Welcome to More Room For Joy! I’m delighted to have you here.
My Journey
My name is Christine Baker Marriage, creator of More Room For Joy. The journey of More Room For Joy originally began with my love for organizing physical spaces. Over time, this passion evolved into a deeper desire to help others learn how to make the most of their time and live their best lives. I am completely in love with creatively finding ways to improve our lives physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Philosophy and Inspiration
Life has the power to be a fluid movement between responsibility and creation. Responsibility grounds us, providing the structure and discipline needed to meet our obligations, care for others, and maintain stability. It’s the foundation upon which we build our lives, ensuring that we fulfill our roles in society, family, and work.
On the other hand, creation is the spark of inspiration that fuels our passions, dreams, and desires. It’s the act of bringing something new into the world—whether it’s an idea, a piece of art, a solution to a problem, or even the way we design our lives. Creation allows us to express our individuality, explore our potential, and leave a lasting impact on the world.
When life flows effortlessly between responsibility and creation, we find balance. We learn to manage our duties while also making room for joy, innovation, and personal growth. This fluid movement enables us to live a life that is not only fulfilling but also meaningful, as we navigate between the things we must do and the things that make our hearts sing. In this balance, we discover the true essence of living—a life that is rich in purpose, passion, and endless possibilities.
Choosing joy, or intentionally designing your life with joy as the foundation, is the key ingredient that keeps that fluidity possible. Joy doesn’t negate heartache, but it does make happiness after heartache accessible.
My first husband passed away when I was 30, leaving behind 4 children and a life unlived. That profound loss rocked me to my core. After some time and a lot of healing, it inspired me to live the rest of my life with intention. Purposely choosing joy over and over again was the best way for me to continuously muddle through the most difficult times and continue the healing process. It seemed like the best way to not only honor my late husband, but to honor my personal journey too and to teach our children about resilience, purpose and that happiness is always possible even after loss.
Mission and Vision
More Room For Joy is more than just a blog; it’s a dynamic lifestyle platform sharing information and techniques on how to accomplish a self-designed joyful life. Through a mix of content, asynchronous, and synchronous learning opportunities, our mission is to support and teach adults who are seeking peace, fulfillment a. We believe happiness can be temporary and situational, while joy is foundational and sustainable.
What You’ll Find Here
On More Room For Joy, we focus on the four target areas that create our philosophy:
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- Self-Management: Techniques and tips for organizing your life and managing your time effectively.
- Interconnectivity: Building and nurturing meaningful relationships.
- Discovering Your Unique Purpose: Finding and embracing what makes you uniquely you.
- Holistic Management: How to manage all these pieces uniquely and effectively.
A Glimpse into My Life
I am remarried and blessed with five amazing children. After nearly 30 years of working in a variety of educational environments, I decided to take my own advice and pursue my passion by dedicating myself full-time to this blog. Balancing my personal life with blogging allows me to share real-life experiences and offer practical advice to my readers.
Join the Community
I am passionate about building a community where readers can engage, share their stories, and support each other in their journeys toward joy. One of the most rewarding aspects of this blog is the memorable interactions and success stories from readers who have found joy through our content. I have an online Facebook Community that I regularly post to. I would be honored if you joined in the fun! You can also regularly find me on Instagram. Feel free to connect with me on both platforms.
Fun Facts
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- My very first job was at McCurdy’s Department Store in the Home section, inspiring my collection of interesting serving pieces, candlesticks, and throw pillows.
- My nickname growing up was Kissy because my best friend Megan at the time couldn’t pronounce the CHR part of my name. My nickname for her was Bacon.
- When I was a teenager, I was part of a group that toured a Civil War battlefield. In that group was my family, some close family friends and Tom Hanks. He was lovely, humble, and very quiet.
Looking Ahead
The future of More Room For Joy is bright! We have exciting projects and plans in the works, and I can’t wait to share them with you. Stay tuned for more content and opportunities to learn and grow together.
Thank you for being here. Let’s make more room for joy in our lives!
Christine