Us makers – so ready for new challenges and eager to breathe life into our days by creating something out of nothing. There is just something about the process and the accomplishment of a finished product made by our own hands. With a few materials, patience, and diligence – a few of the best parts of our character – we make extraordinary things.
Every journey must begin somewhere, right? Oftentimes, the start of learning a new skill includes lots of frustrating early failures with just enough triumphs to keep us pushing forward. The pursuit of the satisfaction that a finished product can bring can soothe the voice inside. You know the one – the one that says trying to learn how to crochet, or knit, or sew, or make whatever it is you’re making, is just not worth the headache.
“I can’t do this.” “It would be easier (and cheaper) to go to Walmart and buy a pair of socks instead of making them myself.” “Maybe I’m not cut out for this after all.” “I can get a beanie for my son on Amazon, and it will be at my doorstep within 2 days. Making one of these is going to take months!”
I’ve been there too many times to count. Doubt and fear can play a major role in my holding back from stretching myself and trying new things. While it’s easy to give in to those lies that live in my mind, the peace that settling into the making process brings keeps me reaching for the next thing, no matter how small.
If I could tell my beginner self one thing, it would be this –
Chill.
Relax.
This thing of crafting is an imperfect journey meant to be enjoyed instead of rushed.
Social media isn’t realistic – even in maker communities. I’ve been told this time and time again and have seen how a life can be perceived as wonderful through a social media audience while be totally falling apart behind closed doors. But still, I struggle with comparison on every platform.
The part that mostly gets me tripped up on is how quickly others can pump out projects. But I know better. This is so silly! There are several things that can affect this lightning fast making ability from person to person. Things like daily schedules, work, family life, other hobbies and interests, illness, desire to do the craft, life in general, and how fast or slow someone knits or crochets all contribute to how fast projects get done. This is such a personal thing and shouldn’t be compared. I know this to be true, but even so, when I’m scrolling Instagram, it’s still hard to stay in my own mental lane and not have a thought about how I should knit faster.
I wonder if I could find a way to celebrate my own slowness.
As a working, homeschooling mom of 3, my days are packed full of the best of what life can bring. And while I could probably find a way to knit almost all day through the kids’ activities, schoolwork, and all the other things, it’s not realistic in my life. There have been times when I’ve been sick and stuck on the couch, and boy, have I cranked out some projects during those times! But that’s not the norm, and I don’t want it to be. I want to be fully present in my day to day life with the people I’m with – not preoccupied with my attempts to crank out as many knitting projects as possible in a short amount of time.
I’d tell myself as a beginner that it’s good to go slow, and that slow is better for me and everyone around me. It’s sustainable. It helps prevent burnout. It gives me the space to settle into the rhythm of a project, accept interruptions without resentment, and leave behind any expectations of a timetable. I appreciate the journey more. Instead of, “I did this in 2 days!” I can say, “This thing took me 2 months and is so incredibly special because of (insert reason here.)”
I’d tell myself that I’m relaxed and continue telling that to myself until it stuck. This is what I’m doing at this point in my knitting journey, and it seems to be working quite well. Instead of saying, “I’m so uptight about this,” I accept relaxing into knitting as a part of who I am. “I’m a relaxed maker. I get my projects done slowly, and that’s awesome!” It may sound silly, but this practice has helped me in many areas of my life. Where I am and where I want to be can shift dramatically and become reality just by a little self-talk and working at it. Growth mindset, perhaps? I think I can adopt that into all areas of life to constantly grow and change and be a better version of myself.
It’s a process – one that I’m continually reminding myself of and working towards.
Thanks again
No problem! ๐