I push open the old door into the empty, unfinished

side of our basement. The concrete floor is a dark, modeled gray,

cinder blocks line the walls. In one corner, exposed pipes extend from the floor

to the ceiling. There's a small window on the far wall high up enough that if I

jump, I can just see the grass of our front lawn. For most people this room would be

unremarkable. The universal unfinished basement, but my eyes are wide as I take

in the space. I'm overwhelmed by the possibilities.

What if those drab cinder blocks were covered with bright wallpaper? What if there

was a big splash of red over there on that wall? What if there was a bed there and

address her there and a bathroom over there? I can see my future coming to life

right in front of me, a future that I'm going to have some control over.

Nate Berkerts is an interior designer, a best-selling author and one of open

entries long-time collaborators. In today's meditative story, Nate opens the door

to his childhood bedroom, to the specific moment where self-discovery springs

the life from an empty basement space. Designing our lives inside of the

spaces that unexpectedly open up can be magical. I think you'll really enjoy

this meditative story about what happens when you reshape the environment

around you. In this series we combine immersive first-person stories and breathtaking

music with the science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice.

From weight-what and thrive global, this is meditative story.

I'm well-hanned and I'll be your guide. The body will act, the body breathing, your sense is open,

your mind open, meeting the world.

...