Setting Goals.. or a list of maybes but no promises.

New Year's Resolution
noun
a promise that you make to yourself to start doing something good or stop doing something bad on the first day of the year:

There are SO many things wrong with that definition.  Let's start with the word "promise", it's a horrid word filled with high expectation, failure, and disappointment.  I never ever make a promise I can't or won't keep, consequently, I don't make promises.  Then there's "on the first day of the year' and that is about as long as my New Year's Resolutions ever lasted.  Lose weight, give up smoking, go to the gym.. urgh.  I never understood why one would put so much pressure on oneself and why on earth total all the pressure points under the auspices of "New Year Resolution".. Why not just do it, at any time of the year?  It's a bit like Valentine's Day, hate it, if Mr Builder can't say "I love you" or buy me flowers just because he can without a calendar reference reminding him too, then he's definitely not the man for me.  Fortunately he is, crisis averted!

I've seen countless posts on Instagram and Facebook this past week asking 'What are your knitting/crochet goals for 2017".  Do we have to confine our goals to a 12 month period?   Is there more of a sense of achievement if you can get as many ticks on your list in that 12 months?  Are we going to self combust with shame if we don't do it all, cos you know, we said we would.

Are you seeing a theme emerging here.. I hate constriction of this sort, because I know me, I am the most undisciplined person you will meet.  You all know this because you realised I hadn't blogged as regularly as I said I would or wanted to.

Life happens, it changes course, it alters your plans, None of us can guarantee that a resolution, goal, plan, whatever you want to call it will pan out the way we originally intend.

 I have started the year with a daily planner, more to help me be organised at home and keep track of my projects. Again, I know me, I know that I will let it slide at various points but I will try to keep it up to date and myself on track. Its set up quite simply, a cheap A4 day to a page diary.  I have my to do list, my in progress projects, notes of orders I've placed etc. I also have a wee box in which to list those things that I am grateful for each day to keep me accountable for acknowledging those little and big things in life.

With regard to my crafty things, I want to do and learn so many things but I wont pressure myself with a time frame.  But while you're here I'll share some of them with you.

I ordered this lovely little drop spindle and Shetland fleece on ebay a few nights ago. I've wanted to learn to spin since I was a wee little girl and often dreamed of a having lovely spinning wheel.  Now even I know to start small and get a feel for things before I jump in spending a gazillion dollars on something that could very probably make a beautiful decorator item than a working tool.

I'd love to have the courage to design.  I have this mental block in that regard in that I've only been knitting seriously for 6 months, I must be out of my mind to think that anyone would take me seriously if I were to pop out a design so soon, but I have 3 in my head already.

Then there's Brioche, Cables, Continental Knitting, so many techniques to learn.  I know that I'll achieve those things relatively quickly when the mood strikes because one of my favourite things to do is learn. Admittedly in my planner I have listed Cables in January and Brioche in February as a guide for myself of what I want to learn.

I also want to get the hang of two at a time socks and knit ALL the socks!  For that I'm just waiting on some Hiya Hiya Sharps to arrive with their lovely long cables.  My only long cable is firmly attached to my Black Brook Beanie at the moment. That's another thing on my list, to try the Hiya Hiya brand.

So whilst some of you plot and plan meticulously because that's your nature, or you have to for business purposes, I'll just plod along at my own little pace.  I'll be so excited with each little achievement and make that you will all be the first to know about it either through here or via Instagram and Facebook.

To all of you, reading, Have fun with whatever you do, because without the fun we wouldn't be here.


Happy New Year to you all.