Hey Reader,

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a room, maybe it's your living room, your bedroom, or your office, and something feels off?

That's "cognitive load".

In my last email, I introduced the idea of neuroaesthetics, which is basically the study of how our brains and bodies interact with our external environment.

I want to pick up where I left off.

I won't get too detailed, but essentially the science of it says that your brain actually works harder just to exist in a space that doesn’t resonate with you.

This is an example of cognitive load, and it tends to be subconsciously draining.

But, my hope for you is that you view your home as a recharge station, not a drain.

Back in 2017, my own living room was telling on me bad. It was empty and echoing, which was exactly how I felt inside despite looking like "I made it".

I realized that by putting something on the walls that actually has soul and meaning, you’re performing a bit of a neuro-intervention. You’re telling your brain, "It’s okay, we're safe here."

Now, I've probably mentioned it before, but I completely believe it was the Holy Spirit that nudged me one evening to go pick up a canvas and paint.

I find it interesting that so many years later, science seems to be catching up to explain why that worked so well to shift the atmosphere in my home.

All of this makes me think of my piece, "El Rai". It depicts a lion looking straight at you and represents the presence of an Almighty Protector Who has never once forgotten about you, even in your lowest moments. You can check out the open-edition prints of this piece on my site.

What about you? How are you feeling in your space lately? Or better yet—if your walls could talk today, what would they be saying about you?

Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

P.S. If you want to find a piece that makes your space feel like home, you can browse all my open-edition prints here.

With love, grace, and gratitude,