Positive Sloth

I have a tendency to go into "sloth mode" during difficult times in my life. Sloths sleep 15-18 hours a day and rarely leave the safety and comfort of their trees - they actually only come down from their lovely tree home once a week to go to the bathroom. While I may not hit the 15 hours a day mark (but have been known to) and I do make it to the bathroom more than once a week, I can definitely relate to this. Anyone who has been through a rough point in their lives or struggles with depression I'm sure can relate as well. It is much easier to sleep the day away in a safe place, isolate (female sloths tend to have one baby a year, but due to lack of movement may go longer in a year because they haven't found a male!), and wait for it all to go away. When dealing with deployment, some level of depression, exhaustion, and isolation is normal in the beginning phases. Disorientation and Depression are Stage 4 in the common stages of deployment (Pavlicin, 12). If your life looks like a Cymbalta commercial for more than a month, it's time to get some help.

Ironically, pictures of sloths make me incredibly happy. I have been known to drink wine and Pinterest search "happy sloths" on particularly bad days. I know that depression is an issue for me, and I'm sure I'll deal with it again here shortly - specifically after the dreaded "goodbye" at the air port. Goodbye parties will be over, all the planning with be done, and everything will start to set in. However, I refuse to go "full sloth" for too long. I'll give myself a few bad weeks and then move on and adapt. That's the plan, anyway - and having a plan is part of it. While I may be sloth-like sometimes, I'll at least move towards being a happy one like that guy up there.

One part of my plan is to have exciting things to do while James is gone. The opposites of depression and isolation are creativity and socialization...I'm actually looking forward to the chance to get to do projects, try new things, cook only the food that I like, and fill the DVR up with New Girl and Smash. Here's some of the things I'm doing to be a "positive sloth":

• Have a week devoted to watching only musicals
• Run with my dogs at the park regularly
• Learn to crochet and sew (this has historically been disastrous)
• Take art and writing classes
• Act in a play (It's been years, this may also be a disaster. I'll be sure you all get tickets)
• Plant a garden (or at least keep a Chia Pet alive)
• Re-do the bedroom: paint the walls and furniture & buy accessories
• Finish furnishing and decorating the office
• Connect with friends I haven't talked to in a while
• Go to museums regularly
• Take a solo-vacation (even stay in a hotel by myself!)
• LOTS of girl time with my best friends (whether they like it or not, I'll be on their door step)
• Eat cleaner foods, experiment with new recipes (maybe go vegetarian again?)
• Crafts, jewelry making, painting, whatever I feel like! 
• Join/start a book or craft club

Now don't these all sound like lovely ideas that would get anyone out of bed? (Or at least out of a tree long enough to pee?) Of course they do. That would be the goal. I'm going to be realistic - I'm sure I won't do all these things -and there's even more on my list. There will be sloth weeks where I don't answer my phone and hang out with only Blanche, Sophia, Dorothy and Rose. I am determined to achieve some of my goals and use this chance alone to grow and create.


Sources/Resources:
Surviving Deployment, Karen M. Pavlicin
MilitaryOneSource: Managing Emotions During Deployment
Wikipedia: Sloths
(And a special thanks to Pinterest and Cupcake Moscato for fueling my creativity- and my new appreciation for/connection with three-toed sloths)