Imprisoned by Free Time

I would guess that most busy people, especially those who work, spend some of the day contemplating what they would do with more free time. Volunteering, catching up on housecleaning, traveling, reading, hanging out with friends are just a few of the activities working people imagine themselves doing if only they had more time. I've had that time since being fired back in October of 2010. And I have done exactly none of those things. In fact, my days have become endless stretches of time primarily spent hating myself. My activities have included looking for work, Facebook, journaling, watching TV, and minimal housecleaning and laundry. Volunteering sounds good, until I factor in the cost of gas. Same for travel. In fact, any activity that even hints at the expenditure of money is off my possible "to-do" list. I can't really hang out with friends because they are at work. I was never much of an organizer or housewife to begin with, and having more time to do it does not make it easier. To be fair to myself, I had significant outpatient surgery mid-December. Add to that some winter weather and you have the formula for a stay-at-home depressive.

On January 3rd, I resolved to eat less and exercise more. I'm proud to say I have stuck to that promise. There are 23 other hours in the day, though, and at this point, I'm spending about 12 of those asleep. My only conclusion is that work, though often distasteful, gives some structure to our days. My biggest regret, the elephant in the room so to speak, is that I have not used this time to explore freelance writing. I do not sit down every day and work at being a writer. I was more productive when I had a job. Why? I think because the job offered contrast. It offered a day-to-day reminder of what I did NOT want. That dissatisfaction was a seed of motivation. When I worked, I wished for more time to write. Now that I have it, I don't have anything to say. I'm a fan of irony, but not when it leaves me feeling like a failure. Having something that everyone seems to want, i.e. free time, and not being able to enjoy it, has left me sad and guilt-ridden. If there is a lesson to be learned here, I am still struggling to find it. Wish me luck.

The MOHS nose Part II

I look back at that oh-so-innocent post from December 12th and realize I had no idea what I was in for! "Layers" is the term used in all the MOHS literature, but it is misleading at best. I had a hole in my nose the size of a dime and at least as deep as a nickel. I was utterly unprepared for the 5-hour procedure. Multiple shots of anesthesia to my face. A hole in my nose. A flap procedure to close the hole that left me looking vaguely Frankenstein-esque. A little more than three weeks post-op, I can put it all in perspective. I have healed well, and most of the people I have seen claim not to notice a difference. I notice it. I see myself in the mirror every day. I see the scar. I see the subtle changes to the landscape of my nose. But I also see that there is no cancer present. I have my nose--well, most of it--as it was. In three weeks, I have traversed an emotional minefield. I am thankful it is over and that there is only more healing to come.

Coulda Shoulda Woulda

One of my biggest challenges is dealing with the "shoulds". My therapist calls it "shoulding on yourself". I consider myself to be lazy and uninspired. Therefore, I berate myself constantly with all the things I should be to alter this self-perception. I should be energetic. I should tackle a room and clean it thoroughly. I should volunteer. Sometimes, I have difficulty making a simple phone call or appointment. I haven't had a haircut or color since July. I haven't had an adjustment in three weeks. Granted, both activities had to be postponed following surgery, but I've been able to reschedule for over a week now. I can't even muster the wherewithal (I don't know what else to call it) to pick up the phone to do something that might make me feel good. I am perfectly content to sit at home. If someone would give me permission to do just that and take away this guilt, I would be free.

Be Snazzy!

Okay, by my count it is day two of the New Year's resolution program. I didn't start on Saturday January 1st because, well, it was Saturday for goodness sake! Who starts self-improvement plans on the weekend? Day two and I have managed to keep my resolutions. I worked out yesterday and today, and I have done writing practices daily. The hardest part of resolutions is trying not to stress out about them. I play a pretty good game of 'What if?' with myself. What if I get sick? What if I miss a day? What if I lose my momentum? It's as if my own brain wants to derail my efforts at being fitter and more productive. When I feel myself entering a crisis of the mind like this, I have only my cognitive behavioral therapy as back up. All these thoughts are just negative self-talk posing as real problems. It is up to me to drown those voices with snazzy comebacks. Sick? I'm not as likely to get sick now that I am exercising daily. Miss a day? Get right back in the groove the next day. Only celebrities and athletes work out every single day. Lose momentum? Not possible. I create my own momentum. Maybe these comebacks aren't exactly snazzy, but I think my therapist would be proud.

New Year to You

The big question for me was whether to deal with resolutions today or postpone til Monday. Guess which one I chose? Today will be a day of indulgence. I am not going to think about all the ways I can improve my life this year. I'm going to zone out and watch bad TV. Please feel free to join me in my apathetic revelry. Whatever you do today, best of luck in the new year.