What are your strengths? How do they impede you and/or enable you? I’ve been pondering these questions as I worked in my studio this week. Here are a few of my answers.
Courage
Courage is one of my strengths. I will try things others shy from, such as a Level II/III Hot Power Yoga class at age 66. This class has called my name for months. Yesterday, I survived it. No surprise, putting myself out there and trying new things hasn’t always ended with positive results. However, on the whole I believe courage is an asset, keeping me from being mired in routine.
Routine
Ironically, having a solid routine is another strength. My routine is more dependable than Big Ben for setting your watch. OK, a tad bit of an exaggeration. Still, it gives me a reason to spring out of bed in the morning. It ensures I get daily exercise. Without my routine, I doubt I would get nearly as much time in the studio. My studio days are carved in stone. The downside is, although I can break with routine, I’m so much more comfortable following it. Therefore, breaking my routine to do something else (why I need courage 🙂 ) can be difficult.
Independent Thinker
When I first started quilting I was on trend. Eleanor Burns, with her Log Cabin in Day patterns were all the rage. No surprise, my very first quilt was based on this pattern. For the next few years, I followed the leaders of the day, honing my skills, but, also feeling stifled. It wasn’t long before I was changing colors, redrafting patterns, and even developing some of my own. I can’t say my strength is as a leader in the industry, but I’m definitely not a follower, except of my own muse. Of course, there are difficulties with this, too. I’m constantly needing to improvise and problem solve as I sew myself into proverbial corners.
My courage, routine and independence all come together as I pieced the back of Sunrise Over the Gulf River. I show courage by putting together clashing fabrics. My routine, or go to style of piecing, made putting together the back a snap. Honestly, I haven’t seen anyone else pull together such a crazy back, hence independence.
Now it is your turn. What are your strengths? How do they impede you and/or enable you?
I am linking up with Nina Marie’s Off the Wall Fridays.
I couldn’t agree more, I’m much more at peace when I follow a routine…..the most important part of my routine is carving out studio time…whether that’s a set time or not…..studio time is vital!
It does surprise how often I hear people comment about how difficult it is to find studio time. I completely understand everyone has complications and obligations. However, if something is important to you, then you will make the time. When our children were young, that was their nap time. Sometimes I had to settle for reading the latest Quilter’s Newsletter before drifting off to sleep. I knew I needed to maintain a toehold on my creativity. Our children were competitive swimmers. It is a common saying that swimmers needed to “feel” the water in order to stay competitive. Feeling the water, is studio time for swimmers.
I cannot see comments on your posts. Would love to know what others are saying this week, and there have been other thought provoking posts that I wanted to follow the discussion on. Any help you could give would be appreciated.
Ruth, I was so touched by your comment. I purposefully try to ask questions that will start a dialogue in the comments section. So, I am disappointed you are having difficulty “seeing” the comments. Very few of my posts generate a more than a handful of comments. I do have it set so that I must approve comments. This is to avoid spammers and other off topic traffic. Perhaps you are checking for comments before any are actually posted. However, if you go directly to my site, http://www.www.gwynedtrefethen.com, if there are comments you can see them. They will never show up on the email version, if you follow me that way. BUT, if you do follow along by email, at the bottom of the post is a tiny url (web address). Click on that you will go directly to my latest blog post. Once on the website you can scroll down through past posts or check out like posts, such as all the ones featuring Sunrise Over the Gulf River. If you are still having problems I will need to a more in depth of explanation of what you are doing and not seeing.
Gwyned, Thanks so much for taking the time to sort this out. I’ve got it worked out of the laptop, now to see if I can sort it out on the tablet. At least I know what to look for.
As to routine, yes it helps – but like you did a year or so ago, we have just moved. Even after 4 months I still feel at loose ends. The one project I’m trying to get done for the house feels like it is fighting back. But I am slowly making progress. Perseverance will prevail!!!!
Moving is a bear. There is the house to get in order. There are all the weekly, monthly and in a pinch services, stores and libraries to familiarize yourself with and to select from. We had several false starts with locating a compatible dentist and doctor. 19 months in and I am finally comfortable navigating my life here in Cohasset, MA. Yesterday was a biggie. The weather was gorgeous. We did the Open Studio Tour on foot (7 miles round trip from our home). This allowed me to meet 15 local artists and give me the confidence boost that I can be artist 16 in 2020.
Wishing you all the best with settling in.