Chasing Puppies

"Most things I worry about never really happen anyway." --Tom Petty

Have you ever felt lost? Wow. I started typing that question without knowing the last word. I wanted something to encompass the way I feel while also reaching others. Lost is such a big word. The rabbit trails we could travel with that word could be endless. Because....we are all individuals. We have different personalities. We have different definitions of 'lost'. Not everyone views being lost a scary endeavor.

Today, I just wanted to touch base with the world of knitting and stories. Welcome to 2018! We made it. Well, Tom Petty will live forever in my heart, so that counts. I hope my friends and family members rang in the new year with great intention, whether singing at the top of your lungs or crawling into bed before midnight. Our goals for the coming year give us drive and feed our souls. Yet, the resolutions become so daunting, and most of us "fail" in the first month. It's discouraging. It's disappointing. We get lost.

Dream for a minute with me. What if you had the choice to make healthy decisions whenever you wanted? What if the rest of your life did not depend on words you wrote in your journal on January 1st or Mondays or the firsts of any month? What if in any given moment you could choose to drink water instead of eat a donut? No worries about that plan for the new year or guilt around the rest of the day. Mindful living is key. We get so trapped on the conveyer belt of "next week, new year, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" (you need to stop me when I start quoting Shakespeare). 

My story changes every day. I am half-planner half-artist. I mean, I am a complete 50/50. So, when my creative side decides to go off course to follow a puppy, my practical side falls apart. We followed the puppy into the woods and now we are completely lost. What on earth were you thinking?! That's right. You weren't thinking. You messed up the whole plan. How are we ever going to get back on course? Oh my god, we are lost?! Hey, look, more puppies! Yes. My planner and my artist frequently have conversations that end in some discovery of baby animals. If only I followed my artist a little further into the woods, we might find it opens into a grand new world or at least back on the "right path."

How does this all tie into my business? My job is not to tell anybody how to live their life. I don't have answers, no matter how much my planner tries to tell you otherwise. (I earned the nickname "Know-it-all" for a reason.) I am a character study. I am fascinated by what drives the fire behind passionate projects. Knitting keeps my hands busy. In knitting, I can create something from "nothing" and share it with my loved ones. The same is true of my stories. It keeps me from being lost or at least gives me a line of yarn to find home. So even on the days my practical planner is standing in the dark forest screaming for help, my creative artist is building a fire. And, days my creative side has no idea how to navigate a project, my planner can swoop in to save the world.

Feeling lost has been the greatest motivator. Yes, it's terrifying. There are scary things lurking in the dark. However, there are ways to battle those monsters. Arm yourself with words and tricks and tools and compassion, especially for yourself. Pick a partner in crime (whether in real life or in your mind) who knows how to counteract your panic. Brace yourself because the monsters are lost too. Frankly, they are probably just as scared of the crazy person screaming in their forest. If you learn their language, they might not be as creepy. They might even have directions out of the woods.

So, whether you made major resolutions or could care less about the clock striking midnight, find yourself. Or get lost. It doesn't matter if you pull out your highlighters or chase puppies through the forest. Work together. Appreciate the moments--you know the ones I mean. Don't get distracted by the plan or the lack of one. You have a choice in every moment to be better, best, lost, found, grounded, hydrated, crazy, brilliant, colorful, silent, bold. You have a choice to be yourself.

My moments today will be spent with Mr. Petty who provides a perfect soundtrack to getting lost and "working on a mystery."

In other news--the winner of the FREE CREATION was Charlene Uttecht!! Thank you for all the wonderful customers who ordered. I'll be running another contest again soon. In the meantime, check out some of the products or let me know what you would like to see. Let's have a conversation!

Love you, my random people--

Rach