Sunday, January 21, 2007

Winter Blues

winter on Flickr
I know it's not even February yet, but I am so ready for winter to move on. The darkness and dreary-ness and perpetual gloom can go away anytime now! It's so hard to be motivated and inspired when its like this - does anyone else find that? We've tried to stay busy by going up to the mountains and visiting with friends, but both of us are feeling the winter blues this weekend.
I've been extremely busy at work, a shock to my system after a quiet couple of weeks before the holidays. It's brilliant, I thrive on being busy, but it's been a big adjustment. I had my three month review this past week and it went very well. I am officially an employee now and get to go on the health plan! I love that I have so much variety in this job, and new challenges all the time. I've actually been asked to help run one of our major projects done through our office, so that makes me feel even better about work. Like I'm doing something right. I kept wishing I would find a job where I was busy - I guess it's arrived!!
I've lost touch with my creativity a bit lately as well, but have plans to start knitting again. My mom taught me when I was younger, but it's been years since I did any. My goal is to make baby blankets for all my friends who are pregnant - there are three now and counting!!(How exactly did I get to the age when my friends would be having babies and I'd be talking about having my own?!!) I get home from work and its dark and I'm tired and creating ends up at the bottom of my list. Everytime. I would like to change this. And soon.
The one thing I am doing to help my mood is exercising regularly. I've been at the gym 4 days a week on my lunch break. It works much better that way, putting it in the middle of my day instead of at the end. I've even started to find a few others to workout with, to help keep each other motivated. Yesterday, I made it to a salsa aerobics class, which was brilliant! I didn't even notice I was exercising! I will definitely go back to that class.
The days are getting lighter, so I have that to look forward to. It's up to me to change things, but that always feels the hardest. I'd love someone to come in and entertain me sometimes, take care of it all for me. How do you stay inspired and motivated in the winter? What helps get your creative juices flowing??

5 comments:

Maggie May said...

Oh how I've missed you. I've been on xmas break and haven't been involved in the blogging community. I'm hoping to start posting more this year. I loved your post, it made me smile and think of you being happy and beating the blues. If you need a good baby blanket pattern, I knitted a great one for my sister recently. xoxox

Colorsonmymind said...

I always feel extra tired and unmotivated when I start exercising regularly-so winter and 4 times to the gym would definitely wipe out my creative juices.

For a while I commited to doing just 15 minutes-and only 15 minutes (even if I was in the groove) of art a day. It was wonderful and really made me more patient with my creativity.

Just my assvice.

This pic is mind blowing.

Hugs

Rachel said...

My creative juices dried up a while ago, was talking with Maddie G last night about how we are both yearning to get back to writing, painting etc again but lacking inspiration. Don't know what the answer is to that one honey, maybe in it's own time is the only answer. Glad all is ok with you though. Big love from us. x

Elena Rego said...

Ummm... creative juices is a big deal round these parts lately. The funny thing is that for me, rainy grey days get my juices flowing plenty! But then I live in Southern California so we are in very different places.

One of the big lessons for me in the last 2 years is that when I am self nurturing, my creative juices come back. I have been ill, stretched to thin for the the last 2 years, and I was completely dried up. Nothing, Nada, zilch. And after the last 3 months of long baths, yoga, healing diet, candles, gallons of tea by soft lights and cozy couches, loads of journaling and meditation, the ideas and the itch to create have come back in mounting force.

Winter will be over soon... ;)

Creative Life Studio said...

Well, I moved to Florida (from Minnesota) so we could be in the sunlight. The long winters wore on me too - I know JUST where you're coming from.

I have been listening to The Creative Mom Podcast, Craft Sanity, and Cast-On - among other great podcasts out there and THOSE are what have got my creative juices... BOILING! I've got a whole host of things I am working on or am going to be working on and it's been so much fun. I highly recommend these.