Sharing Sanctuary With The World

I love learning.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried with me a natural curiosity—a desire to understand, to ask questions, and to keep discovering new ways of perceiving the world. That drive to expand continues to shape me. (It also drives my family crazy, but that’s another post).

Being a lifelong student has helped me grow as a designer and business owner, of course, but also in quieter, more personal ways. It’s made me a more thoughtful mother, a more supportive friend, a better listener, and a stronger member of my community.

Recently, my journey led me to complete a certification through Harvard Medical School: Building a Life of Wellness: The Science of Fostering Happiness and Health Span. The program explores the many factors that influence our well-being—things like connection, purpose, movement, rest, and mindset. Some of it affirmed ideas I’ve long believed in; other parts opened my eyes to new ways of thinking. But overall it has given me a deeper understanding of how to live with intention and how to design spaces that support that intention.

To me, this is what education does best. It sparks reflection. It nudges us toward growth. Sometimes it’s a new perspective that shifts our outlook, and other times it’s a simple truth that finally lands in a way that feels personal and real. And those sparks, in turn, are what help us realize sanctuary in our lives—both within ourselves and in the spaces we inhabit.

This is sanctuary living at its finest.

And this is why I am so excited to share what I’ve learned with others. On Wednesday, September 17th, I’ll be giving a CEU-certified educational talk at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago, as part of the Design Lecture Series hosted by the local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

I’ve long admired ASID for their commitment to uplifting our industry through connection and education, and I feel grateful to bring the conversation around sanctuary into that setting. My hope is that the ideas I share will inspire others to explore how sanctuary can show up in their own work, homes, and lives.

To all my design friends in the Chicago area reading the blog this week, I hope you can attend my talk! You can click the link here to access more information, and to register for the event. It’s going to be inspiring and informative.

For those of you who are not in the Chicago area or maybe are not a designer, would it be of interest to attend a presentation on sanctuary and see beautiful images showing ways you can create sanctuary for yourself and your loved ones? I have some ideas about putting together a special event this winter in warm, beautiful, sunny Naples. I’d love to know if there is interest. Drop me a line and reply to this message or comment below.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend filled with sanctuary.

With love and gratitude,
Lisa