Goals - Halfway

Time for another 6-week Goal Review. Well, this six weeks has been pretty bad as far as goals go. No progress on anything! OK, that’s not quite true (purty durn close, tho!). But it won’t take long to go over the details.

1. Take It Further – just finishing up May’s topic. Hey, I’ve been thinking about the June challenge and it’s possible – just possible – I could get something done in the next 12 days.
2. Stargaze Tome – Nada
3. Hatmaking class – Zilch
4. Using the books and tools – I did some blackwork on the May TIF. Not sure that counts though. Just a touch.
5. Doll making – Worse than nothing – I’m about to be late for the library project. Aargh!
6. Hoffman Challenge – Zero.
7. Goal review – Oh hey! This one is done! Woohoo!!

Well, they say that even failure should teach you something. So what have I learned – and just what the heck happened here?

Lessons Learned

I knew going in that these goals were overly ambitious. I did not prepare myself to get majorly sidetracked – or realize that sidetracking would mess with my head like it has. Get real, Liz. They’re just goals. You know, like the Pirate’s Code is more like guidelines? So, I have learned . . .

* I’m still pretty much a perfectionist. Even though I’m getting better, I need to work on letting go some more.
* A year is too long for some projects. New things come up and it is OK to set the old aside to explore something else for awhile. It’s OK to shift priorities.
* Life happens. You can’t change it and you can’t change how you feel about it. Just cope.
* Halfway is always a good time to take another look. Is it still important to you? Is it working? What needs to change?

What Happened?

At first I thought my Dad’s death caused a break in my art, but I realize that my creativity did not go on leave during this time. I’ve stayed busy and yet found enough time to create. Not as much as I may have liked, but enough to maintain sanity. Isn’t that what it’s all about? What really happened is that I set myself some rigid guidelines. Inside I knew the deadlines were self imposed and really didn't matter. I got caught up in the "oulda's" (woulda, coulda, shoulda) and I finally burned out.

What’s Next?

Time for a slight refit. I am dropping the once-a-month requirement on all but the Take It Further challenge. Goals 2, 3, and 4 will still be on the list, but if I don’t feel like making a hat this month – fine. Maybe I’ll make four next month. I still want to enter the Hoffman Challenge, but when this doll is ready to come out of my head, she will. I am going to stop nagging my Muse. She’s pretty contrary and it just doesn’t work! (sigh) She might cooperate which would be great. If not, oh well.

I really need to stop stressing myself out over this.

I didn't have any pictures to show today, so you get treated to some clip art. Oh yeah. Next review is - um - July 29, or thereabouts. Not rigid, see?