A Year of Endless Possibilities

Greetings, and Happy New Year! Have you made any resolutions? I did this year. My plan is to spend at least 30 minutes, five times a week, in my studio. This should be able to be accomplished, and will hopefully become a habit. A 'new normal' instead of falling asleep in the recliner after dinner most evenings. And, maybe even get a few paintings out of it! After all, I want to be an artist when I grow up (a.k.a. retire), and there is no time like the present to begin that journey!

I hope you've enjoyed swimming with us. Ms. Business walked in while I was folding my laundry today and said,  "A new year, same old crap."

Well, yes, and yet...

We've dealt with a whole lot of stuff in the last two years, and while things seem to be evening out (sort of), if you're like me, you're tired of the excuse "But, there's a pandemic!"

Yes, there is, and has been, and it will take a long time to sort out a 'new normal'. Seems that is the protocol for most events in life. You grow up - adulting is a new normal. You might be in a relationship, or get a roommate - and getting used to living with another person, whether for life or for the interim - becomes a new normal. You might lose a loved one - a new normal. We are surviving a pandemic - a new normal.

It is now 'normal' to go to the grocery store and find shelves empty. A favorite restaurant has to close a few days a week because they're short- staffed, or a menu has changed because certain food items can no longer be procured. Did you know that Dioxazine Purple paint is hard to come by? Who knew? I'm sure many of you don't even know what that is - but is necessary for an artist's palette! Moink has given up soda pop, and he replaced it with Propel Mandarin Orange flavored water. It has currently become 'unavailable', and he doesn't like the other flavors. Can't say I blame him. 

Students are in and out of school - it's like someone put in a revolving door and they get lost in the turning. It is causing me to rethink my lesson planning for next semester. I'm going to try out some of my new ideas in the next couple of weeks to see how it works, so that students who aren't able to be in school don't miss out on too much.

Thinking of all these things has led me to dub 2022 as 'A Year of Endless Possibilities." In the end, it's how we adapt to the changes in our lives. We can sit in our self-made corners and twiddle our thumbs while waiting for things to 'go back to normal', or we can make our 'new normal.' I, for one, and headed in that direction. With all the purging, packing, and moving we've done this year, there have been many valuable lessons learned in formulating a 'new normal':

    1. Get rid of what doesn't give you joy. You've heard that one before, I'm sure! We often cling to things that don't have meaning, or that we don't particularly like. Ask my colleague who said she'd moved, and after two years put out a few boxes, still taped, to donate to a local charity. She told them she had no idea what was in them, but they were welcome to them. We still have some things to go through. There are many boxes lining the garage walls that still haven't been emptied. One box at a time. At least I finally found the gravy boat, not in time for Thanksgiving, but we had it for Christmas. I'm still going through clothes! Things that I've never worn, and items I haven't worn in a few years that somebody else may truly enjoy wearing. Time to let them go.

    2. Family/Friends are important. Family might drive you crazy now and again, but in the end, they're the ones who truly love you for who you are. Friends, too. I have a pocketful of wonderful people who I wouldn't know what to do without. Our entire family - Morticia and the Doctor, Big Brother, Didi and Little Nugget, Ms. Business, Moink, and BFF were all here for Christmas day. First time in long time, and it was wonderful. I wouldn't have traded it for the world - although DH was a little concerned: he's just not happy with a lot of noise, and said it was all for me. That's love right there, and the best present I could have ever received!

     3. Time is precious. It's something we can never get back, so choose how you spend those minutes wisely. Today, January 1, was the first day through the entire Christmas break that I didn't have somewhere to be; didn't have someone coming to the house; didn't have to go to a doctor; didn't have to get anybody else anywhere. Wow - what a great day! Did I spend it in the studio? No, but I organized our family recipes so they're easier to find! And boy, did we get rid of a lot! How many granola recipes does one need? (Zero, in my estimation!) It's also important to kick back and relax now and again. Our minds need a good book, or a funny show, in order to heal, to grow, to stay healthy.

    4. Adapt. Situations change; people come and go; s**t happens. Learn to let go and move on. A hard lesson, but so necessary. 

    5. Be Kind. Not just to a chosen few, but everyone. We're all carrying baggage - be nice. We teach that in school - be kind to each other. However, I sometimes witness colleagues being unkind to another - what sort of lesson is that giving? Nobody is more important than somebody else, and if you think you are, think again. People make mistakes. People are people. Get over it and just be a decent human. And grudges? Get rid of them. Wasted energy.

Endless Possibilities. Think of it - what would you do? Are you ready to get rid of stuff, of grudges, of things that make you 'angry'? Who, in your life, supports you? Who would walk that extra mile with you? Love them. Spend time with them. Make time to do those things that make you happy, that make you feel good, whether it be a hobby or a lifetime passion or career. And, most importantly, adapt, but adapt gladly. Embrace the here and now. If you're reading this, you haven't moved on to your eternal reward quite yet, so there is still time!

The water at the Stress Pool often feels as if it is teaming with sharks, but we've adapted pretty well over the years. You just have to be careful at feeding time. So, hug your loved ones close, stay happy and healthy, make those resolutions (and try to stick with them!), and remember, only you can make those endless possibilities happen! Come by anytime to swim with us in the Stress Pool, and let's compare notes!