My last post was about other people's writing saving me. Then I read Loribeth's post, What's Saving My Life Right Now. I forgot that she did this post every year in February. I like it.
It's a tough time. I'm not going to go into detail or commentary about any of it, nationally or internationally. But even on a smaller individual level, everyone I'm close to currently has major stressors in their lives. Maybe there will always be stress... But then, that's what makes it even more important to consider what helps us get through. I often think about what helps me.
I also love lists. So I wanted to think about, in addition to other people's writing, what's saving my life right now. Off the top of my head...
- Myself. I've learned a lot of things over the last decade: how to redirect my thoughts, how to have boundaries and why, how to quilt. I enjoy my own company and that's pretty cool.
- My boyfriend. He listens a lot. And he loves me. And we disagree and miscommunicate. And we laugh a lot. I'm actually at a place mentally where I would be fine by myself. I don't feel scared or insecure or lonely anymore. I'd be fine. But I'm glad I have my boyfriend. He adds a lot to my life.
- My cat(s). How did I live without a pet for so long? Well, it's very easy to not have a pet. It's very easy and affordable. Haha. But we were petsitting my boyfriend's son's cat and I fell in love and I needed a second cat for whenever we didn't have the first cat anymore and a kitten came into our lives and the first cat never left and...
Now we have two cats. I love them. They are cute and funny and have their own personalities. One of the cats is definitely mine. He falls asleep with me at night and wakes me up in the morning. And oh my god I am writing a full paragraph about how much I love my cat, hahaha. But I do.
Let's see... What else is saving my life right now... - My job and my bills. Seriously. It's so easy to complain about work because we are there alllll the time, and it's easy to complain about bills because they're sooo expensive. But also? I like having a job. It means I'm not looking for a job, which is extremely stressful. I also like paying my bills because I'm glad for the services. It would suck without electricity, indoor plumbing, and trash pickup. My job and my bills are providing for my life, so they're saving me.
- My slow cooker! I've always struggled with what to eat every day, having stuff on hand, chopping stuff, cooking, and cleaning up after. I like the results of the effort. I like to eat tasty food. But, come on, figuring out what to eat multiple times a day every day? It's hard for some people. Like me. But! I am really excited because I've used my slow cooker once a week for the last 4 weeks. It's awesome coming home from work and smelling a homecooked meal that's already ready.
- Having something to look forward to. That's definitely saving my life. With the move behind me and the new job started, I live here now. It still doesn't feel like it, but I do. I live here and this is my life now. Lol. It's been awhile since I've lived in a city so I looked around for things to do. I found a couple of sewing workshops that I registered for and a couple of shows that I bought tickets for. And just like that, I have plans for 2026! Not too much. I don't want to be busy. But I've got several things to look forward to. And that saves me.
Here's a photo dump of other things that are bringing me joy, a.k.a. saving my life, right now.
I love stuffed animals. I saw this last weekend in a toy store. It's a jar of strawberry jam. So cute!
After months of having it packed, I unpacked my sewing machine and sewed an easy pot holder.
It's quilted with insulated batting using variegated thread.
Variegated thread (where it changes colors from one to another) always makes me happy.
I sewed a cute little starfish with simple felt, stuffing, needle, and thread--
the kind of affordable supplies you buy from a craft store.
In retrospect, it was a nice activity because I held the soft, colorful felt and stared at it while I sewed. It was a nice break from looking at a screen and I enjoyed the colors and the feel of the felt. Hand sewing this starfish was like a little meditation practice.
Hot chocolate. On a cold day. The sprinkles were a happy surprise!
Here's something you might not know. In NZ we call sprinkles "hundreds and thousands." lol
ReplyDeleteThis whole post makes me happy. Oh, and I miss having cats, and yet I don't at the same time. Snuggling up with a cat is so lovely. And yes, they can have such different personalities. I'm glad you are enjoying yours.
Hundreds and thousands? I love learning that!
DeleteThe cats are a mess, but I love them. Really it's just mine, the youngest, that causes havoc. He's still a kitten even though he's grown a lot. His thing is paper so I have to keep the important papers behind closed doors. But his hilarious antics and warm snuggles? Endless love and entertainment.
The credit goes to Modern Mrs. Darcy, who was the inspiration for MY posts! lol (But thanks!) It's a great reminder and exercise at a tough time of year (and this year especially...!). Your post, and especially the photos, made me smile! :) And I'm glad you put yourself at the top of the list!
ReplyDeleteIt *is* a good exercise at this time of year (and this year especially). Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures.
DeleteI love this so much! That little starfish -- my goodness I love its face, and the peace it brought you. And cats -- I love cats because they're more independent than dogs, and less work, and so cuddly-cozy! I have always trained my cats to love being picked up and held... Eggi is so far still resistant but less yowl-y about it. Ha. Love this list, and your picture of the embroidery thread spools is so very satisfying. I love variegated thread, too. Glad you have these things in your life!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a dog, but the morning walks would be a challenge for me. Also, I work 9-hour days right now so a dog isn't possible. The cats have each other for company (and their litter boxes) so the logistics are easier.
DeleteFor the starfish, I cut out two pieces of felt, stitched the face on one, sewed them right sides together (leaving a gap to turn it inside out), turned it inside out, stuffed it, and sewed it up. It's quick! And relaxing. :)
Oh that's right, I also cut out little circles and sewed them on the "feet" before stitching the two starfish pieces together (with the right sides facing each other so you can turn it inside out).
Oh, I love this, Phoenix! Thank you. It puts me in a good mood :-).
ReplyDeleteNow I will go and read Loribeth's post, too.
That is so awesome! I'm glad this post put you in a good mood.
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