Permission to stop

.There is always more to do, so why not just...stop for a bit?

Not knitting, I know. But sometimes only a giant granny square will do.

This week has been all about catching up - or trying to - after some busy and stressful family times. And it got me thinking about how catching up is a a complete myth. Can we ever really put down our metaphorical stuff, look around us in satisfaction and declare ourselves fully caught up?

There is always more to do

As soon as this thought popped into my head - that was enough to make me smile (and to sit down). I had been rushing around, trying to sort out overdue jobs in the house and the garden, trying to write, to work, to think and that’s without even trying to ‘catch up’ on social media.

On the one hand ‘there is always more to do’ could sound quite depressing. As though you are merely a hamster on the treadmill of life. But at the same time it is also quite empowering when you think about it.

If there is always more to do why am I rushing around trying to tick things off lists? I’m not a bloody hamster.

🌿 Life is a bottomless scroll - there is always more to do. 🌿

Remember the days back on Instagram when it was possibly to reach the end of your feed? You could scroll back through a series of posts of those people you followed and at some point you would reach a little message that told you ‘ you are all caught up’. Then you could happily close the app and go about your business.

Of course it didn’t take long for the folk at Meta to decide that was less than optimal for their business model when they could keep showing you random stuff - keeping your attention, your eyeballs and your wallets firmly under their control.

And so the bottomless scroll concept was invented and has now become pretty much the industry standard for social media apps. You can pick up your phone and scroll pretty much until the end of time and your feed would still continue to be populated by new stuff. Because of course the human brain craves novelty and if presented with the option it will want to keep scrolling in the hope of a little dopamine hit.

This is a great read if you are interested, albeit a slightly scary one.

It takes willpower to put your phone down and tell yourself you have scrolled enough. And similarly, I find I have to consciously tell myself that I have done ‘enough’ in my offline life as well. There are always more jobs to be done around the house. I always feel I could have done more work. But instead I can chose to rest.

Now there’s a radical thought!

In this vein I recently discovered the work of Kate Oliver and her Radical rest network which is well worth a look.

What’s making me smile this week

🌿 Precious little knitting has been done but I have rediscovered my deep and abiding passion for giant granny squares. Soothing, repetitive and requiring almost zero brain power. Ideal for the frazzled creative. I am using leftover sock yarn with a 3mm hook and am happily working some large squares - without much of a plan. And it feels good.

Top tip: to avoid larger squares becoming skewed it is best to flip the square to the opposite side every time you join a new colour or start a new round.

🌿 A hotel breakfast. I’m easily pleased, and staying in a hotel room with a little kitchenette and good coffee on tap is definitely the way to my heart. Especially when it means I am staying round the corner from one of my Uni sons and I am on my way to boy hugs.

🌿 I’m a huge fan of Dr Sharon Blackie and I was thrilled to come across this extract from her new book on The Shift with sam baker .

🌿 This Mystery Shawl reveal from Mary Annarella is a wonderful, colourful post. And I have never thought of using my larger shawls as home décor - until now.

🌿 Today is the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough - and if that thought doesn’t make you smile, nothing will 🧡

Keep smiling 😂