Anxiety Undiscussed

I have just read this blog post and it has really got me thinking.

It made me think that I'm sure I already channel my anxiety into something, but it's not necessarily what I would like to be channeling it into.

I believe I channel it into where I work. I spend much time as I can there and I'm sure it's the money that is motivating me to do so, however, I also find it a place where I don't have to think I just do. I work each day and sleep at night and there is no time to think about other things. This isn't really helping me though. It stresses me more as working that hard makes me very tired which makes me more stressed. The worst part about the situation is not having a rest from it all, so I will have days at work where I just can't do anything, no will power allows me to do anything.

I wish I could channel the energy from my anxiety into my art. At the moment I have so little energy after I have finished work that I can't do any work at all. Let alone work with energy in it that I enjoy creating. It really has been a while since I created work that I truly enjoyed doing and have had a reason for creating.

This is only a small blog post. Maybe one day I will go more into my anxiety in a post. I find it a relieving thing to do and I don't know whether people read the posts or not but perhaps they do and find them interesting to relate to.

Bye for now!

It's the Little Things

Long time no write! (if that works)

So today started fine when I woke up and then gradually as the day went on it turned pretty crappy. Things that I won't mention here. By 2:00pm I was sat eating lunch and felt sick in my throat by how crappy I felt. I thought that was my day ruined and I just gave up.

Then at about 5:00pm something very small and seemingly insignificant just made my day feel suddenly like a good one.

I was helping a lady who I happened to have helped a few days before. Just before leaving (despite buying nothing) she felt the need to go to another member of staff, with my manager nearby, and tell her that I was really helpful both days she'd been there, that I was brilliant and whispered that I should have a pay rise. Well I went bright red but really couldn't hold back the huge smile creeping across my face. 2.5 weeks into work in the store and someone said that, it made me feel really happy considering I was having such a bad day. Amongst a couple of other things I felt much better about my day and I really just wanted to write this blog post because I wanted to say how easily something little can turn your day around.

I hope everyone is having a great day!

Bye for now!

Volunteering for Charities

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for me is an intense time of charity work. On a Wednesday I'm at British Red Cross helping in the charity shop. On a Thursday I'm at Asha helping with the art therapy, and then on Friday I'm back to Red Cross.

So, at British Red Cross I do a bit of everything from working on the tills, sorting, pricing up and putting things out. But recently I have been working on one particular project on my own. I've been sorting the summer stuff ready for April! It's not the most exciting thing in the world and I get surprisingly tired but when I start myself a little project, I have to finish it myself to feel satisfied.

This is the room I was sorting FROM at the start of the day.

This was the room I was sorting INTO at the start of the day (I had already been doing it previously, as you can tell).

So basically, I was sorting the bags from one room which were mixed items of clothing; ladies tops, ladies bottoms, men's tops, men's bottoms, children's etc. into the other room and putting all of the same items of clothing together and stacking them against the wall so that when the items are needed someone can easily go upstairs and grab a bag labeled 'ladies tops' (or whatever). I am just so helpful, you see?

This was the room I was sorting FROM a few hours later (it doesn't look much different but it is!).

This was the room I was sorting INTO a few hours later (I wish these photos really showed how much I did).

So that's what I'm currently doing at Red Cross (which doesn't sound interesting at all but it is alright!).

At Asha I'm doing some very different things by helping the women with their art. They are currently doing a project about designing whatever they want. A really good project to allow them all to do what they want and really express themselves through it. It has taken a few of them a while to come up with a subject matter to start designing. When they get going with a design though, it is amazing what they come up with. Things from dress designing, shoe designing, and then more art based projects with boxed collections and 'family' themed photography. However, I always start things (like volunteering at Asha) and want to give my all to it. I have so many ideas for things when I get started and it's something that I have to try and hold myself back from getting too involved. Especially when I have to think about the fact I already volunteer at these two charities, I now have a job starting next week and I have too online shops to run, as well as having a social life!

Anyway, my point is that this voluntary work has been amazing experience so far and my confidence has grown hugely. I would recommend volunteering to anyone. It's so rewarding to put your all into something with no judging because, at the end of the day, you are volunteering for the charity so you say how far you want to go.

When lying in bed on my laptop I look up and hanging on my wardrobe doors are my advent calenders (I have two). Yes, January 30th and my advent calenders are still not finished. I still have six chocolates to eat from each so I think I may have those now.

Bye for now!

New Job!

Today has already been a great day for me as I've managed to get myself a new job. It's been a complicated time getting to this point though! Back in about September I applied for a job with White Stuff and I went through the interviews etc. and actually managed to get the job. It was over Christmas though and it turns out I was going on holiday skiing at the same time... The consequence being that I couldn't have the job. This wasn't great. The holiday wasn't great.

However, the other week I got an email from the manager of White Stuff telling me she had a vacancy for a 12 hour contract and cutting a long story short; I've got the job! I'm so happy about this. I'm waiting for the rota to be sent to me tomorrow or Wednesday. Yippee!

So I've still got free time to continue with my Etsy shop.

Speaking of which...

I've been uploading a lot more items to my 'Where to Buy Vintage' shop:

And I've been uploading some handmade cushion covers that I've been slaving over for the last few days to my 'Shed Creativity' shop:

Check them out and tell me what you think!

I hope you've all been busy lately and have been having a day as good as mine.

Bye for now!