Unapologetically connecting with the things we love

I don’t know about you but I love Halloween!

Okay, if I’m really being honest, I love any reason to decorate the inside and outside of our house in fun ways. It doesn’t seem to matter how busy life gets, somehow I seem to make this a priority. With our children well into their 30’s I can’t even say I do it for the kids. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the reactions we get from the 20 or so kids that come trick or treating to our house but I’d go to all that trouble even if we didn’t have any kids coming to our door for treats.

That point is driven home by the fact that I’m equally enthusiastic about decorating the inside and outside of our house for other seasonal occasions. And it’s driven home even more by the fact that I have a plethora of little “stuffies” that I faithfully attach to my purse at specific times of the year.

Yes, I can honestly say I do these things for me and it’s just an added bonus if others get some enjoyment out of my enthusiasm for whimsy. Fortunately I have a husband and two bonus kids that have come to appreciate this about me and will even support me in my playful endeavors.

So why, you might ask, does a 58-year-old female psychologist still get so excited about all this stuff? Trust me, it’s a question I’ve asked myself and I’m sure if Sigmund Freud were still alive he’d have plenty of theories!

But I think the answer is really quite simple: doing these things keeps me connected with the silly and playful parts of myself. And I’m happy to say I embrace these parts of myself unapologetically. Much like Tabitha Carvan’s love of Benedict Cumberbatch. (If you haven’t already done so, I’d encourage you to read her book, This is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something - Anything - Like Your Life Depends On It, or listen to our podcast interview with her. It's one of our favourites!)

What is one thing you can do this weekend to connect with something you love?