Making a House of Straw, or Stick, or Brick...

There are said to be 10 rooms in a person's "house." The house is made up of everything that your life is or will be in the future. The rooms are: the attic, the kid's room, the family room, the living room, the basement, the office, the bathroom, the bedroom, the kitchen, and the tenth room.

The Attic

The attic holds your emotional heirlooms and family expectations.

The Kid's Room

The kids' room is where you decide whether to have children. If the answer is yes, this is the place for your parenting dilemmas and decisions.

The Family Room

The family room is where you deal with your parents, siblings, and anyone else with whom you can be fully yourself and still share unconditional love.

The Living Room

The living room is for your social life with friends and neighbors, so this is also the room for envy and overcommitment.

The Basement

The basement holds all memories, scrapbooks, and any childhood events that shaped your past.

The Office

The office is for work and career. This is also where you pay the bills.

The Bathroom

The bathroom, with both scale and mirror, is where you face body image, aging, wellness, and health.

The Bedroom

The bedroom is where you handle intimacy--sex, love desire, connection with your mate or the search for your life partner.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is where everyone gathers at the table for emotional "nourishment" (catching up, connecting) and sorting out the chores.

The 10th Room

The 10th room is what Virginia Woolf called a room of one's own. It might be a sunny porch, a cozy corner, a mental space where you reflect on your life and your role in the world. You contemplate the big existential questions here.