Putting Myself Out There

I guess I'm a little SAD.

This time of year is always difficult for me.  The winter is long.  The sky is grey.  The air is bitterly cold.  The pipes and drains are freezing.  The tractor won't start.  The car got stuck in a snowdrift in the driveway.  Again.  And the shed fell down last year.  But it's still there.  What a depressing eyesore.

Sounds like lyrics from some old corny country golden oldie.  No.  This is my real life.  And believe me... There is more than one verse to this song.  But I'm not one for sitting around crying in my beer.



Why don't I share all these little gems about my reality?
Because it's a downer, man.  And I do my best to concentrate on the upside.
Like Bing Cosby and the Andrew Sisters preach it.
Eliminate the negative.  Accentuate the positive.
Don't mess with Mister In-Between.

SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder.  According to WikiPedia....
Symptoms may consist of difficulty waking up in the morning, nausea, tendency to oversleep and over eat, especially a craving for carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain. Other symptoms include a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating on or completing tasks, withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities, and decreased sex drive.  All of this leads to depression, pessimistic feelings of hopelessness, and lack of pleasure which characterize a person suffering from this disorder.

Treatments for SAD include light therapy.  I don't have a light box for that.  It has been my personal experience that working with bright and pretty fabrics helps.  I know I'm not alone here.  And I also must say that creating, quilting and surrounding myself with those who share a passion for quilting is the best therapy for me.  The best treatment I have found for SAD is SFQ.



The Sew Fresh Quilts (SFQ) blog has been a life saver for me.  Offering assistance to other quilters, especially those who are maybe just starting out, through tutorials and tips makes me feel better.  It's nice to be able to help someone.  To give them a boost.  To make them feel better about themselves and what they can accomplish.  To give them the tools to succeed.


The craft of quilting has also allowed me to retrieve something from my long ago past.  Creativity.  It feels so good to create and discover new ideas for quilt designs and different ways of doing things.  The challenges of developing new patterns are stimulating.  Working on a new method for piecing or quilting keeps my mind occupied.  Creating keeps my mind focused on wonderful happy things and off those things that get me down.


One integral key in keeping me positive and creative - contact with online friends who are a constant source of inspiration, encouragement and empowerment.

Before I started quilting.  Before I began keeping a blog of my quilting.  It was difficult to stay positive.  But now I have friends who share my interests, share their stories and show how much they care.

Hey, we all have problems.  Although it isn't always apparent, none of us live in a fairytale world.  Blog posts full of pretty pictures and perfect projects, may make you feel like you and your hard work don't measure up.  But those picture perfect posts sometimes omit the not so wonderful side of our lives.

So keep that in mind the next time you write a blog post.  Aim to teach.  To be a good influence.  To mentor and inspire.  When visiting others and wanting to leave a comment, be kind.  Show appreciation.  Praise.  Empower and encourage.

Some of us are counting on you!

Keep On Quilting On!

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