Working with what you have makes you get started on something. It's so easy to collect items for an activity, to spend hours looking at others who are doing the activity, and thinking about doing it. My best writing time is just after I wake up, before the day gets started. Two sayings:
1. A voyage of 1000 miles starts with a single step.
2. You don't have to be great to get going but you have to get going to be great.
Oh wow, both brilliant sayings and the second one is along the lines of what I've just been saying to my eldest son now at Uni. He's prevaricating over starting his first essay for his tutor and I was just saying 'start'. It doesn't matter what you write so much as the fact that you are actually writing. Just make a start and refine it later.
I can so relate to this, Louise! I, too, did Summer’s Essay Camp and while I feel good about what I accomplished, I’m struggling to keep it going as I’d like. Summer used this Virginia Woolf quote that I like:
“Arrange whatever pieces come your way.”
For me, that means just getting it down on the page (or the needles) and stopping my perfectionist tendencies from editing it out of existence.
My most used, favourite saying is, Even a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. A slight change to the original from Lao Tzu.
I've used it more times than I can remember, both socially and professionally. Because it's true.
Achieving something can be difficult but don't let the fear of that stop you from beginning. Like a journey, that first step will be followed by another, and another until you reach your goal.
It’s so easy to be frozen in the ‘what if it’s not perfect’ thought-trap… And there’s something so very daunting about a completely blank page, what if you mess it up? I’m loving being in a Monday evening writing group just now, where we follow a prompt and then share our writing out loud, it definitely gets me past the ‘when to write’ and ‘what to write’ - and I love the sound of the current you’re currently doing Louise!
Fear of the blank page (or the blinking cursor) is such a big thing isn't it. I remember one of my sons as a young child really struggled with learning to write, he was reluctant to make a mark on the paper unless it was going to be perfect. No prizes for guessing who he takes after. His teacher got him to practice making letters in a sand tray which he would happily do, safe in the knowledge that it wasn't permanent and I thought that was such a clever trick.
That's a fabulous quote! I can completely understand why it's on the front page of all your journals and notebooks. Knitting is part of my day and my energy levels dictate how much gets done. If it's a more complicated pattern it's slow going but stimulating at the same time. I embrace my imperfectness (mostly)!
I think that knitting really does encourage you to let go of your perfectionism. There's something very freeing about accepting that something handmade has it's own slight imperfections, something that marks it out as being not just mass produced.
Thank you for these thoughts and that wonderful quote. Much needed this morning! One of my favorite quotes which is, I believe, very helpful is "Comparison is the thief of joy". It can also be the thief of just starting something.
Such insightful writing! Enjoyed reading it so much. Actually this very quote happens to be my favorite too. But I never bothered to look up the author or where it is from! 🙈 So thank you for that as well.
This is such a great reminder, thanks Louise. I love the visual you had of Essay Camp and how it would look each morning! I think I have similar romantic notions about so many things. For example, as I write this I am in a lovely hotel suite. I think about how it would be if I lived here and my image is of spotless peace and calm with more good artwork on the walls. All of this would be far from reality as it would be my usual gong show in a new location🤣
I love how you said “Fitting it around my life as opposed to the other way around.” That was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. One of my favorite quotes is “Don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm.” It’s all about considering your own needs, but it doesn’t mean you can’t consider others’ needs, just not to your detriment. Does that make sense?
Oh my goodness, I needed to read this today! Thank you so much! Start where I am. Looking around at all the ways the situation isn't quite perfect only gives me anxiety.
I like the Arthur Ashe quote! Having been a procrastinator all my life it's a great piece of advice! It's not that I don't get stuff done it's that it might not be what I set out to do! There's an element of surprise!
Working with what you have makes you get started on something. It's so easy to collect items for an activity, to spend hours looking at others who are doing the activity, and thinking about doing it. My best writing time is just after I wake up, before the day gets started. Two sayings:
1. A voyage of 1000 miles starts with a single step.
2. You don't have to be great to get going but you have to get going to be great.
Oh wow, both brilliant sayings and the second one is along the lines of what I've just been saying to my eldest son now at Uni. He's prevaricating over starting his first essay for his tutor and I was just saying 'start'. It doesn't matter what you write so much as the fact that you are actually writing. Just make a start and refine it later.
Absolutely. You can't edit a blank page
I can so relate to this, Louise! I, too, did Summer’s Essay Camp and while I feel good about what I accomplished, I’m struggling to keep it going as I’d like. Summer used this Virginia Woolf quote that I like:
“Arrange whatever pieces come your way.”
For me, that means just getting it down on the page (or the needles) and stopping my perfectionist tendencies from editing it out of existence.
Exactly this. I can't tell you how much it means to know that others go through this too.
My most used, favourite saying is, Even a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. A slight change to the original from Lao Tzu.
I've used it more times than I can remember, both socially and professionally. Because it's true.
Achieving something can be difficult but don't let the fear of that stop you from beginning. Like a journey, that first step will be followed by another, and another until you reach your goal.
It's such a wonderful saying to remember isn't it. So true and yet it's something we can all relate to, wherever we are in life.
This was a perfect read for me this morning. The best advice I have ever been given is practical - pay off your credit card every month.
The second best piece of advice - don't fight with the boss, you can't win. Except I never heeded that one. 🙃
Oh, such great advice there. I do always try to do the first, and as for the second...there's probably a reason I'm currently self employed :)
“Done is better than perfect”
It’s so easy to be frozen in the ‘what if it’s not perfect’ thought-trap… And there’s something so very daunting about a completely blank page, what if you mess it up? I’m loving being in a Monday evening writing group just now, where we follow a prompt and then share our writing out loud, it definitely gets me past the ‘when to write’ and ‘what to write’ - and I love the sound of the current you’re currently doing Louise!
Fear of the blank page (or the blinking cursor) is such a big thing isn't it. I remember one of my sons as a young child really struggled with learning to write, he was reluctant to make a mark on the paper unless it was going to be perfect. No prizes for guessing who he takes after. His teacher got him to practice making letters in a sand tray which he would happily do, safe in the knowledge that it wasn't permanent and I thought that was such a clever trick.
Ahh the blinking cursor… I might write about that next week! Safe practice is for sure a great way to remove barriers :)
That's a fabulous quote! I can completely understand why it's on the front page of all your journals and notebooks. Knitting is part of my day and my energy levels dictate how much gets done. If it's a more complicated pattern it's slow going but stimulating at the same time. I embrace my imperfectness (mostly)!
I think that knitting really does encourage you to let go of your perfectionism. There's something very freeing about accepting that something handmade has it's own slight imperfections, something that marks it out as being not just mass produced.
Thank you for these thoughts and that wonderful quote. Much needed this morning! One of my favorite quotes which is, I believe, very helpful is "Comparison is the thief of joy". It can also be the thief of just starting something.
Oh yes, that's such a good one too. I used to have that written on a chalkboard above the kettle in my kitchen.
ADORE this. I'm a big fan of starting notebooks with favourite quotes. Two I've used alot over the years -
"It is never too late to be what you might have been" - George Eliot
"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing" - Benjamin Franklin
That second one gave me great licence for going out rather than sitting down at the keyboard when I was still in my wild 20s 😄
Oh wow. They are both fabulous quotes. Thank you
Such insightful writing! Enjoyed reading it so much. Actually this very quote happens to be my favorite too. But I never bothered to look up the author or where it is from! 🙈 So thank you for that as well.
You're very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it
I constantly have to remind myself that done is better than perfect. Just recently got myself noise cancelling earbuds and they have been a REVELATION
I think I'm going to have to get some of those
thank you, Louise, for yet another insightful and gently inspiring post 💜💜💜
Oh, that's such a lovely thing to say. Thank you
This is such a great reminder, thanks Louise. I love the visual you had of Essay Camp and how it would look each morning! I think I have similar romantic notions about so many things. For example, as I write this I am in a lovely hotel suite. I think about how it would be if I lived here and my image is of spotless peace and calm with more good artwork on the walls. All of this would be far from reality as it would be my usual gong show in a new location🤣
I love how you said “Fitting it around my life as opposed to the other way around.” That was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. One of my favorite quotes is “Don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm.” It’s all about considering your own needs, but it doesn’t mean you can’t consider others’ needs, just not to your detriment. Does that make sense?
Oh my goodness, I needed to read this today! Thank you so much! Start where I am. Looking around at all the ways the situation isn't quite perfect only gives me anxiety.
I like the Arthur Ashe quote! Having been a procrastinator all my life it's a great piece of advice! It's not that I don't get stuff done it's that it might not be what I set out to do! There's an element of surprise!
Sent it accidentally... I AM SORRY!!!