January is a month synonymous with new beginnings, resolutions, and self-improvement. It’s also a time when all those things and our resolve are tested. A month before 2024 began, I’d already made a commitment to myself for the new year in the form of my new weekly digital art challenge, Spies, Lies & Digital Skies, and to actually get my newsletter out to my supremely patient subscribers. But, me being me, I had to add that wee bit more pressure. Up the chances of self-destruction 🤣
Everyone has complaints. These grievances are like personal signals that something in your life needs to change. It can be something small, like changing where you shop because you can’t stand the layout, or it could be significant, like needing to quit your job. The more we complain about something, the more attention we need to pay to it.
The Lottery Dream: More than Just Glitz and Glamour
A Ferrari for every day of the week, a diamond necklace with matching earrings and bracelet, of course, and a string of mansions across the globe-it’s the typical lottery win daydream. But I’ll be honest: my fantasies are a tad different and perhaps a bit less glittery.
Where Does Decluttering Start in a Creative’s Life?
Getting rid of clutter extends beyond the physical for me—it’s also about mental and emotional spaces. My decluttering journey as a writer navigating life with CRPS is a wee bittie challenging.
Never get attached. That was the lesson I learnt at a young age. It wasn’t that I had a heart of stone. I was being practical, protecting myself from inevitable heartache. Growing up, I quickly realised that whether due to someone’s ‘need’ being more important than mine or the destructive force of rage or jealousy, getting too attached was a guaranteed path to sorrow.
Discovery in the Dirt
But, against all odds, one item captivated my heart – a small, unassuming object that I fiercely guarded. This object was merely 2.5 x 1.5 x 1 cm in size, of an odd shape and russet hue, almost camouflaged in the dirt.
I was fourteen, clarty (Scots leid for muddy) from weeding the front garden, and at the end of my energy reserves. I’d found several baby potatoes as I dug down to get the roots of the hardier weeds. But as I smoothed out the disturbed soil, I found another wee tattie (potato), but it was solid. It took a moment to realise it was a stane (stone).
Beyond Its Physical Form
Most people would have just tossed it back in the ground, but if you have a stone-collecting problem, that bad boy is staying with you. Up until that point, I’d found so many beautiful stones that this ‘ugly’ wee thing shouldn’t even have been on my radar.
But I couldn’t let it go. It captivated me. The Stone Soup story played in my head as I held it tight in my hand, hiding it from any possible prying eyes.
If you don’t know the story, it’s about a hungry traveller who has nothing but a pot and a stone. The villagers refuse to help him out with some food, so he comes up with a plan: he’ll convince them to give him food. He fills the pot with water, chucks the stone in, and starts ‘cooking’ it over a fire.
A villager asks him what he’s doing, and the traveller tells him that he’s making the most amazing soup. His description of how flavoursome this soup will be hooks the villager.
He tells the villager that some carrots would make it that much tastier. The villager runs to his home, retrieves some, and gives them to the traveller. This happens with all the villagers, with various ingredients needed to up the awesomeness of the soup to the point it becomes a communal pot of soup. It’s a great lesson in sharing.
Another Lesson in Stone Soup
To me, there was an added lesson, one that hit harder than sharing. The lesson I gleaned was that words and stories had the power to affect change. They could soften hearts, build communities, and put dinner on the table.
A Journey with My Stone
My wee tattie stane was a constant, journeying through the pivotal moments of my life: exams, driving test, navigating the trials of the Royal Navy, I even tucked into my wedding bouquet. It’s been a lucky charm from the moment I found it.
Where is My Stone Now?
Tattie has found its rightful place on my desk, occasionally travelling in my pocket for an extra dose of luck. Beyond being a mere object, this stone has become a symbol of resilience, a testament to enduring through life’s more challenging moments, and a reminder of the joys in life. It’s my literal creative touchstone, reminding me of the power of words and storytelling.
Do you have any odd items that have journeyed through life with you? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear about them–nothing to do with me wanting to know that I’m not the only weirdo here!
Daily writing prompt
Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?
I’ve always had a nasty habit of swinging from fantasising about the future to dwelling on the past. But, as I’ve been working my way through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, I’ve found my morning pages full of past reflections… and for the first time in my life, they’ve been helpful. I’d have to say that I’m 50/50 on which one I spend most of my time focusing on.
Past Reflections: A Canvas of ‘Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda’
So, what are morning pages? They’re three pages of long-hand writing each day, as The Artist’s Way prescribes. As mentioned above, mine are filled with the past. Things others had done to me, their restrictions on me, and my conformance and acceptance of those things.
Workaholism–so closely tied to its arsehole twin, perfectionism–is a bitch and a half. As someone who oscillates between non-stop work and complete stops, finding time for play in daily life is a wee bittie torturous. Though, when I’ve forced myself to make the time, it’s been unexpectedly rewarding. My journey towards incorporating play has taught me that play doesn’t contract time; it surprisingly expands it.
While living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a physical and mental challenge, it’s my battle with perfectionism that’s been the most destructive. Recently, however, I’ve started to see a shift, largely thanks to the insights gained from the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
The Roots of Perfectionism
Perfectionism has been a part of my life since I was five. One simple comment on my Primary One report card sealed my fate.
Do you ever write a blog post or email, delete it, then write it again, and delete it ad nauseam? If you’re anything like me with this post, you get it. I’ve been writing and rewriting this ‘return to the blog’ post for the past two months, yet I’ve never shared a single version.
So, here goes…
At the start of 2023, I wrote a “return” post after recovering from a major burnout. I’m hitting refresh and sharing a new ‘return’ post! Why? Well, the first one was missing one key detail. I didn’t leave it out by choice. It was a requirement in Scots Law.
