Painting My Spirit Gold

I was positive this blog had served its purpose and I’d moved on.

Well. I’m here to say I’ve changed my mind.

Painting My Spirit Gold was created in 2015 (4 years ago) as a way to document my travels around the world along with the lessons I was learning and finding happiness through it.  I did an awesome job (if I do say so myself) at staying committed to my blog during this time by writing in every city, noting each meaningful interaction, and overanalyzing lessons that were being thrown in my face daily.

When Dan and I returned home, something in me changed.  I wanted to continue to write, did so sporadically, and even wrote a post about my struggles with it.  I stuck with it for about a year and even dabbled at somewhat changing the theme to writing about hikes I was experiencing here in Colorado.

Sadly, I realized writing through the blog wasn’t coming naturally to me anymore and felt like a chore.  My mental space did not have time for blogging.  It was confusing because I was still working through and sticking to my theme of Painting My Spirit Gold by moving to a completely new state, working remotely, and going through all the transitions that come along with a big move – shouldn’t I have had a lot to say during that time?

I chalked it up to the fact that the blog served a very good purpose during a time in my life where I really needed it but it wasn’t calling to me anymore.  And that was okay.  I would still continue to write (and I do in Evernote, in the 52 List Project, etc.) and I would always keep it around for the memories.

Then, the other day, I woke up with the urge to look through my old blog posts.  I haven’t done this in months and had a stroke of nostalgia for my travels and time of freedom.  I loved every second of reading through our experience getting a boat in the Galapagos and re-reading where 2015/2016 Christie was at mentally.  I could see how much I’ve grown, how much I’ve done since then, and how much that experience and all of the ones that have followed have shaped me.

Part of the reason I haven’t picked up blogging again is because I felt like I had to have a theme.  I needed to have a direction of what I’m writing about.  I also started to feel overwhelmed with how much I should have been writing about in the past 2 years.  I brought this up to Dan who made me realize who cares?! Write what you feel like writing about.  You aren’t doing this for anyone but yourself so why does it matter?  You don’t have to be traveling full-time to be Painting Your Spirit Gold.

Here I am, making a move to start writing again in this blog.  I will be eventually giving it a fresh makeover to fit where I’m at now but that will most likely come in the next couple of months.  I’m thinking this new blog will be a hodge podge of stuff that makes me happy and basically anything I feel like putting down on a page.

So, my old friend, here’s to a fresh start.