We save our items for ‘someday when’ but have you ever stopped to ask ‘what exactly is the perfect scenario in my mind when I can use this item?’ Today we will be examining those perfect scenarios and rules we have made up in our mind for Show Pony Summer Series Method #12 Examine the Rules
I’ll give you an example of my own. I have a pair of crepe pants that I had made all sorts of rules for. These pants were for a day at the office, no possibility of spills and had to be worn in a formal scenario. Then, I ran into my coworker at the grocery store with her toddler, on the way to a picnic. She was wearing none other than the same crepe pants that I have.
What?! This wasn’t allowed! She was going to go sit on grass, with a toddler, in the fancy pants! This is when I realized the rules I had made up about these pants were all just that, made up. These pants didn’t deserve an office, they deserve to be worn and enjoyed!
Let’s say it’s your quilting project. You have quilting supplies bursting to be used, but you’re waiting for a grand baby on the way, when you have an entire weekend free when you have decided on the perfect pattern, when you’re an expert quilter.
Examine the rules: Sorry, when is this scenario happening? When was the last time you had an entire weekend free? Are you anywhere close to being a grandparent? How much time are you spending practicing those skills instead of fawning over your beautiful material? Instead of waiting to use ALL your quilting supplies on a huge project why not start something small? Instead of waiting for the perfect pattern, could you try a pattern to see what you like and don’t like? (Insert watercolours, knitting, crochet, calligraphy supplies, camera, any arts/crafts supplies you are waiting for the perfect scenario to use).
How about that fancy bottle of champagne you received as a gift 2 Christmases ago? You’ve decided you will drink it when you get the promotion, or when you host a fancy dinner party, or when you get engaged.
Examine the rules: What if you didn’t wait for the perfect occasion, but chose an occasion and made it perfect by drinking the champagne? You don’t need fancy glasses or a fancy occasion, all you need is something to celebrate. Your girlfriends coming over this weekend is reason enough!
Alright, what about that fancy loose-leaf tea you never seem to drink? What scenario has your brain painted for when it would be appropriate? It’s 5 pm, the sun is setting and it’s golden hour, Christmas music is playing from the speakers, snow is lightly falling, the fire is crackling, ahhh, you think, the perfect time to sink into my novel with a delicious cup of tea.
Examine the rules: I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but this perfect scene isn’t coming. If you wait for the perfect time to drink your tea, you never will.
It’s been a crazy day, the kids were screaming, the emails wouldn’t stop coming, you have stepped on a lego for the third time today. By some miracle the kids are in front of Cocomelon and you have 20 minutes of silence. You think ‘I could have a nice cup of tea’ and this is quickly followed by ‘what?! On this random Tuesday afternoon when I haven’t showered in 3 days and I smell like spit up? Uhuh, that is for when my life is calm, relaxed, under control.’
What you are saying to yourself is ‘you’re not worthy of that nice cup of tea until your life on the outside matches the Christmas miracle in your mind.’ Thinking this way feels like crap! Your worthiness is not up for debate and it’s definitely worth more than a cup of nice tea. That tea is not better than you. What if instead, you thought ‘mmmm a cup of special tea is exactly what I need, to remember I’m doing my best, sometimes it’s messy, but the taste of that cream of earl grey will remind me it will all be OK.’
Can we change the goal from perfection to enjoyment? Can you use your things to celebrate, enjoy, and relax in the life you have right now? When you examine the rules you realize they were never rules after all.
What rules do you have for your stuff?