In the March issue of Self Magazine there is an article titled “Welcome to the Nine Rooms of Happiness,” which I found particularly interesting. Self’s Editor in Chief, in collaboration with prominent psychiatrist Catherine Birndorf, examines life through the metaphor of a house in the new book The Nine Rooms of Happiness. Each room represents an area of your life, for example the bedroom houses all things relating to intimacy, sex, love, and desire. The bathroom is all about body image. The goal of the book is to encourage women (and men) to leave certain issues in the rooms they belong and to learn to appreciate the “perfect moments in life”.

Whether it’s the attic, the kids’ room, the family room, the living room, the basement, the office, the bathroom, the bedroom, the kitchen, or the 10th “room” (a sunny space, a cozy corner, or a mental space where you reflect on your life and role in the world), we all have issues. Hell, I think I need a mega mansion with nineteen rooms to house all I got going on upstairs. I mean, cleaning my actual, physical bedroom seems daunting enough, now some psychiatrist wants me to clean my metaphorical room? Ok then.

I suppose the idea of “cleaning” these rooms, basically clearing out mental space and not dragging your baggage with you into every single area of your life, is a valuable concept to run with. Perhaps even making an effort to visualize this metaphorical image could be beneficial. I know I am going to try. In the meantime, I think I’ll go spend some time in my 10th room (couch, tea, magazines are calling my name). Noah, the other half of The Odd Couple, is dividing his time among all rooms equally, just so you know.

How about you? Which room of yours needs the most TLC? Do you like the idea of the nine rooms?

Oh, and on a semi-related note (I suppose, in Nine Rooms speak, having to do with my bathroom and bedroom issues), as we all know I am a bride-in-the-making, check out 303’s new issue with a fabulous feature dedicated to all things bridal.