While I was sitting here eating the crust off my fish sticks for lunch, (ya, that is how I eat ’em) it occurred to me that it is almost November and is time for NaNoWriMo to begin again. This made me start to think about whether I really wanted to try to enter and win this year, or if my entering again this year would only be an added stress agent and unattainable goal in my life that I would regret not being able to finish.

If you continue to follow me down this road, at a respectable distance, you will see where I eventually ended up. That is right, I found myself asking “Self, how many things do you really want to accomplish and realistically, how many will reach completion status?”.

Here is my answer, and it is quite simple really. I can do it all. No, really, the issue is not whether I can do what I want, the issue is what do I really want to do. This is a freeing concept if you actually look at it realistically. Let me explain. If I have a pattern that I am knitting and it is going slowly, periodically I have to look at that project and ask myself “Self, why are you working on this project? Do you still like the pattern, yarn, etc.? When you do finish it, are you really going to wear it/gift it?” By answering these questions I can figure out if I want to continue working on the project or not.

This sounds easier than it is in practice. Here is why. I think many of us, knitters and others, make things too hard on ourselves by thinking things like “I have already put so much time into this project, I must finish it” or ” I paid $$ for this yarn, and I have to use it”.

As far as the time goes, do you really want to spend more time on a project that is just not floating your boat? If you decide you don’t want to continue the investment of time any further in a project, here is an idea. Chalk the time already spent on said project as good time spent gaining experience in a particular technique, learning about a particular designer’s pattern presentation, or even as just a block of time that you were able to sit and knit. All of those are great ways to spend time. Then hold your breath, and frog it.

Money spent on patterns, yarn, and tools is another thing all together. I consider myself a collector. The patterns I buy, way more than I will ever have time to knit by the way, are sources of inspiration for me. I purchase them with the intent to make the project. However, once I have purchased a pattern, it is mine to do with as I wish. I can just set it on my shelf and never touch it again. I own it. Knowing this ahead of time, I try not to “waste” money on patterns that are just going to “sit there”, but if they do, that is ok. I buy patterns that appeal to me and thus add to my collection of available possibilities. I do not wake up at night hearing a little voice calling “You bought me, you should really make me….” Besides, that would be way too creepy.

I guess the moral of today’s post is YOU CAN DO IT ALL, it just really depends on what you consider “ALL” to be. This knitter will not be pushed around by self-imposed deadlines, over-priced luscious yarn purchases, creepy voices coming from the yarn closet, or patterns that spoke to me long ago. Life is too short and I want to enjoy the ride.

You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration.

James Allen

I will be “participating” in NaNoWriMo this year, but I have no desire to win. The program is a very good one and if you like to write or are just curious, check them out. You can write about anything you like and who knows, this might be the project you choose to finish.

Good Luck