My joy is back!

On moving furniture, shaking up old systems, and the year of the Fire Horse

It totally snuck up on me. One day I was still feeling like I have for several months: heavy, weighed down, worried. And then I woke up one morning at 5 am, my old magic hour, and I jumped out of bed, rearing to go! What brought on this magnificent change, I hear you ask?

Several things:

1. I found a new author I LOVE

   

   About a month ago I downloaded the book Call of the Camino onto my Kindle. It was a random recommendation, and I downloaded it on a whim. I’ve been having a dryspell when it comes to books I can’t put down, and as any reader knows, that’s a very sad state of affairs. The dryspell is officially over! I raced through it, and I have since read three more of her books: In an Instant, Moment in Time, and Hadley and Grace. If I love an author I read all of their work, and I’m thrilled that Suzanne Redfearn is a prolific author who has published nine books so far, with a tenth coming in September.
   Other authors whom I love: Liane Moriarty, Lisa Jewell, Jojo Moyes, Michael Finkel, Susan Elizabeth Phillips (I don’t usually read romance, but I’ve read all of hers! They’re delightful).

2. Moving an armchair has changed EVERYTHING

   

   I’ve been struggling to write for months. It was mostly due to needing an extended rest after overdoing it last year with our marathon move, building a ton of animal shelters, yoga teacher training, work stress, and dealing with my hormonal issues. But I think another culprit was that I hadn’t found my ideal writing spot in the new house yet. I have a gorgeous antique desk right by the window, and I love using it for writing letters and cards, paying bills, and doing small craft projects. But it hasn’t worked for writing books. It felt like a chore having to sit down on it and working on my novel, so I’ve been avoiding it; but not writing makes me feel grumpy and unsettled, so that’s definitely been contributing to my funk over the last few months.

   
   But then I had an idea last weekend: move the armchair from the bedroom into the living room right by the window. Friends, IT HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING. I don’t know how or why, but it’s a magical writing spot! I’ve written more in the last five days than in four weeks, over 1,000 words in each sitting, which is unheard of for me! Is it Feng Shui? Is it sorcery? Don't know, don’t care. All I know is that it works, and I’m in writing heaven!

3. More light

   

   The days are getting noticeably longer again, and that extra light is like an extra infusion of energy.

4. My little “oil painting” gallery

   

   I love a gallery wall. Nothing looks more forlorn to me than having just one small picture on a large, blank wall. In my opinion, pictures are herd animals! They like to be surrounded by friends.
   For several months I couldn’t figure out how to decorate this one corner in my living room: paint another wallpaper? Get one giant picture? Finally, the solution came to me: create a little collection of oil paintings! At first I wanted to commission them from an Etsy artist, but we’re on a budget right now, so that didn’t work. I came up with a very affordable alternative: I used the BeFunky app to create “oil paintings” from some photos I’ve taken of our pets, had them printed, and bought some inexpensive gold picture frames. It cost only a fraction of what the real oil paintings would have cost, and I love how it turned out!

5. Painting wallpaper

   

   I’ve been painting different wallpaper designs for several months, and it makes me so happy. Painting is a much more affordable alternative to wallpaper, and it’s easy to change if you get bored of it. I’ve used a couple stencils, different sponge designs, and freehanded a couple others. I’m planning on taking some proper photos of it soon and share it with you.

6. The year of the Fire Horse

   

   We’re starting a new lunar year tomorrow: the year of the fire horse. I’m not sure where I fall on the spectrum of spirituality and astrology (I’m somewhere between “don’t believe in it” and “gotta charge my crystals”) but I love a good omen as much as the next woman, and fire horse years are rare: they only come around once in our lifetime, every 60 years. I love what it stands for, I love fire and horses, and as an intuitive person who’s been sensing a shift in the air for a while, I’m excited! The current patriarchal, late-stage capitalistic system is imploding, and I hope that we’re about to see a huge, global shift towards more equality, more justice, and more accountability. Which brings me to my next point:
   

7. The (possible) resolution to a problem

   

   On top of global injustice, inequality, and oppression, most of us deal with smaller versions of it in our daily lives as well. It’s no wonder that so much of it is around when our society regards behaviour such as manipulation, dishonesty, and lack of remorse as strong leadership qualities and rewards it with promotions, pay raises, and the presidency.
   I haven’t been spared either, and until a few years ago, I didn’t do much to fight against it. I’d endlessly complain about it to my friends, but I didn’t have the courage to stand up to bullies or unfair treatment.

   But ever since I’m medicated, therapized, and have entered midlife, my priorities have shifted. I choose my battles carefully and let most things go, because a lot of stuff is small stuff not worth getting into an argument over. But not everything can—or should—be ignored. I have defined my values over the years, and came up with a set of rules for myself I try to live by. As much as I dislike confrontation, some things are worth fighting for.

   Accountability is what’s been sorely lacking, not only in the world at large, but in my own little world as well. But I’m hopeful that things are changing for the better, because: Fire Horse Year!

   Today is the last day of the Wood Snake Year. No matter where you fall on the spiritual scale, I think for many of us 2025 has felt difficult, emotional, and heavy. This post I found on IG resonated with me:

   

   source

   I’m hopeful and filled with optimism. I wish the same for you!