Living a Life of Whimsy

Living a life of whimsy.

That would be my current life plan. I call it living inside the pink bubble of love. In case you are wondering what that means, let me explain.

The word whimsical is an adjective. It means playful, quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way.

When I began drawing and painting, I spent hours criticizing myself. Everything I seemed to draw, or paint did not look “serious enough.” What in the world was I thinking? Who said art had to be serious? Plenty of people. Trust me.

I drew and painted. I trashed and started again. It did not matter how many lessons I took or watched, nothing changed. Finally, one day a dear friend said, “Your art is so whimsical. It’s your style.”

Wait, what? I have a style??

From that day forward, I embraced my style, as it is, and never looked back. It wasn’t long before my home began to take on the same air as my art.

A friend recently shared that visiting my home was like taking a trip down the rabbit hole with Alice in Wonderland. That was the nicest thing someone could say.

Our world is so full of heartaches. Violence and hatred. Life events that rip apart our worlds, like the destruction of recent hurricane Helene. I have long believed that our homes and what we fill our time with is our haven from the chaos of daily life.

This is why our house is full of the things we love and cherish. Who cares if it looks over-the-top. I have a fuchsia crystal chandelier hanging in my bathroom. It makes me happy. Is it a little flamboyant? Probably. Yet, no one who ever visits my bath ever fails to say, “Wow, I love your chandelier.”

Likewise, what I watch on television and social media follows the same path. I deliberately do not follow any news outlets; I only use Instagram for my main social media platform. (I only see what/who I follow, and those things are chosen with the same idea – positivity.) No TikTok (yes, videos are funny, but the same people are on Instagram). I only use Facebook for my Moon Diva Art and THCountzWrites. I purposely try to limit sharing anything of a religious or political nature. Instead, you see me sharing lots of animals, art, music, food, and humor. (Disclaimer: My blog and website or my personal spaces, so you get what I dish.)

Why? Because it limits the negativity coming toward me. It is a deliberate attempt of living in a bubble of positivity and good. This does not mean I am not aware of what is happening in our world. Sadly, I cannot escape the world swirling outside my door.

I know what Donald and Kamala have recently said. I do not need to sit and hear it over and over, or the divisive comments from each side. I also know what radical group (either side) is doing in our cities. I also know about the violent crimes. Again, why infuse my thoughts 24/7 with these things? It accomplishes nothing for my betterment and puts me on edge and fills me with anxiety.

Instead, I get to go into each day surrounded by things that make me smile. I have the privilege of walking into my art room, to sit at my desk and create characters for stories that children will read. Then, I spend hours at my keyboard working on my novel, short story or dreaming up topics to blog about. Once I’m done with my “work”, I go into my kitchen and prepare meals that my sweetheart will enjoy. Naturally, we all have days where nothing seems to go right, but all-in-all I am happier than I have ever been.

It causes me to live in a spirit of gratitude. I know that not everyone gets to live this way. For years, I couldn’t. I went to a job for many years that I had once loved but had become very stressful and sucked all the life out of me. It had been a small company that was like family. Once it became corporate, it was never the same. I thank God every day that I was laid off in early 2013. It forced me into re-inventing my life in a way that was healthier for me.

You may not be in a position to change your job, or work from home, but I tell you this. YOU CAN LIVE A LIFE OF WHIMSY.

Start by transforming what you watch and listen to. Figure out how to make your home more of a haven. You can do this with a very limited budget. Just ask me how. There is always something you can change to provide a haven from the world.

Next, surround yourself with positive people. I have an abundance of friends that bring constant joy to my heart. Many have chosen to live a very similar existence, and I can attest, it is wonderful to visit their homes. Do you have to deal with people that bring stress? Try to limit your time with them. I know it is hard if you are a caretaker for an elderly parent who is negative, but make sure you escape to a place that is peaceful to re-energize your spirit.

There is always something you can change to make yourself happier. Maybe your personal style is less whimsical and more minimalistic. That’s okay. Stuff does not necessarily have to be in the equation. It all starts with your attitude and choices.

If you are unhappy and stressed, what are you doing to change it?

I invite you to join me in the pink bubble where the living is fun and there are no needles!

P. S. Thank you, Susan, for today’s blog idea.