SISTER WISDOM

This is a guest post by Jennifer Duchene. If you’re interested in writing a guest post for Sister Wisdom, see the guidelines here.

The best way to live is with intention.

All it takes is respect, transparency and a dash of compromise.

Last week, for a board meeting, eight of us travelled from different states to meet at our new management company headquarters. The face-to-face meeting allows us to connect as women, as redesigners, decorators, businesswomen and friends. We all are involved on the board because we care about our industry and organization and want to help it grow right.

In between listening, we are putting ideas on the table, including ways to build revenue, to encourage members to give, as well as have a place to bond and share with peers & clients. Heady stuff!

The days are filled with discussion, creative thought and hammering out how, why and when. Each of us has an opinion and ideas about the best way to go about reaching our goals. It is essential for us to be transparent and direct while compromising on the details, in order to achieve our intentions.

After long days at the negotiating table, we sit together as friends and acquaintances at the dinner table, learning about each other’s lives, loves and families. We share some of our secrets and our wisdom as women do.

Our focus in the day is about creating systems to support a Redesigner/Decorator/Stager in the work-world. At night we are deepening our relationships. On the first night at the table, Anna, our Director, tells us to reveal something about ourselves that the rest of us don’t know. This is powerful way to hardwire the connections. There is much laughter, teasing and some tears. By the end of the second day, we have accomplished a great deal, forged friendships and drawn lines of focus.

We have a long list of to do’s.

One of our discussions is about whether Redesign is part of Design and Decorating. Most of us are passionate about Redesign as a lifestyle, as well as a design principle. When we go into a home or business, our goal is to make the space look amazing, while honoring what is loved, using what our clients have, and if needed, adding other elements of design like window treatments, color etc. A lone dissenter felt that design and redesign were completely separate. Many of our members practice the two simultaneously. By asking why, and focusing on the intention, we are all gratified with the end result. It is truly amazing what determination can accomplish.

On our last night together, I am sitting next to two women I have come to love, admire and consider dear friends. We talk about love and relationships. Each woman shares some secret to her success or failure in love. What strikes me is the discovery that the women who have respect and intention in their relationships have the strongest bonds. In order to make a relationship work you need to know what you want and how to communicate this to your partner, your coworkers, clients and your family. You need to know what you can compromise on, and what you cannot.

This is a profound AHA! moment for me:
In order to live life with passion you need to know your Intention. Redesign is about intention: to make the space work well requires perfect placement of furniture, accessories, the right color choices.

You must not compromise yourself. You cannot give away your power; this dilutes your intentions. You can compromise on the details, not the intent. In Redesign you can work with items that are not your first choice because they are there and they work; the effect and intent is achieved.

Ergo, if I want to own my life, live from the heart, I need to live my whole life, not just my work passion, with intention. Going forward, I need to be clear, about who I am and how I stay true to me. I need to focus on Redesign as a daily part of life: inwardly, in my relationships, in my work, and in my home.

What needs to be Redesigned in your life?

Today’s 2 Cents Courtesy of:

Jennifer Duchene is The Home Makeover Mixtress, blending Cool & Cozy Style. She has a background in Design; she studied Redesign 5 years ago and was hooked. She loves to create a fabulous home using what people already own. Duchene also helps her clients with color and decorating purchases. Born in South Africa, she lives in Silicon Valley Ca & enjoys decorating, designing, shopping and hanging out with friends and family. Visit her design blog/website for more inspiration; you can also friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter or contact her at 650.384.0569.