Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness

by Ingrid Fetell Lee

I also think about vacations differently now. I used to view a trip as a way to take a break from my overly hectic life, seeking out quiet spaces where I could just unwind and relax. Now I recognize that burnout often has as much boredom in it as exhaustion. So I look at vacations as a way to soak in sensations that are different from those at home and to sponge them up so I can call on them later.

harmony begets harmony. A home is composed of many interdependent parts, and just as we often forget that our environment affects our emotions, we also forget that one part of a space affects another. I like the notion of flow because it reminds us that events in a space aren’t defined by neat boundaries. Effects from one room cascade into others. Just as one small moment of chaos can spiral out and create havoc around it, so, too, can small points of order affect the larger sense of flow in our lives.