Is it just me?

The day after Christmas - I may be one of the few that actually enjoys this day. The pressure is off to make it a magical day for the kids and family. Gifts have been bought, exchanged, and so forth. The best part is that we still have a few days off, to spend as we like. I've heard of people having Christmas morning depression, and to feel incredibly down when it's all over. But I am the opposite. I actually like the return to normal while still being free to be in holiday mood, if that makes sense.

My plan has been to organize our home and make it a more inspiring place to be in. We often find ourselves stretched to the max by the pressures of our daily lives. I would like to simplify our lives and make our home more conducive to relaxation, inviting positive emotions and being an overall happy and cosy place to be in.

With my aversion to shopping and 'stuff', I almost always put off any home decor-related purchase and have ended up with a house that looks rather dull. However, I want to start by organizing my space and then see if I can add select items over time. Money is a concern at the moment, and both my husband and I like to wait until we can afford a decent quality purchase for the house. We will be marking a year in our home tomorrow, and the only new items we bought for the house have been an area rug and a much-needed mattress.

With the tidying up, I started with the dresser and hallway cabinet today. I hope to get to my closet and donate a few more clothes. My closet is mostly organized and already at a manageable state, with clothes I wear often and not many extra items. However, I think there's room to do a little more organizing. We just went through sorting our kids' clothes and giving away items to friends as well making up a box for donation. Today, we tackled the mountain of my husband's t-shirts that he's accumulated over the years, and got a huge box ready for donation. 

Another big item on my to-do list is to sort through and file my papers. It is a long-time problem of mine to let them pile up for months. I am well aware of the fact that taking care of the clutter will help with my state of mind. I know that some of these things block the energy flow in my home, which is why I'm looking forward to this opportunity to tidy up and organize. I really hope I can get our home to a state where we invite positive energy into it. 

I did manage to do my yoga this morning and felt quite energized by it. I lit my lamps and felt the peaceful vibrations that this ritual brings. I ventilated the entire home by opening windows, and tidied up the downstairs. I'm feeling semi-accomplished, and am hoping to get to the next stage in organizing.

This evening, we are hosting a family for dinner who is very dear to us and I am looking forward to it. We spoke to a dear friend over the phone today and he reminded us about how we need to put on the oxygen mask first, and then take care of our kids. He made us realize that our kids are just doing their jobs and doing them well - being curious, exuberant at times, pushing limits, and so on. It is up to us as parents to reign in negative behaviors and reinforce positive ones, and we need to be in a good place ourselves to be able to do this effectively.

While I think about room for improvement in all of these areas, I want to remember that we are already doing a phenomenal job in our daily lives and constantly learning and adapting along the way. I am grateful that we are able to do this, and thankful for our circumstances and for our perspectives. 

I've really been enjoying the song "Mad World" by Tears for Fears. It's one of their better songs, and while I find the lyrics depressing, its really the music that I enjoy. I suppose I can quote the main line from the song here:

And I find it kind of funny

I find it kind of sad

When people run in circles it's a very, very
Mad world
Mad world

Mad World - by Tears for Fears