What is it about January that is so beautiful, but also horribly… depressing…? Maybe it’s that the excitement of Christmas and New Years is over, maybe it’s the bleak, cold weather, maybe it’s the lack of sunlight… Whatever it is, January and February always do this to me.
Not that anything is bad; everything is great, at a steady pace. Business is very busy, Dan’s work is going well, the dog and cat are happy as can be, I have lots of plans and things in the works for Ohhh Lulu and am pulling long days sewing… However, I feel like my personal life has come to a stand still. I feel like I need to plan something, like a vacation or something… Something for myself to look forward to that doesn’t involve working!
I also have this thing where if things in my life aren’t constantly changing, I get a little bored, and when I get bored, I get depressed. This is both a great driving force in my life and a huge character flaw – I think it makes me a great entrepreneur, and it definitely keeps me busy, but it also makes me incredibly fickle and I get bored doing the same thing for too long… I need constant change! I think I am at the point in my life where I’m married, got the house… and now what? I’m bored!
The thing is, I can’t think of any one thing that I want to do… I don’t really have the urge to travel, other than our summer road trips. In addition to that, Dan and I do not have the budgets to travel… And, as we’ve discussed before, I don’t have much of a desire to have children, and even I know boredom is not the reason to have kids! So, what else do people do with their lives?
I think, more than finding something new to do, I need to learn how to deal with the fact that sometimes life stands a little still, and that is ok. These are the moments that most people would relish…
I took these pictures down at Couchiching Beach Park. We’ve been going for evening strolls with the dog. It is so lonely and desolate in the winter. The water has finally frozen and you can’t tell where the land ends and lake begins. Part of me loves it; serene, quiet, lonely. Part of me just wants to see kids on the swing sets, and people and dogs playing frisbee. That will come soon enough and I’ll miss the days when the park was empty…
I have to admit, I really do love winter. It is sad and beautiful. Pure and Crisp. Albeit, a little boring…
9 Comments
ista
January 9, 2013 at 12:35 pmI think it would be the lack of sunlight hours … I get it here in Sydney in Winter (which is much milder & we get longer days in winter). Not an overwhelming depression, just a glum plodding that suddenly goes with more sunlight.
Marie
January 9, 2013 at 3:04 pmYep, I think it's the lack of sunshine too! I don't mind the crisp cold of a bright winter's day, but it's rare here in the UK that we get that. Mostly we get overcast and rainy…which is very dreary (although today is a beautiful day so I can't complain). As for your easily bored nature, that's what makes you so creative I reckon ;o) But yes, it would be good if you could enjoy the quieter / stiller moments in life, as they don't last long…I'm sure things will speed / change up again for you soon!
Michell
January 9, 2013 at 4:17 pmI start to feel the same dreaded funk in January. Maybe, you could introduce a new "something" to spice things up. A new hobby or activity? A gathering of friends for a monthly dinner party or game night, book club etc… I think planning and preparing for something like that can help to break-up the monotony. Regardless, I hope you find your way through January/February and into spring where everything starts fresh. đ
Christina Marie Kellogg
January 9, 2013 at 7:15 pmI know exactly what you mean. I like to take myself out on dates to the thrift store, coffee shop, museum. Even to the library! Nothing big. Just stuff I enjoy, and it takes me away from daily.
By the way, I'm new to your blog, but not to Ohhh Lulu. I absolutely love your work!
Symon
January 9, 2013 at 10:11 pmIdk about you but something I found when I made one of my loves a career was that I had to replace what was formerly a hobby with new creative outlets; perhaps you could try pottery or painting, or even gardening – something that's just for YOU ^_^
gingermakes
January 10, 2013 at 9:05 pmThat's very good advice!
ladykatza
January 10, 2013 at 5:20 amI would just like to point out that children definitely alleviate the boredom problem. Never a dull moment!
Lucy Legget
January 10, 2013 at 7:20 amCertainly true and somehow I have found they also help you appreciate the kind of nothing moments. You probably don't need kids for it but I am person who likes to be busy and rush about a bit but with them you have to spend a fair amount of time essentially doing nothing, not working or reading or sewing or socialising …. Just being with them as they potter about enjoying themselves and it has actually taught me to just relax and just enjoy what is and what I'm experiencing in that moment. To see boredom from a different perspective I guess!!
Mary Collins
January 13, 2013 at 7:40 pmHi there,
I know I'm a little behind here, but I just wanted to say that I know exactly what you mean. January is a much harder month to savour than July. Particularly here in Canada. I have kids, and I still get the blues in the winter. I think the idea of having a creative outlet other than your job is a good one. I find that now that sewing is my job, I knit much more, just because it doesn't involve being in the sewing room when I'm not working. Letting go of the need to be busy all the time is a really tough one. This year I am feeling the need to simultaneously purge the house of everything and nest, which is causing a struggle. I think it is harder to see the forward progress in the winter, since you are usuallly snowed in. On the plus side, the days are getting longer (really) and we are moving toward spring.