Friday 9 December 2011

Happy Blogiversay to me

It is that time of year again when I look back at previous Blogiversary posts, take stock of where I am and take a look into the future. Gosh, when I read last year’s post, I think how bold I was talking about naming dreams, making plans and setting goals.

I haven’t yet had the courage to name my dream on the blog but I have spoken to a few dear friends about it and set some goals related to it.

Making plans and setting goals have really been the focus of my blog this year writing a monthly progress report has really helped me stay focused on what I need to achieve. It hasn’t stopped me from overloading, prevaricating or looking for obstacles but it really has helped me prioritise.

In the comments on last year’s Blogiversary, Rachel said "I suspect that setting goals is something that only works when you relly want it to". Well, I really want to reach my first major goal. She also said the "Keeping to them requires self-discipline". Jon says that I am tenacious. I’m not sure that equates to being self-disciplined but the end result is the same.

Sue commented that she is teaching to say NO. That friend is, of course, me. Sorry Sue, I’ve not mastered that one yet but I am getting better at it.

In January, when I set out my goals for the coming year, typically, I glossed over my main goal (fear of failure). Even then I knew that my main objective was to finish Floral Melody by Christmas. Every other thing that I have done this year has fitted around that and I have marked out, and more or less stuck to, a clear timetable for that project. Christmas is fast approaching and I may not be completely finished by then, but I will be pretty close.

So what of the next 12 months? Well, lots of things are in the pipe line. I have signed up for two on-line courses (overloading) and I am planning the next step towards my dream (very exciting but still afraid to name it) and ... I have signed up for TAST 2012. This makes me smile because TAST was the reason for me starting this blog in the first place. I never did complete all of the stitches first time around and it has been on my 'to-do' list ever since. I really would like to complete at least the original set of stitches so I am going to try to fit them in this year. More people than ever have signed up for TAST this year, over 400 at the last count, so even if I don't join in by stitching some weeks, there will be plenty of new ideas and delightful stitching to inspire me.

If I am totally honest, I think that I have too many goals for the coming year but I suspect that I will always have too many things on my to-do list. Tenacious I may be, but I’m still a girl who can’t say NO.

Happy Stitching

5 comments:

Elizabeth Braun said...

Awww, I'm dead curious now as to what this goal is!!!=)

Seriously though, I too set a lot of goals (on one of my 'other' blogs), but I think the main thing about perhaps overdoing the goal list is simply how much one will pressure oneself to complete and how much one will batter oneself mentally if one fails. If you can use them as a guide to an ideal, but not get too upset about them, then too many is OK. It can even give variety instead of a very pre-determined path. However, if one IS going to get upset for not reaching them, then being more realistic is more helpful.

Occasionally I remind myself that they're only things I'd *like* to do and that no-one will shoot me if I change my mind (and the list item), or just plain don't do that one. Or two, or twenty!!=)

Susan Elliott said...

Happy Blogiversary friend!!!

I think however you decide to set your goals and discipline yourself is good with me.

And just want to let you know that i am really really pulling for you to get as much done on Floral Melody as is humanly possible !! Go Carol Ann go!!!

Rachel said...

Certainly having a blog helps with creating a sense of "accountability" (dreadful word!) and provides an impetus to do things...
Go to it, girl!

Sue said...

Happy Blogiversay to you from your Friend Sue who has stopped stitching to write this for you. May I start by saying you have learnt N you just need to learn O then by the end of next year we could put them togther :-) and what will that say???

So back to stitching for me so that your goals will be met by the end of the year :-)

You have done some amazing stitching this year and I am looking forward to see the finished bag and kingfisher, may I ask what have you signed up for next year so far !!!!!!

LOL Sue

Deepa said...

May you celebrate many more blogiversaries like this...
Iam wondering what that goal would be... hmm.. to teach Japanese embroidery perhaps?? or to design kits of your own??...
Don't be afraid to name your goal-it'll make you work towards achieving it more (coz once we get to know,we'll keep on bugging you )
Love,
Deepa