all be in our bedroom. I am also setting up an art studio in another bedroom so I can resume my own painting and drawing love.

At this time of life, I think it's so very important to treat ourselves with the tenderness and love that we have always wanted. I used to seek it from others, and it took many years and lots of therapy and reading for me to discover that I am the only one who can give me the love I had always longed for. I now know that I can be happy anywhere because I bring happiness with me. Yes, I have pain and problems, and depression, but my life is good. I have worked so hard to become a healthy, loving, and kind person. My childhood was a mess and left me with PTSD, but I didn't want to let that rule my life. I am happy with whatever happens in my life now. I have paid my dues and we have all earned the time to enjoy our lives. We can be as active or as quiet as we want or need to be without regret or guilt. It's such an important passage to go through at this time in our lives.

I'm looking forward to reading what others offer as ways they pamper themselves. My husband and I just completed our ultimate pampering with our 15 day cruise and stay in French Polynesia. This is something we would not let ourselves do when we were younger and work was our focus. It was a dreamy trip and much more than we had expected. There were people on the small sailing cruise ship who were using walkers, canes and some in their 90's! There were no elevators on the 4 story ship. I was shocked that people were still cruising with disabilities and at their ages. Lest I leave you with the impression that it was a geriatric cruise, the vast majority of the 110 guests were in their 40's. There were 100 crew members taking care of our every need! Amazing pampering.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

@gailb. I agree with you so much. It can all be special at each stage of life. Thank you for telling your story to us all. Your inn sounded just wonderful!