In the vibrant details of my decor, I find a special kind of joy — a reflection of my AuDHD heart and the beauty of being my true, unpolished, self.

Hi, I’m back from my mini meltdown in the previous post managing my Hyper focus battling inertia you can read here.

I even scrubbed a couple toilets. 🙂

Onto a much brighter topic. Special interests. Of which I’ve had many throughout my life without knowing that is what they were called.

I’ll share one that has made a huge impact on my life this last year. One I began before self-identifying as AuDHD and the assessments that led me there.

Dopamine Decor. Have you ever heard of it? I am in love.

It started during a heavy season recovering from Autistic Burnout purging toxic people from my life. And creating boundaries with still others I could not completely eliminate one of which was protecting my home at all costs from their presence.

Turning it into my safe haven. Sanctuary. We’d been spiritually homeless for nearly a decade by then. Literal home is where God has met me while I blasted Elevation Worship on repeat. And clung to His Word. So in all purposes, my home has been my sanctuary. God meets us where we are.

I still had remnant artificats of my past that made me stiffen, recoil, grow sad. These were not good for my mental health.

Prior to discovering my newest special interest, I started to purge. Every last artifact from my home an excavation of all my wounds to the dump with a rare few I simply tucked in a box to the basement out of sight.

The process made me feel lighter. And I noticed a relief settle over me like I could finally breathe inside my own home.

Inside my own Self. My nervous system calming to be in my own presence opening me up more to God’s.

I am a decorator. One of my older special interests before this was Boho Maximalist Design. I love it and have a huge Pinterest collection of ideas. Some I’ve implemented with my own touch.

I needed to fill the spaces left behind.

So I took a trip to Home Goods a place I absolutely love. Finding pillows and blankets and items that sparkle and lots and lots of pink. The hot pink kind. To sprinkle around the house. My husband is so good to me and never complains.

He did get me a Marie Condo book before she her hit show and she was well-known. Long before my AuDHD self-discovery that might have made him weigh harder if that was the right out-of-the-blue gift to give his wife. I probably would have still laughed like I did when I opened it.

He is an organizer. I have always struggled though I’ve tried especially on his birthday and maybe around our Anniversary just to show my love.

But what I see as neurodivergent brilliance I did a bit of reverse psychology after only ready the first chapter.

I only brought home items that brought me Joy.

See what I did there? 🙂

And the joy meter skyrocketed with those pink pillows and cowboy vase I loved.

Since that trip to Home Goods I’ve added other layers of neon color to catch your eye.

And I started to not only feel lighter and more relieved sitting in my own space those past relics gone, I started to feel brighter, happier, my mood elevated. And I began to feel inspired.

Next, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought neon paints and canvas. I tried my hand at abstract art. And I loved the process. I felt alive.

And so you guessed it I sprinkled neon prints around my house, ones I’d created. They became reminders of my healing and growth. And a reminder to keep my space free of the past at all costs.

My autistic burnout faded and I was once again my full Self.

Dopamine Decor. Give it a try! Vibrant colors invigorate.

What are your special interests? Is there a way to give it more prominence in your home? Is there a creative way to expand it to bring you even more Joy, a dopamine hit by simply existing in your space? Your presence?

Do you have some past relics that no longer serve that need to go? Get purged? To make room for you. And all the brightness you can create living in your own space ready for the new.

I’d love to see your special interests. All that inspires you and makes you feel alive. Life is short. Sometimes its as simple as what we allow in our periphery to change our view, existence.

Love,

Raya

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