Wow, it’s been a doozy of a week. I’ve neglected this blog for at least a week, and every time I do that, I start to feel anxious. Zealous Mom gets put on the back burner often because it’s more of a creative outlet and a way to connect with readers than it is an income stream. But when I don’t blog for a while, I feel frustrated. Even if I’m just able to write a quick Friday 5 post like this one, it brings a sense of joy. This week has been wild, on the work front, the mom front and the emotional front, so below I share a few thoughts and photos.
5 Thoughts
1). It seems like the holidays kicked off earlier this year. I’m usually a stickler about not doing anything “Christmasy” until after Thanksgiving, but I’ve decided to ignore that rule. The Christmas season feels short anyway. And this year, I plan to embrace the festive feelings as they come. The boys are already watching Christmas movies and you’ll catch me listing to holiday tunes here and there. I’ve also been diffusing my seasonal oils such as cinnamon bark and a delicious blend called Christmas Spirit. Lights are next. Twinkling lights cheer up everyone.
2). With that being said, the holidays are feeling harder this year. Last year I think I was still in shock over my mom’s death, but this year there is a feeling of finality. It’s hard. There’s no way around it. Only through, I guess. And being separated from my husband adds an additional layer of sadness. This will be a different Christmas for the boys, but I plan to do everything in my power to make it joyful and happy for them. I know everyone else in their lives will do the same.
3). I’m so in love with my job. It’s not often a person finds a career they truly enjoy, but I have and for that, I’m so very grateful. With a lot of other things in my life spiraling, my job has become an anchor, a place to be creative and productive with a group of amazing folks. I can’t ask for more than that.
4). I spoke twice this week. The first talk was with a colleague. She and I spoke about small business and digital marketing. The second talk was on storytelling. The two topics are different but also related, and I love speaking on both. As a writer, I’m all about storytelling but in today’s digital world, a lot of modern storytelling happens online via social media, websites, blogs, etc. The bottom line is, everyone has a story that needs to breathe.
5). I’m in a season of searching. Searching for peace within my heart. Searching for a new normal during a lot of change. Searching for a way to fill a vast void left after my mom’s death. Searching to remember what “happiness” feels like.
5 Photos
Thanksgiving lunch with my big boy.
Case being silly at parent night during his school’s Run/Walk-a-Thon.
Program from Tuesday’s talk on digital marketing.
The boys at North Carolina Arboretum’s Winter Lights event.
Packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child.