Thoughtful Thursday: Being Cozy is Essential for My Well-Being

I am always happier in this time of year than I am in the summer months. For some reason, my seasonal affective depression is related to the sunshine. I don't know if this is because of my vitamin D deficiency, or if I was conditioned due to my early years in Texas where it was hot and humid, but summer is not a good time for me. I flourish so much more in the autumn and winter months when it is chilly, cold, and dark.

I know that more people have the opposite response to this time change and the upcoming season. I am seeing so many conversations about how it is difficult for them to navigate these dark days. Meanwhile, I am gaining energy.

This has been a typical week in my music therapy life. Kids have been up and down when responding to what I am sending out into the music therapy session. Many of the students have entered the room in full-out tantrums. I don't know if they were angry about having to come to music therapy or if there were other things happening, but it was my job to navigate these tantrums through music. I was only successful about 50% of the time this week. I usually do much better than that - we were all off this week.

I am looking forward to being cozy tomorrow during my professional day. I do not have to go to work, so I can just stay in my pajamas and robe for as long as I want as I listen to and watch presenters during the Music for Kiddos symposium. I plan to watch things live, but I really enjoy the fact that I can just sit in my chair while I take notes or play around in my art journal or work on my visual aids for music therapists.

There have been some successes this week. I was able to download so much more clip art to use when I turn things into visuals. I have so many more ideas now - which is a problem - too many ideas.

Also, I am getting ready to start a new journal. I will fill up the journal that I am using for my personal things here at home at the end of the year. That means that I can use a new book very soon, and I am debating what I want to do with the new book. I am thinking that a cat theme would be fun, but I am still so tied into Star Wars that I am resisting the concept that I can change to cats. Perhaps I can find some loth cat stickers and merge the two successfully. I could probably draw the loth cat myself... hmmm.

I am feeling pretty cozy this morning. I woke up only about 30 minutes before my alarm light turned on. I was able to stretch and think in bed covered up by the quilt and afghan. It is now 5:15 am, and I feel like I have so much time before I have to leave for work. I left my house later and arrived at 7:35 which is about 5 minutes late. I know that I can make it at the correct arrival time if I leave at 6:30 am, so I may challenge myself to a side quest of leaving later than my time anxiety pushes me. I have to get gas today, so I might be arriving later than 7:15, but that is okay. I can be on time. I really can. The world will not end if I am on time.

My sessions for next week have been strategized. I have to write a song about coping skills, but everything else has been decided upon. I am striving to get my limited response clients more involved in what we are doing. Yesterday, we danced. It made some of those clients engage more in what was happening than usual. So, more motor TMEs are called for in my music therapy clinic. Durrr. I know that, but I haven't been able to get them to get up and go.

Motivation is something that returns to me during this season and it wanes in others. I have more ideas now than I did seven days ago, and I am rip-roaring and ready to go.

I just need some time.

Speaking of time, I am going to work in my ideas book and focus on TPT ideas - things to design using the new clip art that I have access to again...

See you tomorrow when I can remain in my pjs and robe ALL DAY!! Hooray!

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