There's only one type of negative you should want in your life and that is negative space. On Instagram I've mentioned this many times and I always get asked what is meant by it. Negative space is bare, its empty, its the area where nothing is placed. In interior design negative space helps to define the boundaries of positive space, it creates lines and structure. Think of the difference between a room with carefully placed furniture and decor and a room that has many pieces of furniture and an overload of decor. In the jam packed room there are no lines, there are no boundaries from one item to the next. A lot of people don't know that minimalism in terms of interior design doesn't actually mean to have the minimal or less, it actually means that there is a balance of positive and negative space.
Now you're probably thinking okay crazy lady what does this have to do with me? Well, a lot actually! You yourself create a positive space so ask yourself this, where are the boundaries and the borders between yourself and everything else? When we don't have enough negative space it actually weighs heavy on us internally. It can cause internal growth to slow or stop, it can cause issues like anxiety, depression. It can actually increase stress levels and it can absolutely create a hostile environment. Wait, hostile, say whatttttt? I don't mean like you're going to get beat up or something but hostile on your mental state, hostile on your soul, and even possibly physically hostile on your health.
In today's day our minds are almost constantly engaged by something at any given moment. Tv, phones, kids, work, the list goes on and on and on and yes even the decor and what not in your house engages your mind. People tend to be overly engaged, call up your best friend and ask them what all they have to do this weekend. We have a tendency to think if we do nothing we are being lazy and unfulfilling. We have a tendency to think what we do is more important then who we are, so we run around like chickens with our heads cut off leaving little to no time for ourselves.
By creating negative space we leave room for our own growth, for better mental clarity, for peace of mind and soul and freedom. Freedom? But how? Answer this question how do you feel when your outside? Say sitting on a beach with very few people or by yourself. Where do you go and what do you do when you really need to just think, when you need clarity? Most people go somewhere outdoors, away from all the hustle and bustle just themselves and nature. Most people will say this brings feeling of freedom, peace, serenity, and clarity. So why wouldn't you want that same thing in your home?!
When we simplify our space and create minimalism it quiets the voices of comparison about what we have compared to what someone else has. Simplicity itself will force us to question everything about our lives and open us up to new growth. The beautiful thing is we don't have to fill our space or our time, and when we don't we create a place where nothing but positive and joy live. When we embrace negative spaces we're opening up so many doors including the door to creativity. Most people have a "work space" or place in their home where they can open up that creative flow, but what if that could be anywhere in your house?
Not to mention that when we simplify and create negative space it creates a better focal point for those things creating positive space. If you have 3 photos it is likely someone is going to notice and appreciate them more then if you have 10. Don't get me wrong some gallery walls I've seen are gorgeous, but if you're not careful you'll subtract from the beauty of what you want people to see. More importantly you can take so much from yourself! Think about how most art museums are set up, they had photos evenly spaced but with enough negative space that your focal point is what's in front of you and that makes you think and feel and see so much more then if they clumped them all together an inch apart. It allows you to see the true beauty of that piece of art. So now, think of yourself as that piece of art, what can you change and do so you become your focal point?
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