Tag: colorful

dare to be different, mental health

Coloring

2chicksandapen

I love Amazon. It really has most things I want on standby. Life is so busy that it is so easy to just click and add something special to my cart, quickly. Then it’s at my door 1-2 days later. You can’t beat it, honestly. Not to mention you can get more variety than most local stores.

For me, I needed some busy work for a few days. A couple of books to read to cure the boredom that I would be subjected to. Then I thought how about a coloring book. I found many adult books available. I settled in on the badass book with motivational statements and creative boxes to color. Added to the cart just like that.

Well then I needed the color. Would I choose colored pencils? Markers? Crayons? I decided markers were too messy. The then decided pencils were not as fun and would take me too long to color the pages. I opted for crayons. Little did I know crayons evolved and choices were abundant since I last purchased them many years ago.

I ended up picking wax crayons. A little fatter in design but maybe more adultish. Click it’s in the cart. The delivery arrives and I set to the side. I have plenty of tasks to complete and coloring isn’t really at the top of list. Then one night I opt for my coloring debut. It was simply amazing.

The crayons are smooth. They slide or glide onto the paper. It was therapeutic to just color. I can’t tell you how this simple activity just made me feel like a kid again. The deadlines didn’t matter for filing sales tax. I could do that tomorrow. The email could wait.

The list goes on and on. I opted to do coloring instead and I enjoyed it.

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My simple point of this post is try something new. Something off the wall for you. You might like it. It might change the tone of your day or week. It might be a distraction that is just what you need. Mr. Pen gel crayons are now a personal favorite.

Hope you find something quirky on Amazon that brings out your inner child like I did. My entertainment of coloring is a budget conscious choice compared to other activities. Another plus for me.

dare to be different

A Day in My Shoes

2chicksandapen

Flashback to girls night, one of those guessing games…

“Has more than 12 pairs of shoes.” My friends had to go around the circle, guessing yes or no to this fact about me about me. And on this one, most guessed no. I was shocked. Really, people who see me often don’t think I have more than 12 pairs of shoes?

Upon reflection, I’ll admit…I am pretty basic in the shoe department. I’ve never been a shoe fanatic…maybe that’s a byproduct of my size 11 feet. Most of my life my shoe size limited my selections, and I guess I didn’t love drawing attention to my big feet anyway.

The shoes I remember most from my youth were my black patent leather Doc Maartens with steel toes from a very long moody emo phase. And I loved Birkenstocks even as a teen (so don’t call me trendy on that…they’re pretty much the only shoes that support me!) But even then it was simple Arizonas or basic clogs. Keep it low key.

Up until a few years ago, I stuck to mostly brown and black. A pair of each and you can match anything. Even today, I don’t buy new CrossFit shoes every time one comes out. I have three pairs so I might get a new one once a year (and the snazziest one was a gift.) But between sandals and clogs I have at least 12 pairs of Birkenstocks. Maybe my affluence is showing.

This got me thinking about recent changes in my life. My shoe wardrobe has expanded along with my roles and ambitions. This came to me most clearly on a recent Saturday…Here’s a glimpse into a day-in-the-shoe-life of Chick 2.

Morning: Brutal CrossFit class. Wearing: Snazzy Nike CrossFit shoes. Keeping me moving through burpees, jumps, and everything else.

Midday: Planting bulbs. Wearing: Cute Sunflower boots. Keeping me safe from critters and prickers in our burgeoning flower field.

Late afternoon: Short hike on the Appalachian Trail. Breaking in my new Rainbow Merrell Antoras. Keeping me stable over rocks, ice, and leftover snow.

All these colorful shoes are new to me in the past year (and not a Birkenstock in sight!) Each has its purpose and its role in my life. They help me get jobs done with a smidgen of style or at least a bit of a smile. I’ll never be a shoe guru, but a bit of color beyond the neutrals can add variety and spice to life.