Accomplishments

Friends, I have a confession to make, that sort of makes me feel like a complete hypocrite, I have been really unmotivated and depressed lately, and I’ve spent the past 3 days wanting to do nothing but sleep, I think because sleeping means that I can escape reality. I’m so depressed that I feel depressed about being depressed… does that even make sense? Sorry, sorry for anyone who’s emails I haven’t answered, (at this moment, I have 118 unread, and 82 ‘starred’ for follow up) I am in a “funk” it would seem.

I met a teacher tonight (if you’re visiting, hi!) and she said that I seem like a fun person, and I thought, “ok, so maybe I am not that depressed”. Anyways, I need to get myself back to being a normal functioning person, because seriously, my kids can’t take care of themselves, and I am certain we can’t live on cheesecake for too much longer!

My free WordPress theme, sakeena, made it onto Smashing Magazine’s 100 Excellent Free WordPress Themes list! Smashing Magazine is a wonderful resource and their lists are always really well thought out and impressive, so I am, naturally, very excited and honored. Yay! Thank you Smashing Magazine! (And Irene and Baraka, who allowed me to use their amazing photos) And, just for good measure, my Textpattern theme, Life, that I entered into a competition and sadly did not place, has however, been downloaded more times than any of the other themes, including the winners! People’s choice is always the coolest position in my opinion.

In other exciting news, I am writing a parenting column in a Caribbean magazine, called Caribbean Belle, you can subscribe from their website if you’re interested.

I am amazed and humbled that people enjoy my work, I have much to be grateful for, and I am very grateful, I just can’t seem to motivate myself to do anything but sleep! Ideas?

Thoughts from Baraka

Salaam dear Shaz,

Sorry to hear you’ve been feeling down, my dear. When I get down I feel completely unmotivated to do anything, but it sounds like you’ve been up to quite a bit!

Congrats on the both the themes and the column!

Salaams and duas,
Baraka

Thoughts from Achelois

Congratulations! You are a wonderfully talented woman! Mousehunter is a lucky man

Thoughts from shaz

thanks!

baraka, i finished those themes months ago! i certainly didn’t do anything that ambitious recently.

Thoughts from Maliha

Salamaat,
Mabrook dear talented sis! you deserve it and much more...take care of you, take breaks, spend time rejuvenating spiritually and keep your wholeness intact.

Sorry for sounding like a broken record...find that which gives you life and hold on to it, tight.

Take care dear sis and kiss the lil ones for me.

Thoughts from Cakes

Darling, are you taking vitamins? Not in a Tom Cruise kind of way, but I know when I’m not getting all my nutrients and Omega 3’s I really start to drag. 

hugs.  Hope you’re feeling better soon.

Thoughts from Mona UmIbrahim

salams - Shaz you need sunlight. go out and just stand in the sun. the rays go through your eyes and send a message to your brain to get going. also, perhaps some liver sauteed with onions and splash of lemon juice will give you some energy, if you like liver that is. Another thing is your soul may be depressed. Open up to a random page in the Qur’an and start reading. you can do this while laying in bed! May Allah make things easier on you.

Congrats on the accomplishments too mashaAllah that’s so exciting!

Thoughts from Cynthia

Shaz, I know exactly what you are feeling, been there, my advice is to just let it be for a few days, sometimes we can’t force these things, just take it slowly. The fact that you recognize that you are in a funk is the first step to getting out of it.

You have already begun to see the clouds lifting - the smash magazine thing, the woman who spoke to you, and the Caribbean Belle magazine gig… it is already beginning to change.

Look at the comments in my blog section and add that to the rays of sunshine you are getting. You have done an excellent job.

I knew that something had to be up when I did not get a respond to my email as that is out-of-character for you.

On another note, I am going to go ahead and do the firefox thingy - you should be proud

When you are out of your funk though, I want to ask you something about Caribbean Belle. So drop me an email when you’re up to it.

Thanks love. And I am sending warm hugs, I know how cold it is there.

Thoughts from iMuslim

Congrats on your design achievements sis, masha’Allah! :D

Re: other stuff.

“I think because sleeping means that I can escape reality.”

How true! I also came to that realisation not so long ago. If it wasn’t for the salat, i would have been in bed 24/7… alhamdulillah.

“I met a teacher tonight… and she said that I seem like a fun person, and I thought, “ok, so maybe I am not that depressed””.

I think we tend to be at most “depressed” when we’re alone, or at least, at home. I remember feeling like poop, but still having a good laugh with some friends at a class i attended, and then returning to the poop-like state as soon as i came home! Perhaps good company, and/or new environments help to take your mind off your worries.

At some point though you do have to just “deal” with the issue, else you’ll end up going through continuing cycles of highs and lows, and end up feeling even more hypocritical. Humph.

I pray that Allah grants you ease after your difficulties, as He has promised… and He never breaks His promises!

Thoughts from shaz

thank you guys for your kind words, advice and duas, I love you all! I think I am doing a lot better… which is probably why I was able to even write about it now. iMuslim.. yes, I think I am seriously having some high/low cycles, but there really is not much I can do, I just have to deal, I guess. And I am.
Cynthia, yes, I know I am usually very much on top of my email, when I don’t respond my clients usually wonder what’s up with me!

I’ll be fine inshaAllah, I guess this just happens sometimes… need an endorphin boost!

Thoughts from koonj

Go hang with a friend for a little while! Or a group of happy friends. It works wonders.

And mayyyybe, just maybe, this http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AdventuresInMotherhood/~3/209849624/
is a clue to a solution to the issue? Hain mousehunter?

Thoughts from Aisha

How can I download themes tec from you?? I love your templates, design layout!!! Congrats on placing!!

I’m sorry you’re depressed. Don’t beat youreslf up over it though. I read this blog article: http://thinksimplenow.com/ and the first one on it made me think of you and how you said you beat youreslf up because you’re depressed.

Hugs. Hang in there now.

Thoughts from shaz

Koonj… mayyybe is right!

Aisha, thank you. it’s not a theme for blogger though, I think you’re on blogger right? unless you have a wordpress blog as well? I love that blog, wow, thanks, I never came across it before! Well, I am not exactly a perfectionist, but I do like efficiency and if I am not operating at 150%, I tend to feel like I am not doing enough!

Thoughts from Jennifer

Oh Shaz, sorry to hear you are down.  Congrats on your Wordpress theme, I checked it out and LOVE it!  If I hadn’t just spent the better part of a month tweeking mine, I’d switch to this one!

Thoughts from shaz

thanks Jennifer!! I appreciate that you love it that much!

Suroor… when I read “mousehunter is a lucky man”, I started laughing, and when mousehunter read it, he genuinely asked “what does she mean by ‘mousehunter is a lucky man’?” hahaha. It was funny to read it, because neither he not I think he’s all that lucky to have me! hahaha, not in a bad way, but it’s just maybe that we’re been married too long…