I love every single moment of “The Holidays”. In my mind they start at my Pumpkin Carving Party at the end of October and go right up to New Year’s Eve. That 9 week time span encompasses my favorite time of year. I’m at my best then, cooking, decorating, planning parties and making merry. But in January, inevitability, I hit a wall. The projects of organizing and deep cleaning that I’ve shoved to the back of my mind, noisily crowd their way front and center bombarding me with clamoring and pesky insistence. Christmas has to be put away and my clothes don’t fit quite like they’re supposed to. My creativity, which seemed endless last month, is dried up. In short Friends…I got nothing.
Instinctively, at this time of year, I know I need to once again, find my sense of place. Have you ever felt that way? Like your out of sorts, don’t have direction or passion about anything and are just in general discombobulated?
There are a few things that help me when I’ve lost my sense of place, but none more important than restoring quiet to my soul.
I start by turning off the noise. Every chance I get I let the quiet seep back in. Since there really is a lot to do around the house, I methodically move through the days as quiet and productive as possible. No blaring voices from the television. No books on my iPod. Not even any music playing. Just quiet in my outside world. At first my mind continues to be a loud blaring mix of worry and circumstance. But as I keep returning my focus to doing the next “right” thing, all the distraction inside me starts to disappear and the most amazing thing eventually happens. The quiet from my outside world slowly swallows the noise in my soul. And finally, I can hear that Small Voice in me that is the Source of my creativity and passion.
Do you need quiet today? Steal 20 minutes to soak in a warm bath or curl up with some hot chocolate behind a locked door. Maybe even get up a few minutes early tomorrow to have your morning coffee all by yourself.
Quiet is the starting point for finding my sense of place.
I’m linking to A Southern Daydreamer’s Outdoor Wednesday today…there will be lots of inspiring photos to check out. Thank you Susan for hosting…
HI Robin, just reading this made me want to turn everything off and curl up with my book in SILENCE! That probably won’t happen though, STUFF to do today! Maybe tomorrow…..I hope! XO, Pinky
This is something we all should do more often. I liked all the pictures you shard today. Take care.
.-= lavoice´s last blog ..Outdoor Wednesday =-.
Did you ever know how much we think alike? Sometimes I read your post and I’m absolutely amazed! You are my kindred spirit:) I love you,
Auntie-Granny
You and I share kindred minds and spirit. Lovely words to attach to lovely collage.
Joyce M
.-= Joyce M´s last blog ..1/06/2010 Outdoor Wednesday #52 =-.
Yes!! Oh how I know this feeling all too well. I don’t know that I have paid close attention to how I feel at this particular time just after the holidays since “winter” is a long season and we are a mere couple of months in… but I too relish the quiet and restorative rest that occurs at this time of year.
I appreciate the wording of your last sentence… “Quiet is the starting point for finding my sense of place.” Thank you…
.-= Vicky´s last blog ..But then this happened… =-.
Wonderful advice. I can identify so much with what you are saying. I think you have to turn down the outside noise to turn down the inside noise. That helps me immensely. Thanks for all the great insight, Robin!!
xoxo
Janie
.-= Jane´s last blog ..WINTER =-.
Robin, I so needed to read this! And I understand exactly what you’re saying. Only, I was discombulated before Christmas this year. It was as if I were running on a treadmill and couldn’t get off! I’ve never felt that way about Christmas before, but all sorts of things dovetailed to create what could have been chaos. I managed to skate by, but now I am relishing the quiet. I need to start cleaning tomorrow after Epiphany today. So thanks for the encouragement.
Happy Outdoor Wednesday!
XO,
Sheila 🙂
Really good post! I enjoy my peace and quiet. It is who I am. The noise that I allow into my world is the sounds of nature. Connecting to nature helps to balance me. So when it’s this cold out, I have to work on myself just a bit more. Enjoyed my visit!
Living it up at Lakewood,
Cindy
I feel the same way. The holidays really are a wonderful time of year. I always have so much energy and plans for the new year ahead. Then it gets here and it feels something like my ears are still ringing but its not my ears its more like my heart. It takes me a bit to ground myself and find my footing again. Otherwise I can’t follow the path I planned and accomplish the goals I have set. I make the same mistake every year. Big plans to set the year off with a big bang. Then every year is the same. It takes me till about Feb. to really get rolling. I hope your quiet helps you find your path again….Its cold enough here in GA to stay inside and dwell quietly till you do.
.-= Cas´s last blog ..It always happens. =-.
I love quiet. I crave it. My big quiet time is Spring. I open windows and just let natural sounds in to my home. It’s not until around the end of April/May does it feel like I can just throw things aside and be still. Rush here, rush there. In fact, I have to be somewhere in 20 minutes and I’m not quite sure why I feel I can sit here and type this….. No stillness for me today.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..2010 January 1st =-.
I love my precious 20 minutes of peace as well as your post