An Update

Hello again everyone, I haven't given up or gone into witness protection or anything. I've just been enjoying the holidays and counting my blessings. My blog life underwent some huge shifts when I ended a three-year-old blog with more than six hundred followers, to start fresh with about thirty :) One of my resolutions is definitely to be a better blogger. I've been so awed and happy for Marisa of New Dress A Day, a blog buddy from early on. She's seen so much success and growth; I'm only sad that we had the opportunity to meet (twice) but I couldn't manage it. There's always this year!

I feel so grateful that my work life has changed so drastically and so much for the better. I still have a time making ends meet, but being self-employed and being creative is the biggest blessing. To see my little craft photos go live on education.com and to help hand-make hats that are going to make people very happy, well, it's made me feel a pride and satisfaction I haven't experienced in a long time, if ever to such a degree. Many of my dearest friends underwent big life changes this year as well, and while there were some very rough times, I am really happy to report that it seems we've all come through the storms intact and ready to face a brighter day. I'm looking forward to being a better friend, partner, daughter, and human in 2013 (and by better I mean more active, loving, and supportive). Happy New Year and I'll see ya on Monday morning!

The Fullest Thanksgiving Ever

Palm Desert, California. Thanksgiving 2012

Life Lately

Sorry I haven't felt much like blogging lately; I let real life has taken over for the past few weeks. I've experienced so many emotions along with the rest of the country. Despair over the images of Hurricane Sandy's aftermath and respect for how the East Coast has persevered and regrouped as they headed into another storm. Relief that Obama won re-election. Hope that there will finally be no more talk, only actions! In other news, I am now a part-time commuter, heading over Highway 17 to Santa Clara a few times a week. I am employed again, happily sewing fuzzy animal hats for Womp-A-Wear, as well as continued freelance craft photography work for education.com. Eric and I added a few cool new plants to our collection, enjoyed a mellow Halloween giving out candy, and finally cleaned up the spare room. It seems like Thanksgiving is already fast approaching, and that means our first real vacation together: San Simeon and Hearst Castle, then a family weekend in Palm Desert. This year, I could fill a notebook of things I am grateful for. Oh wait, I'm already doing that...

The Gratitude Journal

A few months ago I left the low-paying job I've had for several years, through college and after. I left without another job lined up, mainly due to the deep and pervasive unhappiness it encouraged in my life. For the first week or two of being unemployed, I was really, really happy (duh). But that sugar-high faded away fast, much faster than I'd expected. Expectation, the mother of all fuck-ups, no? It's widely held that each person has a natural happiness "set point" that isn't altered very much by either great or terrible life events. I remember being a rather sullen child, so I guess I just wasn't blessed with the positivity gift. But I think I still have time to elevate my internal thermostat, as in, you know, it's never too late to get in shape! Which makes trying to break negative thought patterns every day like a work out for your soul or strength training for your brain.

Right now, I really want to recommit myself to slowing down, so I can practice patience, positivity and awareness. One of the best habits I keep returning to for bringing awareness and good energy into your life is by keeping a gratitude journal. I've tried many, many times before and totally slacked on this daily practice. I tend to do something for a few days, maybe a week or two, and then if I don't attain some sort of marvelous result, I lose all focus and drive. I have so many wonderful reasons to be thankful, but I get completely snarled in negative thoughts way too often for my liking. Obviously, I need to work on these things. Actively.

Research into depression and anxiety has shown that keeping a gratitude journal or diary can help to alleviate illness. Basically, it involves pausing for a few minutes at the end of each day to reflect on and write down at least three things that made you happy, or proud, or thankful, or just made your feel good (without making you feel bad right after). Making this little list every single day helps you focus on the positive things in your life. Acknowledging your blessings can help break the cycle of feeling bad about what you don't have. It should take at least one month to really make a difference in your life; at least six months before you can really call it a "habit" (in the good way). So, I'm busting out a fresh little moleskin journal that Eric got me for Christmas. It's all ready to go on my nightstand, with its own pen, ready to hold my thanks.

If anyone reading this keeps up such a journal-ling practice, or has other genuine ways of 

coping with negative thoughts, please let me know in the comments, or email me. 

Or even if you are still struggling. I would love to hear from you ♥