a peek inside the fishbowl

30 Jan, 2009

Bustin’ those January blues: Friday

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Misc. life

A squirrel's perspective

Do you like Sarah’s illustration? I LOVE IT. I love her perspective… how the squirrel is peeking into the frame at the giant acorn.

I’m posting it here because perspective is something I’ve been thinking a lot about this week.

The LiteBook is on as I write this, the coffee is hot and delicious, and my tummy is happy now that I’ve filled it up with a bowl of hot oatmeal and mixed berries. And I’m here, writing to you. This is always a great part of my day.

I’m proud of the small changes I made this week to bust out of the January blues. I’ve used the LiteBook every day. I’ve been taking my vitamins. I’ve exercised every day (in one form or another!). I’ve been going to bed earlier every night and I took care of some things that were weighing me down.

I think I know what I need to do. Adjust my perspective. Living my busy life day by day I often find myself knee-deep in the muck of it all and forget to step back and take in the bigger picture.

If there’s a problem the trick is to recognize it, find a solution, and DO IT ALREADY. A lot can be done about fatigue for example (unless there is a sleepless baby in the mix). But it’s almost easier to complain about it than take some active steps to deal with it.

I think it begins with having the energy to tackle your issue, whatever it may be. (a) Eating well and (b) the LiteBook and (c) going to bed early have worked wonders for me, not just for my mental health but for my physical health. When I’m rested I am a happier person, I deal with stress better, I am more motivated to get things done.

I still have one thing left to do.

Today’s task: take a risk.

I’ll come back to write more when I’ve accomplished my task. But first, I’m off to the gym.

p.s. have any of you done anything to get rid of your January blues lately? I’d love to hear about it.


4 Responses to "Bustin’ those January blues: Friday"

1 | The Veg Next Door

January 30th, 2009 at 11:17 am

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Unfortunately I’ve been eating my way through January. :-( I hope to use February as my month to restart my commitment to good health.

2 | Natalie

January 30th, 2009 at 9:46 pm

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I spent the day teaching skiing. Nothing like smiles, fun and laughter to put life in perspective!

3 | Sheila D

January 31st, 2009 at 11:52 am

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I love Sarah’s illustration. Creative perspective! What a talented girl.

4 | andrea

February 9th, 2009 at 8:19 am

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I did it! It took me awhile to get there but I finally took my risk. I need to keep it secret for now, but I will say that it feels very good. :)

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My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (23) and Sarah (21). During the day I work as a writer at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

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