LOST CONTROL? TRY THIS…

It takes some time to admit you can’t control everything, but it’s pretty freeing once you do. Pandemic has taught me that I may THINK “I got this”, but ultimately I DON’T GOT THIS.

With a Type A personality that’s a problem. What do I do to balance out the fact that I can’t control much? I talk to my plants. I also decorate and redecorate my home. I wanted to write about this because if you’re like me and you’re desperately in need of SOMETHING you can feel good about tackling on your own, within your own timeframe that you can sit back (if sitting back is something your kids allow you to do) and enjoy- this is a solid option.

You’re probably all “must be nice to have an unlimited budget, bitch”. I don’t. When I recognize I need to take on a new project there are a few things I do before I start:

1- Identify what’s going OUT before new things come IN. Selling apps like OfferUp (not an ad, but it should be) are my best friend. I clean items up, list them with detailed accurate descriptions, well lit photos and at reasonable prices. The pricing part is KEY. Just because you feel like your Great Aunt Linda’s vase SHOULD sell for $200 doesn’t mean it’s going to. Nobody else cares that it belonged to Great Aunt Linda. They just want the damn vase. If you want the free space, price appropriately and get rid of the thing.

2- Begin researching products and ideas that I’ll need to bring my concept to life. I change my decor as frequently as I change my underwear, so buying versatile pieces that are easily transferrable from room to room is key. I set alerts on my favorite sites, on buying apps and I browse when I have free time until I find something I LOVE. If it happens to be outside of my price range, I figure out how to DIY it or I stalk it until it either goes on sale or I can find it gently used.

It took me way too long to realize that if I just keep buying and gathering I’m gonna end up drowning in STUFF and also most likely broke. The biggest lesson I needed to learn was this: IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT, IT NEEDS TO GO. If an item is purely decorative and has no emotional or historical tie to you, it’s simply taking up space. When you start viewing everything you own through that lens it’s crazy how easy it becomes to whittle down your belongings and learn to highlight things you truly care about.

Also, paint. Paint is your best friend. It solves so many problems if you take the time and do it right. And these days there’s a paint to tackle literally EVERY surface. Wanna paint your fridge red? Wanna resurface your countertops? Backsplash? Furniture? Hell, I just bought patio furniture CUSHION paint. Who knew?!

So this is my biggest piece of advice… When you feel out of control, control the look and vibe of your enviroment or start educating yourself about how to do so. Pinterest and message boards can be your best friends. Have fun with it. Shit… shift a few things around from room to room just to mix it up a bit. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes.

Have an awesome weekend, my frands! Let me know if there are any recent home projects you’ve tackled or whether there’s something you’re about to take on that you’re psyched about in the comments!

xoxo – Deena

CHECKED OUT

This will NOT be an uplifting piece of writing. Just laying that out clearly right now. I’m treating this blog like a public diary of sorts and this is what’s on my mind today.

Not sure whether it’s pandemic life, age, stress levels, physical pain or any of a number of other reasons but my son told me this weekend that lately I remind him of the TV commercials for meds that feature “moms who are not really paying attention to what’s going on around them because their brains are too busy”. Wow! GUT PUNCH! But he’s not wrong. And now when those commercials come on (almost always on Bravo cause they know PRECISELY where to find their demo) it makes me nauseous.

If I’m being honest with myself I am always in some way “checked out” now and I don’t know what to attribute it to. I was taking meds for depression and anxiety when COVID hit and have since whittled it down to a new RX that was suggested by one of my new physicians specifcially targeting anxiety. I’m in constant pain due to TMJ and arthritis in my jaw. I’ve talked with my husband and some family and friends and honestly… the world is so fucking bonkers right now that it’s hard to tell whether it’s LIFE or it’s ME feeling the way I do.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? And is there a pill for “covid is fucking with my head 24/7”? If so, does insurance cover it? Do I have to go to a pill mill to get it?

And that’s a whole different issue. Is this a national thing? It can’t just be a Florida thing. All the “good” doctors no longer accept insurance and insurance suggests every pill mill in town as reputable physicians, but based upon personal experience… NO. When I go to someone who my insurance company has advised is a “therapist” and the first question out of their mouth is “what meds do you want?” It’s shameful.

Remember how I told you in the beginning of this entry that this wasn’t going to be uplifting? I’m a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them 😂

So I guess that’s my question to you… Do you feel any of this? A portion of this? I know I’m not alone, I just don’t know HOW much company I have.

What are you doing about it? Going through the motions? Telling yourself things will be different soon?

Let’s talk about it

xoxo Deena