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Friday, January 9, 2015

Moderation and Balance

  1. The background was done with book paper, map pieces and part of a Jan. 2015 calendar.  I stenciled the cobblestone around the edge thinking about what path my life would take this year. I used craft and golden paint as well as gesso.  The girl is circus scrapbook paper. I thought her balancing act was perfect for what I hope to achieve in 2015. I also used my favorite Mr. Huey round stencil on the background. 
This page combine my first challenge for DLP,Goals, 

MY PLAN FOR 2015
Every December I try to spend a little time thinking about the upcoming year. I look back and see how last year went and what I liked and what I might want to change.  

What I saw was that I'm still living in an old pattern of behavior. I seem to live in cycles. I get catch up in something and do it almost none stop for months on end. Then all of the sudden, I switch to something else. 

After a 4 or 5 year hiatus, I took up art again.  My life was in a huge transition and my mojo took a long vacation. I was learning how to survive in a totally different way. I'm happy to say, I did learn and my mojo returned. 

I felt like I was on fire with creativity. I worked at my real job so I could pay the bills but I lived for Art Journaling.  Sometimes I'd forget to eat because I was so involved in whatever page I was creating. I was also almost obsessed with blogging about my art work. I did this for almost 2 years.  

In October of 2014, I was told I have high blood pressure and put on medication for it. I now understand why people stop taking their BP meds.  The first one put me to sleep. I was going to bed at 2:30 in the afternoon.  The second one caused me to become depressed.  I dealt with serious depression in the past and that is not some place I ever want to go again. 

During October, November and December I kept up with the two challenges I was participating in but that was it. I wasn't having any fun. Other than those few pages, all I did for three months was go to work and read books. I love to read and reading is always my fallback plan.  I knew I was in trouble when I found I'd rather read than talk to my friends. That is a sure sign of depression for me.  

Finally, in the middle of December my BP medicine was changed for the 3rd time. I finally feeling like myself again.  All of this gave me pause, to think about how I'd been living.  I want more moderation and balance in my life.  I have to work so Scooter and I can eat and have shelter.  The rest of my life needed more balance.  I made a plan.

1. Eat out less often
2. Eat healthier
3. Organize my home a little each day
4. Do something arty everyday... it could be an art journal page or maybe just a doodle
5. Read for enjoyment but not obsessively
6. Blog once or twice a week instead of feeling guilty for not blogging daily.
7. Pray and read a Bible Passage daily 
8. Be kind to myself
9. Check on my friends more often
10. Do kind things for other people

It's been 7 days and so far my plan is working.  I feel more balanced. Some of things that need to be done at home are getting done. I'm creating but not obsessively. I'm reading but not to the point my eyes hurt.  I don't feel guilty if I don't art journal or blog every day.  A doodle or sketch is also stretching my creative self. The purpose of my art is to feed my soul. It brings me joy and removes stress from my life. I needed to remind myself of that.

Have you picked a word for 2015?  Something to guide you?


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8 comments:

  1. Glad you are feeling yourself again. Happy 2015! Valerie

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  2. :)
    I haven't had the energy / gumption / whatever to do that kind of deep thinking... but I need to...
    hugs
    Allison

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  3. Valerie I agree with you. I wrote a note in my blog recently about making a change myself.

    Moderation in all things. I fully agree. To not eat is not good as you wrote of your pass.

    I am glad your feeling much better to be a healthy person especially and emotional.

    Know-one can change you. You have to want to change yourself. We have choices in life.

    Looks like you found the right rejoice now is called..

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  4. Your art is beautiful , so glad you are feeling yourself again. I love the balancing concept, perfect! Hugs, Deb

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  5. I'm so glad you have found a BP med that works for you because not controlling high BP can lead to much organ damage. I learned about that this past year when I ended up with very high spikes and had to go on a med. Love your chosen words and page. You're def. on the right track-take it one day at a time. Happy PPF! Oh you can see my word here: http://heartfullyinspired.blogspot.com/2015/01/nourish.html

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  6. A wonderful post Boo. Many of your words really resonate with me. I made so many things before Christmas maybe my mojo hasn't left, maybe it's just in hiding for a while, feeling abused. But now I'm beginning to feel frustrated at not creating anything, but still cannot come up with anything. Maybe once I start some early Spring cleaning in the house this weekend, and I begin to relax, my mojo will creep back in. Perhaps.
    I'm so happy that your BP meds are working and not causing additional problems for you. Have a fabulous weekend ((hugs))

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  7. Wonderful plan for your year!! Keep going on those things for 21 days that's how long it takes to create a habit. It worked for me many years ago!! Glad you got your health under control!

    Hugs Giggles

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  8. A very deep and heartfelt post Boo and one that I feel privileged to have you share.
    I'm so happy to hear that you are feeling so much better for this new start.
    Your words and art are very inspiring.
    I'm thinking of a word still but 'Create' keeps coming up which maybe trying to tell me something?
    Keep well and enjoy your new plan. I wish you all the best.
    Happy PPF to you
    xoxo

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