Keep Busy

What keeps me sane?  What holds my attention and makes me forget about the negative things that are going on?

I have a few things.

Besides writing, reading is just as important to me. I can’t be a writer if I don’t read.  So, I made it a point to expand my reading material this year; read new authors and new genre’s that I am not used to.  I will be honest, I have not read in a while but I have new books waiting to be cracked open!

Scrapbooking makes me happy also.  I can sit and do that for hours and days.  I adore pictures because they are precious to me and I like being able to display them artistically. My dream is to have one gigantic room for all my arts, crafts, and office supplies because my small apartment cannot hold all that I have.  It’s the same problem I have with all the books so I would love a huge library to display them on shelves. (Right now they are still in boxes and have been for about two years).

Cooking and baking are other things that put me in a good mood.  No matter if a meal does not turn out the way I had hoped, I don’t give up.  I’ve never thought about giving up.  I continuously look for new recipes so I can try out.

I don’t focus on the bad things that are happening.  I’ll have a moment where I acknowledge them, maybe even get angry or upset of course but it vanishes.  Why would I let those ruin my mood for hours upon days?  It’s really not worth it.  Stressing is not worth damaging my health.  Always do something that puts you in a better mood that takes you out of that dark hole.  You deserve happiness.  Don’t ever forget that.

Keepsakes

In my eyes, there isn’t anything wrong with it.  It is your right to keep whatever it is that has special meaning to you.  I will not define you as a pack rat.

There are certain things you can never get back once you throw it away.  Once you trash it, it’s gone.  What if you regret it in the future?

I save all of my cards given to me.  And I have saved them since I was about thirteen years old.  That’s twelve years’ worth of birthday, graduation, and all holiday cards.  Why?

First, it's out of courtesy.  Cards are not free.  People pay for them.  You keep it for maybe a week and then toss it in the garbage?  What a waste of money.  You might as well tell everyone to skip the card then so they can save their money.

Second, what if someone took the time to write a special message in the card for you?  You’re just going to get rid of it?

Third, what if you threw away every card a family member or friend gave you and they are no longer living?  Wouldn’t it be nice to see their handwriting?  Wouldn’t it be nice to see what message they left inside for you?

This is why to me they are worth keeping; each and every one.  Right now they are in a Ziploc baggie and they all appear brand new as the first day I received them.  Soon, I plan to organize them in a binder so they are easy to look at when I want to.