Interior Design During a Major Life Cycle Transition — A Space to Welcome New Flow

If you are approaching a major life cycle transition, which occurs every 10 years, changing your interior design can be a good starting point. During this period when the major 10-year flow shifts, familiar environments or roles may change, bringing new opportunities, or conversely, you may experience farewells to familiar things. Adjusting the color, light, and organization of your living space can help you gently embrace this change and positively lead the new flow.

Changing the atmosphere of your living space through interior design goes beyond simply making your home look pretty; it can hold special meaning when aligned with periods of major shifts in our life's flow. This is especially true if you are approaching or experiencing a 'major life cycle transition,' the point where the major 10-year flow diverges. Tidying and refreshing your surroundings becomes even more important. It's akin to tidying up your surroundings and preparing your mind to welcome a new era. Renovating your space for a new beginning can serve as a positive signal for the new chapter of life that is about to unfold.

Major Life Cycle Transition, Simply Put

A major life cycle transition refers to a period of significant change in life that occurs once every 10 years. It's like the changing of seasons, a junction where the flow of the previous 10 years concludes and the flow of the new 10 years begins. This period typically starts to shift gradually over about 2 to 3 years before and after the actual transition point, often involving changes in environment, roles, or people around you. Consequently, the same effort might yield different results, or you might face unexpected opportunities and challenges simultaneously. It's common to easily think of major life cycle transitions as simply a shift from a good flow to a bad one, or vice versa. However, it's more realistic to understand it as a process of shedding familiar environments, moving to a more suitable position, and exploring new possibilities. During this time, important decisions that are difficult to reverse tend to accumulate, so it's advisable to approach them with caution.

How It Manifests in Interior Design

The energy of a major life cycle transition can also indirectly manifest through the colors, light, and organization of the space we inhabit daily. For example, during a period of rapid environmental change and new challenges, the atmosphere of your home might feel stuffy or cluttered. A strong energy to start something new might be present but feel trapped within the space, leading to a desire to resolve this through interior design. Conversely, anxiety about unfamiliar changes might lead to a tendency to maintain the space exactly as it was. This mirrors the psychology of clinging to the familiar while hesitating to embrace new changes. Therefore, during this time, it's important to go beyond simply decorating your home; adjusting the colors and layout of your space and tidying your surroundings can help support inner transformation and facilitate a natural adaptation to the new flow.

When It Acts Strongly · When It Acts Weakly

When It Acts Strongly

• You feel a strong desire to change your space due to a yearning for a new environment. You are likely to make active attempts, such as using bright and vibrant colors or rearranging furniture. This is a natural phenomenon of recharging your energy in preparation for a new beginning.
• You spend more time and energy decorating your home than usual. You want to try new styles or implement interior design ideas you've contemplated for a long time. Sometimes, you undertake bold changes to bring new vitality to your space.
• You feel a significant sense of stuffiness from a disorganized space. You focus on keeping the space neat by decluttering unnecessary items and establishing efficient storage systems. This can be seen as an effort to clear mental clutter and focus on the new flow.

When It Acts Weakly

• Despite the transitional period, you may have little interest in changing your space. You might feel comfortable maintaining your familiar environment or lack the energy to attempt new changes. This can manifest as hesitation towards the new flow.
• Even when trying new interior designs, you tend to stick to the established framework. You might limit changes to small decor items or slight adjustments to existing furniture arrangements, preferring stability over bold transformations. This is a psychological defense mechanism to reduce the burden of change.
• You might not be bothered by a somewhat cluttered space, or you might even find comfort in a degree of disorder. This could indicate that you are not yet ready to embrace the new flow, or you are focusing your energy elsewhere on more important matters. It's possible your energy is directed away from spatial changes.

Changes Depending on the Timing

A major life cycle transition is a period when life's major flow changes, occurring every 10 years. This period typically approaches and passes gradually over about 2 to 3 years before and after the transition point. Much like the changing of seasons, the change isn't abrupt but rather a gradual shift in energy. During this time, your surroundings, your roles, and the people around you often change. Therefore, even with the same effort, you might experience unexpected outcomes. For instance, you might move to a new department in a familiar company, or a business partner might change. While you might feel confused adapting to the new flow, this can be an opportunity for growth. Additionally, significant life decisions tend to cluster during this period. It may be wise to make crucial, irreversible choices after the new flow has stabilized somewhat.

Common Misconceptions

• Many people view major life cycle transitions solely as a shift from a good flow to a bad one, or vice versa. However, it's more accurate to understand it as a process of shedding what no longer fits and re-establishing yourself for a new environment and role. It's like the preparation period for demolishing an old house to build a new one. Think of it as a preparatory phase for a new beginning.
• It's easy to perceive all difficulties or unexpected changes during this period as negative. However, these changes can actually be driving forces that lead to personal growth and seizing new opportunities. Adapting to unfamiliar environments might reveal new talents or lay the groundwork for venturing into fields you hadn't considered before. Therefore, rather than fearing change, adopting a positive attitude is important.
• There's a tendency to believe that everything must start anew during a major life cycle transition due to the significant life changes involved. However, this is not the case. It's important to adapt yourself to the new flow based on your past experiences and wisdom. Sometimes, rather than changing familiar things, focusing on further developing aspects of yourself that are needed within the new environment can be more effective.

Applying It Directly to Interior Design

• To invigorate your existing space, we recommend changing the lighting in the area you use most frequently. For example, simply switching your desk lamp to a brighter, warmer light or adding a soft mood light in the living room can significantly help in transforming the atmosphere. This has the effect of infusing new energy into the space, much like preparing to welcome a new flow.
• Choose a specific area in your home that tends to get disorganized and practice focused decluttering and clearing. For instance, tidying up the inside of your entryway cabinet or one of your desk drawers can create a feeling of expanded mental space. This is akin to shedding unnecessary baggage to welcome a new flow in life.
• Introduce a small plant or a piece of art symbolizing new beginnings into your space. A small potted plant on your desk or a refreshing landscape painting on the wall can add vitality and infuse new energy into the space. Like planting a new seed, this can be a small signal that anticipates positive change. Utilizing seasonal color accents is also a good idea.