I listen to quite a few podcasts.  One of them is Kevin Smith’s, director of Clerks, Mallrats and emperor of the SIR (Smodcast Internet Radio) internet podcast empire.  He talks about “chasing whimsy.”  This is why he got into various film, comic book and radio projects.  He follows his creativity wherever it goes.  I love that idea and wish I had the time to chase all the whimsies in the world.  Instead, I have modified this concept of whimsy as a self help tool.  I keep whimsical things around my home.  Many times, I get emotionally stuck.  Through various DBT skills, I have learned how to get unstuck.  Marsha Linehan, rather cleverly and simply, based them in the five senses.  All one needs to do is look to their five senses to “press reset,” as I like to say, in order to feel better.  So in my past entry, I discussed how to press reset using the senses of touch and smell through showers and baths.  This entry of “How to Press Reset” focuses on the sense of sight.  I want to very much look into color therapy, but for right now (and for lack of time) I buy small things and place them in various places in my condo, journal and other things that I encounter daily that will make me smile.  I cannot help but laugh when I look at my frog sponge holder…(Go ahead, I dare you.)

This little guy is currently even funnier because the sponge in his mouth is pink, so it looks like a real tongue.  Just one look reminds me of who I was with when I purchased it, and I do in fact, sometimes, laugh out loud.  I pause and realize all the thoughts and feelings are not worth it IN THIS MOMENT.  My kitchen is not short on whimsy, nor animals.  At first, I was not sure about these chickens.  My mother bought them because I was short on decor.  I look up at them from the couch and laugh.

The cleaning ladies have since turned them to face to the left.  All I can think now when I look up is “To the left, To the left” sung in a bit of R and B way.  They do not necessarily inspire me, but they crack me up.

Now sometimes you do need to do something to pull yourself out of your head or away from thinking so much about your chronic pain.  In my world, Felix provides lots of opportunities.  Distraction is one of the goals of distress tolerance.  So what I love to do with Felix is place him in various positions and take pictures of him.  Initially, the first goals was just to remember the silly places my friends and I would place him.  Again, I could look back at the pictures and laugh.  Then it became a few blog posts (See posts below written by Felix).  Now, this has me thinking of something more.  I may write a children’s book about him and what he does in my condo while I am gone to work for the day.  This will be fun and it will help me distraction from chronic pain and annoying thoughts and feelings that may hold me back.

Finally, I am proud to say that this creativity and imagination runs in the family.  I am also proud to say it never leaves you if you keep these skills sharp.  Check out this picture of my Dad playing with my baby cousin’s snowman making kit.

You can play with just about anything, anywhere.  Go ahead, be silly, be creative you never know where it will land you.   Take pictures, write, doodle, etc.  One can always find some whimsy to chase, no matter how little you have or how limited your ability is to do it.  The lesson I learned from Kevin Smith is that the sky is the limit. Perhaps it could be lucrative as it has been for some.  More importantly, it will make you feel better in the moment.  Guaranteed.

Clearly, Dad is having a great time.  A man who can find fun just about anywhere.