That deep sigh of relief when you finally walk through your own front door – isn’t that one of life’s best feelings? We all crave that sense of home, that feeling of truly belonging somewhere, or with someone. It’s more than just four walls and a roof. It’s a feeling deep in our bones that tells us we’re safe, accepted, and can finally just be.
So many of us search for this feeling, not just in a physical place, but within ourselves and in our connections with others. I know for Stephen Montagne, our founder here at GoodExistence.com, his journey was a lot about finding that inner home. Overcoming habits like excessive gaming, binge eating, and drinking wasn't just about getting healthy. It was about creating a life where he felt truly comfortable and at peace in his own skin. Losing over 110 pounds (more than 50 kgs!) was a huge part of that. So was building a productive routine that didn't feel like a grind and strengthening his Christian Orthodox faith. These changes helped him find a profound sense of purpose and belonging.
Whether you're searching for that feeling, trying to create it, or simply want to appreciate it more, these quotes about home and belonging might just speak to your heart. Let’s explore them together.
What is Home Anyway?
Sometimes, defining "home" is tricky. Is it a building? A town? A person? Or something else entirely? These words offer some beautiful perspectives.
- "Home is not a place…it’s a feeling." – Unknown
- "The ache for home lives in all of us." – Maya Angelou
- "Home is where one starts from." – T.S. Eliot
- "Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
- "Home is the nicest word there is." – Laura Ingalls Wilder
It’s clear, isn't it? Home often goes beyond the physical. It’s that internal compass pointing towards comfort, love, and our origins. It’s that feeling of "yes, this is it." Maybe home is where your heart feels lightest, where you can kick off your shoes and truly exhale. Think about what "home" means to you. It might be different from anyone else's definition, and that’s perfectly okay.
Finding Home Within Yourself
So often, we look outside ourselves for that sense of belonging. But what if the most important home we can find is the one within?
- "Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition." – James Baldwin
- "Peace, like charity, begins at home." – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- "To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul." – Simone Weil
This idea of an "irrevocable condition" really hits, doesn't it? It suggests that home can be a state of being we carry with us. Stephen often talks about how changing his lifestyle – from unhealthy habits to a balanced routine with short bursts of deep work and daily gratitude – helped him feel more at home in his own body and mind. Before, he might have felt restless or out of place, even in familiar surroundings. But by taking care of himself, physically and mentally, he started to build that inner sanctuary.
Finding peace within isn't always easy. It can mean confronting things we've avoided, like Stephen did with his unhealthy habits. But it's a journey worth taking. When you feel at home with yourself, you carry that sense of peace wherever you go.
Creating Your Physical Sanctuary
While home is a feeling, our physical spaces do matter. They can support or detract from our sense of well-being.
- "There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." – Jane Austen
- "May your walls know joy; may every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility." – Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey
- "A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams." – Unknown
- "The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back." – Wendy Wunder
- "Home is a shelter from storms – all sorts of storms." – William J. Bennett
Your living space doesn't need to be grand or perfectly decorated to be a home. It’s about creating an environment that reflects you and offers comfort. Think about Stephen’s approach to productivity: short bursts of focused work. You can apply a similar idea to your home. Don't feel like you need to overhaul everything at once.
What’s one small thing you could do?
- Maybe declutter one small corner.
- Add a plant or a cozy blanket.
- Display a cherished photo.
These little touches can make a big difference in transforming a "house" into a "home" – a true shelter where you feel rejuvenated.
The Warmth of Belonging with Others
Home isn't just about a place or our inner state. It's also deeply connected to our relationships and sense of community.
- "Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us." – Brené Brown
- "Home is where our story begins." – Unknown
- "Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, and laughter never ends." – Unknown
- "If you know you’re going home, the journey is never too hard." – Angela Wood
- "The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there." – Ellie Rodriguez
- "You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place." – Miriam Adeney
We are wired for connection. That feeling of belonging, of being seen and accepted by others, is a powerful part of what makes us feel at home in the world. For Stephen, strengthening his Christian Orthodox faith provided a profound sense of belonging to a community and to something much larger than himself. This connection to God and his church family became a cornerstone of his well-being.
This doesn't mean every relationship will be perfect, or that finding your "tribe" is always simple. Sometimes, like Miriam Adeney says, our hearts get stretched across different people and places, and that’s a beautiful, if sometimes bittersweet, part of a rich life. The key is to nurture those connections that bring warmth, support, and a sense of shared story.
Where Do You Feel at Home?
These quotes are just starting points, little windows into the vast and personal concept of home and belonging. They remind us that home can be a place, a feeling, a person, a community, or even a state of mind we create for ourselves.
Stephen’s journey shows that finding home can involve transforming our habits, our health, and even our spiritual lives. It’s an ongoing process of building, nurturing, and returning.
So, I’ll leave you with this thought: What does "home" truly mean to you today? And what’s one small step you can take this week to cultivate more of that feeling in your life, whether it's in your space, within yourself, or with others?
