I’m certainly one of those people who always appreciates aesthetics and very much consider myself a visual person and learner. A friend of mine had fresh strawberries on her desk one day that looked amazing and my taste buds started salivating. It then occurred to me how I could incorporate more fruit into my day and in a more celebratory way. I decided the best way to do it, was to have it in a place where I could see it, smell it, and enjoy it.

When I bring fruit with me to work, I typically just eat it right out of a zip-lock bag or in a piece of tupperware. How boring! I took the time to be a bit more mindful with my fruit intake and work with that side of me that likes things to “look pretty” for lack of a better girly expression. I made myself a small bowl of fresh fruit that I could place on my desk to snack on throughout the day. It was not only a beautiful reminder of the season just outside my window, but was an easy way to have a healthier alternative around me when I was craving something “not so healthy.” Placing the fruit in a nice china dish and arranging it to my liking set a very special tone (and brightened my desk) as I went about my work day grabbing a strawberry here and a grape there. Think of when you see a really intricate and colorful fruit platter at a party: aren’t you more inclined to walk over, appreciate it, and eat it? It’s all about visuals!

It was then that I became even more inspired and by fruit of all things!

Though summer will soon wind down, I’m realizing how important it is to have beauty (natural or created) around you in any capacity as much as possible. The simplicity in some red grapes and strawberries on my desk was wonderful and worked at getting me to ensure I was eating more fruit, but I want to incorporate my new visual aid experiment into other areas. From how I serve my meals, to displaying jewelry at home, to the arrangement of my closet, I find that this matters to me more and more as I get older. It makes enjoying the small things all the more enjoyable. Here’s to the last days of summer fruit, celebrating presentation, and “pretty things!”