Life Updates (and a Planning Roadblock)
Hey there! How’s your January going? Mine is… very January-ish. I just read Kae’s post about her trip to Ireland, and it made me miss that pre-Christmas magical time! January always feels so flat to me. But- we’re all in the same boat. It will take a while, but life will eventually feel sparkly again. I know someone who’s not experiencing the January blahs- my daughter. Remember my fears about her relationship with her boyfriend (that he was too nice for her?) Well, obviously I need to butt out, because they’re doing just fine. Their “big” separation while she was in Tampa only seems to have strengthened their relationship, and they’re happily making all sorts of plans for the future, including Valentine’s Day. Ugh. Have I ever mentioned that I don’t like Valentine’s Day? There’s no logical reason for this, but I have a theory. Growing up in Chicago, I was always deep in the throes of winter depression in February, and I think my brain is hardwired to think Valentine’s Day is depressing. But, guess what???… Foxy’s birthday is Valentine’s Day! He’ll be a year old. I’m hoping this will make the day more joyful for me. I’m already planning to bake a cake in my heart-shaped pan (for the humans, not the cats). Foxy will obviously get his own treats and presents. On a completely different topic, I’m thoroughly enjoying SHU’s book! Here’s a curious thing though: I decided I need to do more long-term planning (looking more than one year ahead) and… I just can’t do it. There’s something in me that’s resisting it, and I can’t figure out why. Am I worried I’ll jinx things, like if I envision my life five years in the future I’ll get hit by a truck tomorrow? Or is there something else going on? I thought I would do this planning/visioning while I was in Tampa, but somehow thinking about my life more than one year in advance makes me uneasy. Has anyone else experienced this? Do you do any five-ten year visioning exercises? Should I just forget about it? Should I be in therapy? (probably, yes). Tell me what you think! And, are you experiencing January blah-ness? Top photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash