The Cure for What Ails Me

Here's the thing.

My current life circumstances and, as much as I hate to admit it, my own negative attitude, have had me in a pretty deep slump lately.  I'm feeling rather caged in and penned up, straightjacket style, of late.  Because I tend to be a "life is what you make it" person, this helpless feeling of not being able to change things for myself (at least not with my dignity intact) is adding fuel to the woe-is-me fire. 

If there's anything I hate, its a pouter.  I can't stand when people whine and gripe about their life and do nothing to change it, and here I am griping it up with the best of 'em.

So.

"If you don't like something, change it.  If you can't change it, change the way you look at it."

Right.

I'm committing to take action, over the next several months, to change the way I look at things.  There are a few major players in the misery game for me.  One is a lack of opportunity/time/space to be creative and the other is, as silly as it sounds, living in an ugly house.  Since I spend approximately 99% of my life inside my house (working, living, teaching, parenting, etc.), it's been a real battle to have to do all that living amongst fluorescent lighting in every room, obnoxious floral print couches, and 80's swag curtains.  That's something I can't change.  Really, living here comes with the territory of our work out here, and I'm pretty limited in the amount of creative freedom I have when it comes to this house and its contents.  However, there are things I can do, and the back of the house (our "apartment"), which consists of 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, is basically mine to do with what I please (as long as I don't wish to paint or wallpaper or do anything else permanent-ish).  The kids room is pretty decked out already, but I'm realizing how much I need a peaceful sanctuary from the chaos that comes alongside this kind of work.  Also, I know that little changes can make a big difference, and a sprucing up here and ruffled pillow there will give me a reason to smile, at least for a moment.

Anyway... my project... I am promising you, oh elusive and possibly nonexistant reader of this here blog, to undertake something creative every day.  And I don't mean daydreaming or thinking, but actual hands-on making or doing.  I am not going to limit myself to decorating -- I've lots of writing ideas piling up in my brain, so that will count, too, but I am going to make creativity a priority in my life, again, if for no other reason than the happy distraction it will serve for me.

I will try, as often as possible, to share my results and tread back into the blog world again, where I can find some inspiration and companionship in this creative journey.

But be easy on me.  Carving out time to pee alone is a monumental task on most days around here, so there will be days when I blow it.  Still, even if its 5 minutes at a time, I purpose to do whatever I can to beautify this home, one day at a time, and express my oh-so-tortured creative brain.  Deal?

Now, to get the kiddos set up with an assignment and begin to tackle my laundry room.  Photos to come...