New beginnings begin with us

Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities. – William Bridges

Today really is the beginning of my unemployment.  With the holiday thrown in there, it just seemed like a vacation.  It started to hit me more yesterday.  I'm one of those people who when working through a situation I think about it a lot at first.  Then when I start to accept it more, I start to say it out loud.  I told everyone who called and stopped by yesterday.  Secretly, it started to feel pretty good!  I think I was beginning to annoy my family.  They were thankful when we moved on to new topics and something else to look forward to.  For me, I must be a okay with the situation as I didn't set my alarm clock going to bed last night, and I slept until I woke up naturally.  I'm thinking that when I start my new job, 9:00 am start time might be a good thing!   I'll have to play with that schedule a bit!

Last night as we were winding down from the New Year's Day celebration of just relaxing and planning for the new year.  We had just finished putting away the Christmas decorations.  Rather than just putting the room back to the way it was before, we shook it up a bit and rearranged the room.  This year, I wanted to incorporate a few other furnishings (ones I wanted out of my way in my office so I could finish that organizing project).  We talked about why we had it set up the way it was before and how it wouldn't fit with the new furnishings.  With this new opportunity, we ended up rearranging the room several times.  I love change, but there is that little part in me that says, "Wait, I liked it the way it was before, let's put it back that way."  I was tempted to just accept the fact that the pieces had to go back into my office.

Facing the thoughts of not wanting to just go back to the way it was, we discussed what our homes were like when we were growing up.  What was our perceived purpose of the "living room" anyhow?  When I was growing up we had a small home and we never had a formal living room.  I was always envious of my friends who did.  They had the one room in the house that never seemed to get messed up.  It was serene.  My husband's home did have that special room.  When we built our house, that's what we had created.  Just because that's what you're supposed to do.  We use it every year as the Christmas room.  A new purpose for the room is in order!

Being more accepting of change and deciding to just shake it up and do something different with the room, we've added it as one more project on our to-do list.  An external opportunity bringing in a new perspective.  Changing your view of what you had before by asking why or looking at your current situation by being thankful for the new beginning, is what is needed to get you moving forward.  Our big challenge here is to simply rearrange currently owned furnishings and maybe just freshen up with some paint...this definitely wasn't in the unemployment budget!!

With this new opportunity - I'm enjoying the moments of new beginnings!  (Even if it is with old things)

Tizzie gave me the idea that this chair might
be better off in the new location (we're giving
it a try...she does make it look very comfy!)

This is the item that I really wanted
relocated.  It is very old (1946-47).  I have
a picture of my mom with it when she
received it as a gift.  It needs a
location that is out of the sun as
it has faded a lot over the years.

It appears her little dolly likes the new location.
Who knows...it might find a whole new location
some day, but for now, it adds to our "eclectic" style!
The sad secret...it was in our living room as
I was growing up...!!