Lisa Kahn, award-winning interior designer and shaper of sanctuary spaces, offers her top tips
Resolving to live healthier in 2019 doesn’t have to mean a gym membership and a vow of allegiance to the latest keto diet. In fact, the best route to a healthier, happier you is a lot simpler—incorporating activities that you actually like into your daily life.
That’s because, research shows, only 1 in 10 people out of the half of Americans who make new year’s resolutions actually stick to them. This is attributed to setting unrealistic, and quite frankly, unappealing goals.
Among the proponents of a new way to health, a path with built-in rewards rather than punishments, is award-winning Florida-based interior designer Lisa Kahn, CEO of Lisa Kahn Designs, who is known for her organic, serene interiors and author of the inspiring “Finding Sanctuary” blog and the online class “Seven Days to Sanctuary.”
“We’re all profoundly affected by our environment. That’s why I work to create sanctuary spaces for my clients,” Kahn says. “And just as a house can cocoon and calm us, so can healthy habits. That’s why I’ve taken such an interest in personal wellness and helping others feel good.”
With that in mind, here are Kahn’s top Wellness Tips for 2019:
- Calm your mind with meditation or an activity you love.”Any physical practice that regularly encourages us to quiet our minds—even a little bit—is a good thing,” Kahn says. “It can be meditation, a hike or tai-chi, or something as simple as knitting or doing Zen-tangles, a form of doodling—or even doodling itself. It’s really just about focusing our brains and giving them time to settle down. The repetition—of each step or each movement—calms our thoughts and makes us feel more centered.”
- Embrace the healing power of nature. Research shows that being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress. Exposure to nature and natural elements reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and tension. That’s why walks outside are so important—and so is bringing natural elements—like Kahn’s favorite, crystals—into your daily orbit. “I’m a huge fan of Heather Wells. She incorporates beautiful crystals into her Crystal Healing Circle displayed on Lisa’s desk stunning ‘Spiritual Glamour’ jewelry designs. It’s a fun way to look good and feel good at the same time,” Kahn says, “I also never leave home without my Glacce water bottle—it’s a glass bottle spiked with a gorgeous crystal. Doctors tell us to drink water for health. This bottle makes it easy to remember to do that—and you get the healing properties of crystal at the same time.”
- Take time for a musical interlude.Studies show that music can fend off depression, improve your mood, and send stress-related hormones packing. So, turn on the tunes! “Matching the energy level of your music with the energy level you’re trying to achieve is a fabulous way of creating a mood, shifting a mood, or smoothing a mood,” Kahn says. Lately, she’s been finding sanctuary in Ólafur Arnalds’ “Living Room Songs” and “Re:Member,” Chad Lawson’s“Re:Piano,” various pieces by Arvo Pärt, and Quietude by her favorite composer (who also happens to be her husband), Philip Stephen Allen.
- Pop a different “vitamin C” — chocolate”While I do so love chocolate for its taste, I also love it for its wellness properties,” Kahn says. “Antioxidant-packed dark chocolate is a natural antidepressant, and it can reduce your risk of heart disease, improve brain function, and even protect your skin from sun damage. What’s not to love?” Indeed, you’ll have no guilt sinking your teeth Elements Truffles, an Ayurveda-inspired artisanal chocolate and Kahn’s pick for pure deliciousness.
Lisa Kahn, award-winning interior designer and shaper of sanctuary spaces. Lisa is also the author of the inspiring “Finding Sanctuary” blog and the online class “Seven Days to Sanctuary.”
