CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE

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LIFE'S NOT ALWAYS SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS

I've always been in awe of the "Little Miss Sunshine"s of the world. Some people progress through life easily with great things happening regularly with life's road being a smooth and trouble free journey. I can understand how these people are able to be happy all the time, but there are also people who manage to have a smile for the world despite their life's ups and downs.

Life regularly has moments that suck - work starts off fine and then disgruntled people get in your face, you go shopping and can't find an outfit that remotely suits your age or stage, you feel grumpy, you look frumpy, people ignore you, someone pushes in front of you and so it goes on. Our life's little dramas interrupt how we think things should be and we react accordingly.

A TASTE OF MIDLIFE DEPRESSION

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WHEN LIFE TAKES A TURN

Last year parts of my life imploded before my eyes. My husband, who I had been supporting financially since his redundancy 3yrs before, decided he didn't want to be married any more and I was looking down the barrel of starting life over again with just my cat and a part time job. The scary thing is that there were parts of that scenario that were strangely appealing.

EXPECTING HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

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THINKING EVERYONE IS THE SAME

I’ve always been a healthy person – fairly robust and not prone to illness in general. I expected that this was the same for everyone and had never heard of the term “depression” until it took a swipe at my family. Pre-Google, “depression” was what people got when someone died. I have subsequently found out it is also what people get when their family has a predisposition towards Seratonin deficiency.

AN UNMET EXPECTATION - HAVING A NINE TO FIVE HUSBAND

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EXPECTING HIM TO DO THE 9-5 ROUTINE

Somewhere in my upbringing and also from what I’ve observed in general around me, I expected I would have a husband who worked nine to five and stayed in the same job through several sets of long service leave.

EXPECTING TO HAVE THE 'PERFECT FAMILY'

expectations

THE PERFECT FAMILY

My first expectation relates to family – I have this absurd notion (that my family refers to as my “Brady Bunch Mentality”) that families want to spend time together sharing happily in each others’ lives - because they have been parented that way.

EXPECTATIONS - THE UNDERMINERS OF HAPPINESS

expectations blog post

EXPECTATIONS

I have come to realize that my whole world view is based on my expectations of what life should be and how people should behave. This can lead nowhere except to disappointment because I cannot force life or people into the mold I want.

MY LIFE AS THE ANTI-CRAFT

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WHEN CRAFT JUST ISN'T YOUR "THING"

As a good Christian woman it is an embarrassment to admit that I loathe any type of craft. I can admire the dexterity and "creativity" of those who immerse themselves in the latest crafting fad, but I just cannot get inspired by padded tissue boxes or scrap booking or quilting or any of the myriad of other activities that others thrive on.

A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS.....OR NOT

Do you ever feel a little disappointed in how your Christmas looks compared to other families? Maybe you're suffering from "A very Brady Christmas" problem. #Christmas #BradyBunch

BRADY BUNCH CHRISTMASES

I seem to have fallen down the rabbit hole of Brady expectations all my life. It particularly manifests around the Christmas season and it brings with it a plethora of feelings of not having achieved the perfect parenting ideal.