From Pretty Squares to Purpose.

The story behind Lakeside Bohaven's transition to Wholesomely Nicci...

2020 wasn't all bad. Before you leave to put it behind you completely, hear me out...

I think it taught many of us more than we went into the year thinking we would. Many of the lessons, we likely didn't expect, and in a multitude of places we couldn't have imagined, but one thing is for certain --  the best of them happened at home. 

I started my Lakeside Bohaven Instagram on a whim. We had purchased our first home in December 2018 when we found out we'd be relocating to South Florida. Due to the position my husband was entering, we knew the kids and I would be spending a good majority of time at home while he was working extensive hours. In addition to that, I spent a good majority of 2019 pregnant with our third baby and we were still trying to work down some major debts we had accumulated over the years. Prior to this transition and milestone in our lives, I had spent years struggling with mental health, confused on which path I needed to take to reach my goals, and ultimately who I was as a person.

After two long, dreadful months of hotel-living, excited to have a home was an understatement. Before we could even finish unpacking, the search for mental clarity or at the very least -- distraction, was on. I began rekindling my artistic side through painting, small home projects, interior decorating and even finding new ones, such as macramé. By the time November 2019 rolled around and my daughter was born, we were spending even more time at home as I was learning how to be a mom-to-three and coping with the hours of my busy husband. At this point, I was gaining mental clarity, we were debt-free, I had found a suitable degree to lead me in the direction of my own goals, and my husband and I were finding ways to connect with our chaotic schedules. The house projects continued but we were adjusting to our current phase of life for the better. Little did we know however, 2020 would present new obstacles. 

Less than a month into lockdown, my husband convinced me to turn my newfound hobby of macramé into a profitable business, and Boheme & Sol, LLC was formed. There was a ton of support and interest, I met great people, and can even say my art made it to multiple states and even a few other countries. However, truth is, the pressure was on, the restrictions of the pandemic created almost impossible obstacles at times, and my discipline just wasn't there yet. So, in true-Nicci fashion, I found yet another distraction to turn my attention to and away from my responsibilities and stress. 

Lakeside Bohaven was created as an organized outlet to share my home projects and DIYs with friends and family who had expressed interest in the transformations going on within our home. I quickly realized that if they were interested, others might be too. So, Lakeside Bohaven went public. However, because the larger scale problems going on in the world, I felt my relevance didn't yet deserve a forum yet, so I didn't post consistently until mid-July. 

Working room-by-room, project-by-project, and sharing the transformations and progress along the way...

I had no idea that the little hobby account of pretty squares would become so much more valuable to me than that.

No idea. Initially, I really enjoyed turning our house into a home and I met a beautiful, wonderful community of people along the way. Most of whom continue to inspire and even encourage me on a personal level every single day. I learned a lot in the process, to include truly defining my design or mixture of design styles and extended my knowledge and abilities beyond basic shelf-styling and DIYS.

Unfortunately, what I quickly realized was that while I was going through the motions of trying to discover my interior style and complete our home, I was also trying to define myself and my purpose. Jumping from one project before I could finish the last, and neglecting the under-lying mental health issues, potential, and even the people that mattered most -- my family.

I knew in my heart that these seemingly irrelevant and materialistic priorities that I had been spending so much valuable time and money on, simply didn't align with my values or long-term personal goals.

It was obvious that the hobby I found joy in was quickly slipping away and so was my mental health. With my history in recent years, that terrified me. I feared a slippery slope. I was feeling lost and called in other directions, primarily those former passions I had discovered and valued greatly in prior years. So, I sought out to evaluate myself, what I wanted for actual short- and long-term goals, and started testing new possibilities trying to see what I could offer besides pretty pictures of my home. (Note: This is wonderful for some people and many are phenomenal at what they do, but it just didn't align with my goals completely.) 

Some of the passions that I felt remained consistent and relevant within Lakeside Bohaven was focus on simple living, sustainability, love for not only people but the planet, and a holistic approach to living. There were times I felt openly called to share these things, and other times I would hide them in fear of judgement or simply not fitting into the "niche" that I worked so tirelessly towards. I felt twisted and lost as to how to make a change. I was unhealthfully worried about a drop in numbers and having to rebuild what seemed to finally getting traction in the social media realm. This was my wake-up call. I took some time away. 

My eyes and heart were opened when I realized that:

I didn't have to choose between any of my passions, because they all aligned. 

What I realized through this process was that the home was a huge part of living a wholesome life too. The health of your mind-body-soul, sense of community, and creating a peaceful home are all an essential part of the process in creating balance and joy. Whether it was the period from 2014 to 2018 where fitness was priority, or the education and transition that took place in 2017 when I went vegan, or 2019 when creating a home that embodied and displayed my family and I really took hold of me...each of those phases of my life were simply a part of the process. My process. I needed each of those periods in my life to make it come together as one, to open my eyes to wholesome, authentic living. 

It all led me full circle, with each phase of my life teaching me to value and understand specific aspects of creating a wholesome life. I may not have ever discovered that had it not been for the unfortunate circumstances of 2020. 

Thus, "Wholesomely Nicci" was created. 

I will leave the details of who I am to my "About Me" section/blog, but I do want you to know the purpose behind this rebranding of sorts. As someone who believes that home takes time, creating the healthful, best version of yourself is on-going, and change can be good; I want to be able to help others understand and formulate their own wholesome journey. One that is balanced, joyful, and authentic to who they strive to be. 

Here you will see topics such as, but not limited to: 

• Mental Health Reminders
• How I balance being a mother and business owner.
• Sustainable Solutions for your home and lifestyle.
• Frugal Living.
• Plant-focused Food
• Motivation to use in your everyday life and so much more.

What I hope you will find here is:

• Inspiration to empower you to take control of your life in all areas.
• Understanding on how it all works together.
• Knowledge & Tips on how to create your own wholesome life.
• Awareness to know you aren't alone on this journey.
• Entertainment & Relatability in my day-to-day realities and adventures.
• Recipes & DIY's 

I find that we can stumble along our journey alone and confused all day, or we can learn from others who have been there and help each other. I know I have. My life will look different than yours and we won't always agree with every topic, but that's part of what I want you all to see. Working together and sometimes agreeing to disagree, will give us the momentum and power to move forward personally, to get ahead, or at least get back up when we fail. Regardless of where we are at in our life, what we've been through, we all have a purpose whether it was given to us, found, or created; but we all deserve to express and use it during our time on this planet. I hope you'll follow along, support my journey, and hopefully feel inspired along your own.

Most importantly, thank you for being here!

xo, Nicci