Presto, change-o.......

[Nataliebabe]

no mo.

Natalie is on hiatus. The desire to be "her" has left me. The thing of it is, I don`t feel any sense of loss or emptiness. I haven`t dressed or shaved in 5 days. I looked at my clothes, my make up and everything else and.....nothing. Natalie has left the buliding and I don`t even miss her.

With that, I don`t know when she will return, if ever. I don`t know when I will return to this board. Thanks you SO MUCH to all of the girls here for all of the help and support that you have given me since I have been here. I hope that all of you stay safe and enjoy the upcoming holiday season. Cheers!:drink:

[TommiTN]

Natalie, I'm going through the same thing. I've felt Tammi slipping away for a few weeks and yesterday morning she was just...gone. I still think about her but the desire to be her just isn't there right now. I have particular situations in my life that I'm sure have a direct bearing on this and if and when I get those resolved I'm sure she'll be back as I'm sure Natalie will be back. Give her time and above all don't purge. When she returns she'll want her stuff.

[nikki47]

Natalie,give it time i am sure she will return,i've been there a few times,thinking why did i ever dress,then bang before you know it the feeling comes back,for me even stronger.This for me is the most intense period of being Nikki.

Happy holidays to you.

Nikki

[Di]

Just try not to stress and worry about it if you can.:hugs: Trust me it will come back :hugs:
And no purging...box it up and put out of sight if it comes to this.

[Angie G]

We will miss you Natalie you know where we are anytime you need hun. Enyoy and be safeand happy.:hugs:
Angie

[carolinebrookes]

I'm going through that spell at the moment. It isn't the first time it's happened though and I'm safe in the knowledge that my desire to dress will return at some point.

My advice? Just chill and let everything take it's course. It may be next week, next month or even next year. Just try not to purge. It's an expensive mistake!

Take care

[Sweet Cindy]

I think Tammi nailed it:
"Give her time and above all don't purge. When she returns, she'll want her stuff."

I was gone from this board for nearly a year on my last "hiatus", which was pretty recently. But I'm a closeted occasional dresser.

Take care and best of luck. We'll be here waiting for you.

[trisha59]

Its tied into the moon or planets or something but it definitely on some sort of cycle. I found that even though at this time my Trisha is "boxed up" Being on this forum keeps her near. For what ever thats worth.

[Andrea-B]

I recently came across a reminder of Maslow's hierarchy of needs when reading another person's blog. It provided a reasonable explanation for the ebb and flow of my own desire to dress. As stress in my life increases the higher order motivations (i.e. dressing) wane as I become pre-occupied with more fundamental needs. Maybe this applies in your situation. It could also explain why it is reasonable to expect Natalie will return.

Sorry to go all pop-psych, but it provided a reasonable explanation for why my interest in CDing varies in intensity. I think this is especially useful for those of us who dress part-time only. I wouldn't suggest it is necessarily the case for all on this board.

Wikipedia offers a reasonable summary I think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchy_of_needs.

andrea

[NikkiBeth]

I understand the feeling just going away. The desire to be Nicole went away, as I started to layout my new business, this feeling lasted for about 7 or 8 months. Now that I am up and running, and am no longer working out of the house or out buying equipment, the feeling is coming back.Nicole has even come to work, this week it has been twice.
So hang on, don't purge and as the man on the commercial say's "we'll leave a light on for you." :)
Nikki B.

[Vicki65]

After 35 years of this, I can say for sure it comes and goes. I used to worry about the feelings coming back, but these days, hell I dont care! Now my wife is comfortable with the way I am, so am I. I think I understand who I am, I have my own clothes stash, I'm happy in my life.

If I want to CD, I will. If I dont, I wont. Happy as male, happy in drab, happy en-femme. Ahhhhh... balance for once in my life!

[Shannen]

hhhmmmm... I wonder if there is a quota or something... maybe a token that gets passed around... I just got it back!

For me it was just not enough time and energy, but when I planned some time to do it and got dressed up, it was all right there!

:hugs:

[VICKI LYNN HATCHER]

HI THERE SWEET CINDY,
I'M VICKI LYNN from the SF BAY AREA and I too am a closet dresser , just let your femm feelings flow when they do . PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH - YOUR "SECRET SISTA" VICKI LYNN HATCHER

[CD Susan]

I think Tammi nailed it:
"Give her time and above all don't purge. When she returns, she'll want her stuff."

Natalie, I think most of us have gone through this at some time. I have tried to quit several times and thought I could do it if I had enough will power. I never lost interest in the sense that you have but felt that I wanted to stop dressing and be 'normal' like everyone else. Each time I attempted to quit I failed and the desire returned stronger than before. I purged all my things three times and these were costly mistakes. I hope you can stop dressing if this is what you really want but I think you will eventually return like so many of us have. I hope you do not make the same mistake that I did and purge your things. Store them some place where they will be safe. Good luck to you dear.

[Joann0830]

We will miss you Natalie you know where we are, here anytime you need to talk, thats what we all do well. I purged once and I missed the great feelings of being the real me and now I came back and had to buy new clothes OUCH!
Something must have happened to you like me and you feel its time to stop. Its the one day that you feel that feeling and realize the reason you started to do it and come back. Wishing you The Very Best and will surely miss you. Joann0830:sad::sad:

[Holly]

Been there, done that, read the book, have the coffee cup. Good for you that there is no emptiness. For the time being, be happy with who you are. And [-]if[/-] when Nichole shows up demanding some attention, welcome her with open arms!

[Nataliebabe]

Thanks for all of the kind words girls. I`m not going to purge, been there done that. I`m just done for awhile, but, I don`t know how long that "while" will be. I have gone years in between dressing, but, I was never into it like I am/was now. I was never able to enjoy it like I have been able to the last 2 years or so. I am not stressed about anything at all. I`m actually having a great time getting lots of work done and also enjoying some extracurricular activities before old man winter sets in. Life is actually pretty good!

If Natalie comes back....great! If not, then it wasn`t meant to be....and, I am looking pretty good in the hunting beard. LOL!

Again, thanks to all of you! :hugs:

[Schatten Lupus]

Maybe it's something in the water or air maybe. I had a period for a few days when I just had zero desire to dress, to the point where I wore boxers for the first time in a few weeks.
It only lasted a few days, and the odd thing was, even though up until the last few months I have wished for nothing more than to not be trans, I felt depressed and an emptiness without feeling like myself.

[femw/i]

Sometimes I wish that I never had the desire to dress. Other times I enjoy the thought of being somewhat unique.
I can make one statement for myself, it is always there, weak or strong.

[BeckiB]

You may have noticed what it says under my name.."it is good to be back!" thats because I kind of lost the feeling. My dry spell was a year and a half. I didn't get rid of anything..just packed it away for a sunny day. I do think that the desire to dress is pretty fluid and some days the desire it will be stronger than others. So pack your stuff away and wait for the pretty thoughts to return.

[docrobbysherry]

You get a lot more chores done when u don't dress!:heehee:

I can relate. Sometimes dressing is such a chore for me! I forced myself last nite. Actually, the CHORE was getting out all the boxes, suitcases, and plastic bags of clothes and accessories. Oh, and a makeup kit now, too!
After I actually started dressing, I found the thrill was still there!:D

[bimini1]

The harder you try to stop it the more difficult it is. Then if you stop trying to quit it so hard, it just goes away.

[erickka]

Seems that even us hardcore crossderssers need a little vacation too. You'll probably be back before you know it. Take care Natalie.