I’ve at all times admired these individuals who possess a agency, unwavering understanding of what they should really feel calm, centered, supported—and easily, good. Their rituals counsel a self-knowledge and belief that they’ll construction their days across the habits that floor them. And nobody embodies this greater than Amanda Gunawan. Because the founding precept of OWIU, a Los Angeles-based structure and design agency, and founder behind the sister model, OWIU Items, Amanda has blended her passions along with her work to construct an all-encompassing, inspiring life utterly on her personal phrases.
However moderately than leaning poisonous—as American work tradition typically does—Amanda’s dedication to her profession feels holistic and absolutely built-in into her design-centric life. As she says of her work within the dialog forward, it’s “very a lot an embodiment of the best way that I function my life.”
Amanda Gunawan Shares Her On a regular basis, Inspiring Rituals
Born in Indonesia, and having grown up in Singapore, Amanda now resides in LA, a metropolis she credit with a lot of her potential to search out artistic vitality in all that she does. The staff visited Amanda in her vibrant and ethereal dwelling, marveling at how the house absolutely encapsulates the individual behind its design.
Learn on for insights into Amanda’s every day rituals and her non-negotiable wellness practices that gas her curiosity, preserve her vitality, and her push ahead in life, each day.
What’s one thing you’re dedicated to doing each single day, it doesn’t matter what?
Meditation, each day with out fail, and motion within the type of bodily train, which I assume is a type of lively meditation too.
How does the design of your house replicate your priorities and objectives?
The areas I design are at all times considerate and intentional. I by no means desire a house to really feel suffocating or to speak one thing in an overt method. These areas are at all times calming and centering as a result of a sense like that’s what I discover sustainable within the long-run. I really feel like I simply described every little thing that may outline my supreme state in life.
What’s the very first thing you do every morning?
The very first thing I do after I get up is begin the day with a meditation. It actually helps me set the tone for the way I wish to go into the day.
Are there any every day or weekly “chores” you at all times take pleasure in?
I like Sundays when I’ve to meal prep for the week forward. I’ve a lot enjoyable planning the meals I’m going to have for the week, going grocery purchasing, making ready the elements, and getting every little thing able to cook dinner to save lots of time in the course of the week. I take pleasure in meals rather a lot and it’s crucial to me that I’m not simply consuming for sustenance. My meals are at all times essentially the most pleasant a part of every day so I take numerous delight in ensuring that I’m at all times consuming scrumptious meals. It makes it all of the extra pleasant realizing I get to take credit score for them.
My meals are at all times essentially the most pleasant a part of every day so I take numerous delight in ensuring that I’m at all times consuming scrumptious meals.
Is there a scent you employ to meditate?
No. I truly strive to verify there isn’t and love the sensation of sensory deprivation after I meditate. I do, nevertheless, love the scent of tuberose. Actually, I solely ever purchase perfumes with tuberose in it. It’s my scent! And I prefer it as a result of it’s my grandpa’s favourite flower. He used to develop them in his yard and would go away contemporary tuberose throughout his home. I’ve my fondest recollections in that home, operating round and taking part in all kinds of video games with my cousins, subconsciously taking on this scent and associating it with emotions of happiness up till immediately. It serves as a supply of consolation to me.
Does music play a component in your every day life?
Sure. It most undoubtedly does. Music retains me energized, relaxed, targeted, pleased, excites me, accompanies me via the every day heartaches of life after which will get me via them. I undoubtedly can not dwell with out it!
How do you retain your self energized all through the day?
I incorporate a lot of motion into my day. I make sure that I get a run in, and if it’s not a cardio day, then I make sure that I accompany no matter exercise I’m doing with 10k steps. I even have two extraordinarily lively border collies who won’t ever let me get via the day with out exercising them. In that method, they hold me accountable too. Don’t be shocked in the event you discover me taking out my curler blades from the trunk of my automotive and curler blading my two canine across the workplace. Typically, it’s a must to do what it’s a must to do. That and meditation—even a brief 15 minute one mid-day can actually perk me up.
The place do you flip for inspiration if you’re feeling creatively blocked?
Books! I’ve slightly library in my home/workplace and it’s nearly unattainable to not resolve any sort of artistic block after spending a while there.
There are occasions I merely exit and simply absolutely absorb Los Angeles. That’s the most effective half about dwelling in a metropolis, there’s at all times one thing happening—you simply need to look as an alternative of see. Head to a espresso store and other people watch, go see some stunning structure, go to a museum or window store on the coolest new spot. There’s at all times one thing to study. Inspiration is really in all places.
That’s the most effective half about dwelling in a metropolis, there’s at all times one thing happening—you simply need to look as an alternative of see.
What do you do to prioritize well being and wellness?
As a result of I run my very own firm, I’ll by no means run out of issues to do. I make my very own to-do checklist and so I’ve discovered to go about my day by seeing it as a sequence of priorities. Some days, it could be completely different however on most days, my priorities shouldn’t change. Well being and wellness is ranked on the very high for me so I hardly ever sacrifice the issues that correspond to that. For instance, meditation and train contributes to well being and wellness and is subsequently one thing I hardly ever miss. I additionally strive my greatest to cook dinner my very own meals in order to not order out an excessive amount of. I like home-cooked meals as a result of you already know precisely what’s going into your meals.
What’s the most effective profession recommendation anybody ever gave you?
That you’re not actually dwelling until you’ve failed, until you might be dwelling life so cautiously that you just may as effectively not dwell in any respect and. You higher study to get used to failure and cease viewing it so negatively. As an alternative, welcome failure as a possibility to study and develop
How would you describe your work/life steadiness?
I’m truthfully one of many worst individuals to ask about work/life steadiness as a result of there may be none for me. I like my work a lot that it hardly ever looks like work—it is rather a lot part of my every day life. I’m at all times immersed in it, and the work that I do for OWIU (our design agency) may be very a lot an embodiment of the best way that I function my life.
Each time somebody asks me what I like doing for enjoyable, I type of clean for a second attempting to think about one thing that isn’t associated to my work. I believe I’ve simply one way or the other made all of my hobbies and passions a subset of my profession.
What’s the most effective spot in your home?
My meditation room. It’s actually quiet and comfy, it has the most effective gentle, and I one way or the other really feel very peaceable when I’m in it.
Title one trend or self-care product you possibly can’t dwell with out.
I’ve been loving DamDam’s hydrating essence mist for lazy days as a result of it’s so straightforward to make use of and also you don’t want to use the rest however sunblock after.
You must unwind after an extended day. What’s your go-to technique?
I shut the door of my meditation room/library and spend hours in there simply flipping from guide to guide with lo-fi music taking part in on the audio system, the AC turned on, below a cuddly blanket.
What’s your favourite time of day and why?
Mornings. There’s something concerning the morning gentle that I really feel is so good in your psychological well being. I’m positive there’s science backing this up, however I haven’t appeared it up and simply comprehend it in my intestine. Having the ability to watch the dawn and the world get up is such a phenomenal feeling.