The positive-thinking me, the resilient me, the resourceful me, the mother in me, the one who thinks that the world can be a better place, the one who doesn’t believe in racism, violence and sexism, the one who still hopes, the one who believes in friendship and humanity, we are all tired…
I wanted this year to be different.
I wanted to end it on a positive note and I can feel that I’m heading into the same wall as these past few years…exhausted, depleted but with extra baggage: the burden of having lost a father, a beloved aunt and a close friend.
And I’m not the only one to feel the pain…there was Brexit, Paris, Nice, the US elections, the earthquake in New-Zealand.
It’s probably not over so here is what I’m going to do and not do these next couple of months…
1/ I’m not going to do any Christmas shopping guide on the blog.
Granted, it will be a loss of income in affiliates links* but one of the reasons, I wanted to stop running the concept store I ran for 10 years, was that I got tired of posting things on Instagram with the same underlying message: BUY.
I’m tired of the consumerism.
I’m tired of us (the world) buying things and throwing them away a few weeks later because nothing matters anymore.
Not how it is made, where it is made or who made it.
When I was Mila’s age, we were taught in school how to cook, how to sew, how to repair a light and to these days, I still know how to repair and fix a broken light, change a socket or replace fuses.
When I see the kind of really useless things Mila is taught at school, things she will never ever use in her grown-up life, I despair.
I wanted 2016 to be about inspiration and creativity, about the beautiful things I saw and photographed without a commercial agenda, which is why I started People from the sea.
2/I’m going to pause my personal Facebook account
I love Facebook. I’m not one of these people who believe it’s a negative platform. On the contrary, it has allowed me to stay in the lives of people I care about, people I appreciate even if we live in different countries, have different lives.
It has allowed me to burst out laughing alone in front of my screen when friends in France, Italy or the US connected at the same time and cracked jokes.
It has allowed me to make new friends online and to spend time in real life with like-minded people.
It has allowed me to share petitions to save kids, animals, our oceans, to help Jacqueline Sauvage beaten and raped by her husband, to stop bullying at school, to help families with an autistic child, to make positive choices about what I eat, to make engaged choices about companies to boycott like Coca-Cola, Bayer & Monsanto.
It has allowed me to discover new things, new people but right now, I’m tired to read one bad news after another.
In the same way, if a plane is in trouble up in the air, you need to pull the mask on your face before attending your child, I’m putting the mask on my face so I can look after myself to have the energy to help others.
3/I’m not going to cover any political issues but I will just say this: If you are French, just make sure you register to vote.
You have to do this before 31st December 2016 here because when the s**t hits the fan next year with far-right political groups gaining market shares, it will be too late to get your acts together and vote.
4/I’m going to be gentle with me and focus on this blog which remains my creative space.
I’m going to carry on sharing things that inspire me and hopefully will inspire you even if sometimes, it feels like no-man land with no-one bothering to comment despite analytics showing that you are there but not really.
Well, I’m here…
5/I’m going to do a list of things I want to do next year.
Not a new year resolution kind of list but one with trips and laughter, and simple things.
A happy bucket list, like an extended version of 4 feel-good things I wanted to achieve in 2016.
Voilà, so I’ll be here if you need me…
Image source: nayyirah.waheed
I’ve been following your shop/blog/feeds for quite some time and have always marveled at the beauty of what you post. I’m sorry to hear that this year has taken a toll on you and hope you will find a new peace soon. This year has been intense for many and the time for respite now is crucial.
As a creative myself, I know how important it is to have an outlet to make and share our thoughts and passions and I look forward to following your journey here.
All the best,
Michelle
Thank you very much Michelle. I really appreciate your words
I feel you. It seems that all the news is bad news and I really can’t cope with it. So I stopped reading the papers and watching the news. I actually don’t want to hear about bad things. I know how stupid and ignorent this sounds but this is my way of protecting myself from worrying way too much and not sleeping at night.
A happy bucket list sounds super! Hopefully you will publish it in the blog as inspiration :)
I feel exactly the same. I stopped watching the news a while back but now I’m bombarded by articles & news on Facebook and while a lot of them are interesting, they are thrown at me on a daily basis so I really need a break to focus on mundane, simple things.
I will get cracking with this happy bucket list :-)
Thank you so much for this inspiring post. I just want to let you know that I’m still reading and that commenting is going to be on my resolution list starting now. Love you xxxx
oh thanks Yvonne, hope to catch up with you in 2017. Lots of love
I’m still here as well:). I try not read news that often for last 18 months. Half of the things media writes about wont probably even happen, everything is hyped up to absolute maximum, bad things always used to happened around the world, we just know about everything in a few seconds these days…one psychologist once said, stop watching the news, look out the window…that’s what tell myself when I occasionally get wrapped up in catastrophic scenarios, bassicly when I feel that the whole world is going to sh…. Anyway:), sometimes is good to have a break from things to stop and think. You are very inspiring lady… By the way I love the people from the sea project. I used to love your posts about decorating your homes, more like diy projects etc. Like the cabinet with photos …. Have a nice week!
Thanks Veronika :-)
I had stopped watching the news years ago but FB is getting a bit too much and it sucks my time away.
You’re right, I haven’t done a DIY project for ages except putting up some shelves in a cupboard and hopefully, freeing some of my time and doing something creative will restore some balance.
Have a very nice week too. Love
Si tu savais combien ton article, à chaque rubrique , me parle … C’est vrai et bien écrit . Merci
Merci beaucoup Nathalie, ca me fait très plaisir
Bravo! Here’s to living for what matters, making choices that are meaningful and to filling our small corners of the earth with kindness, wherever that may be. May you find the rest and contentment you desire abundantly. Best wishes to you and your family from NZ xo
I love this post Karine and really like the idea of a happy list for the new year instead of a list of resolutions! It’s definitely been a hard year, hoping 2017 is a happier one. x
Thanks Polly, yes to a happy 2017, we all deserve it. Lots of love
Je viens de découvrir votre blog et vais y revenir avec plaisir. En espérant que 2017 soit plus ‘humain’ et moins violent, à nous d’essayer d’y apporter notre petite part de positif, amitiés, Martine
Merci beaucoup Martine…oui à un 2017 plus humain, plus doux
Appreciating the simple things in life and getting to the heart of what I deem important in the great scheme of things, has been at the core for me after experiencing a few hard months recently. It’s a work in progress. :)
Be kind to yourself Karine. I’ve enjoyed your blog and work for a long time, and absolutely love your people from the sea project – I look forward to seeing you return to the camera soon.
Wishing you a restful end to the year and a wonderful 2017, all the best, Renae Xx
Oh, this year! So intense and life changing for me too, everything is up side down and I just feel you. I will come with great pleasure here on your blog (like I did before), to this calm boudoir for our Me Moments…Big hug to you Karine.
Thank you very much Matilda, let’s slow down together :-)
I was saying to my husband last night that we will look back on 2016 and say it was the year when the world pivoted. I hope it inspires us to change that direction for the better. F*ck 2016. I’ll be reading in 2017, looking forward to hearing about your happy bucket list, I’ll be stealing that idea xx
I hope so. I defo thought this year I saw more awareness on food lobbies etc and hopefully things are shifting and maybe it needs to get worse before it gets better. Maybe 2017 will be another 1968 and we look at doing things in a different way
And I’m with you on the F*ck 2016! ;-)
Today I love more than ever your say it like it is. merci Xx You said all the truths that I have in my mind
Dear Karine, thank you for your post. It will be my inspiration for 2017. And just to make you feel a bit better, your blog is a very very positive one and it gives me a good feeling which has nothing to do with consumption or making me want to buy things. Just pure and simple, from the heart. I think you’re already doing really well in life, your blog just breathes that. And what you say (i just started this a few months ago, with leaving some people sad and even sometimes angry), keep your world SMALL for a while, just the ones who really matter. Who give you that positive feeling you need. Wishing you a peaceful 2017. x
Merci pour ce post Karine, que je comprends si bien!
Love reading your posts, and love how honest they always are. Sorry I don’t always comment! Hope you continue to be kind to yourself and recharge yourself. Sounds like a great plan x
Thanks Saf and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, I always appreciate them a lot!
I love reading your blog. listening to your thoughts and I deeply admire your photography. AM glad that you will be taking a breath to enjoy each moment this holiday season. I think I shall too.
Thanks for the inspiration on the beautiful wreaths. And speaking of candles, I started making soy candles last year and love everything about them. If you need a smell good and not complicated method give me a holler.
best to you xx
Oh thank you Kim! And YES for the scented candles method please. I also bought some soy from Amazon and I would love to hear how you make yours
Me too! Would make lovely presents for Xmas.
I literally just this minute finished reading a book called ‘Mom&Me&Mom’ by Maya Angelou and after the last page I checked my email and the first thing I read was ‘All the women in me are tired’ – if you ever read or have read the book you will understand the serendipity. If you could do with some positive inspiration about how wonderful people can be and about how people can make changes in their lives and in society I highly recommend it. I’m off to print a F*** 2016 t-shirt! X
I never read a book by Maya Angelou but I often came across some of her quotes and I really like them so I will add this to my list of books to read over the holidays. Can you get me a F*** 2016 t-shirt too please!! :-)
You’ve just described how it feels at the moment for most people. Exhausted by the negativity, fear and hatred around us. But I wanted to say thank you for sharing your thoughts, for articulating how i also feel. I suppose I just wanted to say that you’re not alone and that it will/has to get better!
Thanks Justine and thanks for your comment. I sincerely hope it will better but 2016 was really a sh**y year
What a beautiful blogpost this is! It is the first article I read this morning and it warms my heart to discover people feeling the same as I do!
That’s the thing we must never forget : even when the world outside us is cold and we read and experience a lot about racism, hatred, selfishness…we also must realize there are other people like you, me and so many of your readers who are warm hearted and who care about others and share the same values. When you are aware of that, it is easier to continue life. I also share very much your opinion about being fed up with materialism, with a society who pushes us to buy and buy. Let’s celebrate slow and simple life and continue with your good work Karine!! A reader from Belgium.
Such a thoughtful post. I think we can all relate to your feelings, thank you for being so honest and open. You and Mila both have a wonderful creative spark that inspires so many people! Sally x
Yes this post has stroke a chord with quite a few of us which in a way, is nice, there is hope…
Thanks for your lovely comment <3
I’ve missed you! Used to receive blog bumph regularly, but it stopped. I came across you again, accidentally, this morning and was reminded of how lovely your stuff always is. Fingers crossed it won’t disappear again.
Hi Joyce so nice to have you back! What’s blog bumph? I never heard of it :-)
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Love love love all of this. Will comment more too. Courage x
Thank you Marie-Claire <3
We are all in this together. Thank you for articulating and standing up for your values. Let’s hope that the year ends in peace and that 2017 isn’t as bad as we fear. Those of us in the blue cities in blue states in the USA are still in shock. I am trying to find ways to be constructive but will continue to focus on bringing beauty and peace to my home and family.
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