Intentions

Happy New Year!

I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions – they always feel so doomed to failure. I haven’t made any for years. That doesn’t mean that I don’t stop and think about things like goals and desires. At this time of year, with the new year beginning and the solstice having passed and days getting longer, it’s hard not to pause and take stock. I look back over last year and forward at the year to come, and wonder how I can move closer to realizing my goals. That, of course, leads to thinking about just what those goals are.

If you’ve been reading my blog this past year, you’ll know that I’ve been taking classes and trying out some new things in the realm of art quilts. In truth, I’ve been taking classes here and there for several years now. I’ve tried everything from thread painting to fabric dying, from stamp carving to beading. I’ve also taken classes in creative thinking, and journaling for inspiration, and other topics intended to stimulate the creative part of my brain. I’ve realized that I love working with fabric and thread more than any other medium. I also love adding embellishments and beads. I have many ideas, and all of those pieces of the creative puzzle are falling into place and making me want to really get creating.

I find myself wondering what obstacles stop me from doing just that. As with most people, life does sometimes interfere. Things need to be done if I want to eat food and live in a clean home and have clean clothes to wear. It’s also hard to keep focussed. I so easily get distracted by the internet or other things. And my sewing room is constantly a mess and hard to work in. On the other hand, I tend to have unrealistic expectations of myself. I find myself thinking that I could do so much more if I just had more self-discipline, forgetting that I can’t simply will away the health problems that often sap my energy. I need to find the middle ground, where I can focus what energy I have on what matters most, while still accepting that I need to allow enough time for rest, exercise and self-care.

On top of that, I get caught too often in perfectionism and the fear of making mistakes. That’s a big barrier, one that can lead to projects in progress being avoided for months or years. It’s about time for less fear and more courage, and focussing on the mantra “finished is better than perfect!”

So, these are my intentions for the coming months: to spend more time doing the things that I love to do – creating and learning; to use up some of my stash of fabric and yarn – some of which has been patiently waiting for attention for years now; to crack open some of the wonderful books I own, and try out the techniques and patterns contained in them; to let go of that anxiety and have fun making things; and to finally get my sewing room organized into something more functional. And I hope to keep on sharing my art and craft adventures with my friends and readers.

So, do you have any hopes or intentions for the coming year?