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Habits are a funny (funny=odd, not funny=ha ha) thing. It's so hard to get into a good habit, and so easy to get out of it! It's also remarkably easy to get into a bad habit, but that's a story for another day. ;)
In 2011, I started a habit of doing a minimum of 20 minutes a day of something quilting-related. Not just reading about quilting, but doing. I've been pretty good since too, with the exception of vacations and holidays. I love this habit, where that 20 minutes usually turns into 40 minutes or longer. Quilting feels calming, creative and productive to me -- a welcome moment in a life that is often anything but calming, creative and productive (think trying to clean with 3 little kids around).
This little habit o' mine even got to the point that it felt 'itchy' if I missed more than two days. Seriously. I'd find myself starting to get cranky over things that wouldn't normally bug me. A sign of addiction? Maybe, but I'm fine with that.
With the addition of a full-time job, my cherished habit has fallen a bit by the wayside. I'm pretty sure that this will be a temporary break in my habit and that it's just a part of adjusting to all the changes going on around here, but I miss it and I'm itchy.
It's a new month and so I pledge to re-new my habit. 20 minutes a day!
Do you have a quilty habit? What do you do to get you back into a good habit?
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“Motivation is what gets you started.
Habit is what keeps you going.” ~ Jim Ryun
Coincidence! I made the very same pledge in 2010 and stared my blog to keep myself accountable. My minutes usually turn into hours as well. And I only have one munchkin and a husband who's a SAHD so my habit's going strong, lucky me.
ReplyDeleteWhen we fall out of a good habit, it's easy to allow ourselves permission to skip said habits a few more times. If my streak is broken, what's another day, especially when things are crazy around us (like a new job)... The thing we have to remember is why we made the pledge to begin with. My own personal pledge/challenge is not quilting related, but after I fall out of it, when I want to get back, I start a new journal or log page and begin with a clean slate. Kudos for renewing your commitment to do something quilty for 20 minutes every day!
ReplyDelete20 minutes of sewing a day is such a good idea! I'd be done with this mini quilt if I had done that...but instead the binding has been sitting in a pile waiting for me for two days instead.
ReplyDeleteI need to do this. I have time to sew most every day, but I'm always making excuses, or think my sewing space needs to be organized before I can sew. good luck on your transition back to full time work.
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good at getting to the point where this is a habit - I mean to, but I get home from work, exhausted, and collapse after prepping dinner, instead of going down to me sewing space. I know it would make me feel better - I need to get motivated, somehow.
ReplyDeleteFunny how I can always find time to sew but that 30 mins a day walk I promised myself to try and keep fit never seems to happen! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good at getting to the point where anything is a habit. Maybe I'll try to get on to the habit of 20 mins of sewing a day along with you. I do it some times but not always. It's hard when you have a job. etc. I'm also trying to develop the habit of 15 minutes of meditation a day....I've been trying to do this off and on for years which is kind of crazy because it make such a difference to my life when I do it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you meet your goal, being creative is very good for us all.
ReplyDeleteI'm really bad with habits like this. No matter if it comes to sewing or exercise. I would love to be consistent but I'm simply not.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! 20 minutes a day seems so manageable! I am going to start ... so here is to my NEW quilty habit!
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