Changing my strategy

So as I've started to reinvent myself and as I'm learning more about who I am and what I love and what things make me happy, I decided to make a bucket list.  


I wrote this down back in October/November, and have been steadily working at knocking things off it one at a time.  I'm not doing too terribly bad at scratching things off either.  And what's better still is that it's really giving me a way of focusing on the good stuff, and doing the kinds of things that keep the monsters of anxiety and depression at bay, in a really healthy way.


See what I mean.  I had jotted down that I wanted to write a book...Well, I had written a book, it just hasn't been picked up by a publisher or an agent and I'm ok with that.  One day I may update the list to add an item - get the damn thing published, but until then, I have written one, I've self published it, and I even sold a few copies of Life Size Bride.


I've been paid to write since I made the list.  Again, it wasn't much, but being able to scratch it off the list, validated the work that I had done, and reinforced my success.  What a huge thing that has been for keeping the demons in check.


I managed to take my family on a road trip where we got to experience a few of our diners, drive ins and dives and Man v. Food favourites, AND we were able to discover a few hotspots on our own!  Talk about fun.  The hubby and I even took a cooking class where I got to cook along side a chef, AND we had a professional chef come and teach us a lesson in our own home - he cooked for us, and we had a very cool and romantic dinner for two in our own kitchen!  


So I'm going to tell you that this has been a really big aid in my coping strategy the last year.  I said in a post a couple days ago that work stinks still, and it will continue to stink for a good long while.  I'm not doing what feeds my soul, but it pays my bills, and that means I have to make peace with it somehow.  Turning business trips into opportunities to scratch something off my bucket list is a fantastic way to start.  The more fun I have and the more opportunities I have to fill the needs here, the more likely I am to be able to maintain a sense of perspective, a sense of calm, and the better able I am to prove the negative thoughts are way wrong.

• Show Maggie Aurora Borealis
• Take Mike to Asia
• Take Mike to the Rocky Mountains
• Write a book
• Be paid to write
• Have another baby
• Retire early
• Own a cottage
• Weekend in Paris
• Vacation in Italy
• Vacation in London, Eng.
• Travel all over Europe
• Weekend in New York City
• Eat at the Russian Tea Room
• Shop at FAO Schwartz
• Shop in Greenwich village
• Learn to cook like a chef
• Visit a town called Rebecca
• Diners, Drive Ins and Dives Road Trip
• Host a fabulous cocktail and dinner party catered by professional chefs and wait staff
• Custom build my own house
• Decorate a professional looking tiered cake
• Got to the ballet or the opera
• Watch Maggie graduate university
• Give Maggie away with her dad at her wedding
• Watch my first grandchild be born