I remember when my daughter was little, my husband invited her to watch a college basketball game with him. She sat and watched for a little while, and then she asked, “If you go to college, do they MAKE you do that?”
That was me and exercise. It was something I had to be forced to do. I ran track in high school, but I never actually liked it. It was something I did so I’d look “well-rounded” on my college applications.
But about a year and a half ago, I started doing taekwondo. My daughter had started a few months earlier and she really liked it. I had to drive her, so I saw every workout and it actually looked fun.
I gave it a try and I liked it!
So I started doing taekwondo 3-4 times a week. I noticed that on the days when I worked out I felt much better. I had more energy and I was in a better mood. I also liked sparring against my teenage daughter. 🙂
So I stuck with it!
The downside is that I got injured a few times – and the last injury was to my wrist, which made it hard for me to work for a few months.
I also couldn’t do taekwondo while it was healing. And then when I was ready to come back, Jo was injured and I didn’t make the time to go on my own.
I thought I had built a good habit – I wanted to exercise regularly – but I wasn’t doing it.
Do you have something you wish you were doing that you just. . . aren’t?
Maybe you wish you read more, or cooked more, or quilted more – but you just never seem to make it a priority?
Read on.
I remembered this post that Abby Glassenberg wrote a long time ago, about how she made exercise a part of her life. Such good advice! She wrote it about exercise and I used it for exercise – but it applies to anything you want to make a habit.
Abby identified specific problems – the reasons she wasn’t running – and found a solution to each of them.
So I did the same thing.
I realized that I liked working out, but I didn’t especially love taekwondo. In fact, I didn’t love the precision needed, and memorizing the forms. My favorite classes were when we played games.
So I looked for a workout where I would be moving, but not in a specific way. No Zumba, where just as soon as I figure out what we’re doing, they change to something else. 😛
Dance. I wanted to dance.
Ok. When? And where?
I really didn’t like going to work out in the middle of the day. It meant showering twice and changing clothes what felt like a million times a day. Also, going to a set class run by someone else meant I needed to get there early to stow my gear, stretch and loosen up. And there was driving time there and back. It ended up being a big chunk of my day! It was worth it, but if I could get a workout with less transit time, that would be better.
I also didn’t like driving there and back. I’ve been trying to walk to as much as possible (bank, library, post office, grocery store, etc.) so I thought about trying to find something within walking distance of my house.
But I feel dorky when I work out. I’m not very coordinated. I like to dance, but I don’t want anyone to see me dance. 🙂 I could get over it (I did with taekwondo) but I knew I’d enjoy it more if I did it at home, by myself.
I tried a bunch of different dancy/workout classes on YouTube and finally settled on Body Groove. I liked it so much that I bought a full year of her on-demand service with TONS of different videos.
Now I don’t work out 3-4 times a week. I work out every single day! And I love it!
I roll out of bed in the morning before anyone else is up, throw on my workout clothes, and turn on the TV. I choose a workout and I dance for 30 minutes, until I’m sweating and breathing hard and tired – but also energized. I’ve also built some special 30 minute playlists so I can dance to my own music using the moves I’ve learned in the classes.
I’m healthier, my energy levels are great, I start my day in a good mood – and it’s all because I figured out a way to get past all the little reasons that were keeping me from doing a thing I actually wanted to do.
Use Abby’s method and figure out how to make time for the thing you actually want to do. 🙂
I decided that this is the year I really want to improve my drawing.
I used the Procreate app on my iPad to draw all the motifs in my book (How to Embroider Almost Everything) but that’s just black and white line drawings. I wanted to take it further. I especially wanted to learn how to add color and texture.
I also knew I needed to take small steps. I can’t get better at all the things all at once – so I’m setting my self small daily challenges, a new challenge every month.
I started in January with something really simple.
Download your wallpaper below. There are options both with and without the February calendar, in case you want to keep those sweet monsters up during other months of the year. 🙂
The lion is the most popular block in the Safari quilt pattern – and now he’s available as a stand-alone pattern. Use him on pillows, tote bags, placemats, and more. Or make a whole quilt with just lion blocks!
Happy January! It’s a new month, a new year, and a new decade! Woo hoo!
Of course we’ll continue to have a new wallpaper every month here at Shiny Happy World! Download yours below. There are options both with and without the January calendar, in case you want to keep seeing that koala face during other months of the year. 🙂 (You can get the koala applique pattern here.)
That’s one of my favorite lines from my very favorite book about creativity – THE DOT by Peter Reynolds. (That’s an affiliate link.)
It’s also the inspiration behind the start of my creative practice for the new year – and I’m inviting you to join me in this 31-day challenge.
Make a dot!
Make a dot every day in January and see where it takes you. Use a different medium every day – or use this as an opportunity to explore one medium you’ve always wanted to try (or get better at).
You can do anything! Crayons! Pastels! Paint! Collage! Embroider! Applique! Clay! Photography! Jewelry!
If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few links for you.
The Dot by Peter Reynolds – seriously my favorite book about one girl’s path from “I just can’t draw” to “I am an artist.” It makes me teary every time.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member you can watch a lovely animated version of the story here.
What the heck – get the whole “Creatrilogy” from Peter Reynolds – three books about creativity, the beauty of imperfection, and creative inspiration.
Start with a Dot – a guided journal with all kinds of fun prompts “whether you’re a timid beginner or a seasoned artist who needs a creative jolt to keep fresh and recharge.”
I have a Pinterest board here jam-packed full of gorgeous circles, ovals, and scallops.
I can’t wait to see what everyone makes. There are soooooo many possibilities in a simple dot!
The new Funny Faces Quilt Block of the Month pattern is out! Here’s the video showing how to put it all together. If you’re not a member yet – see how easy it is!
Here are all the links I mentioned in the video. . .
After three years (that’s 36 patterns!) Ami Club is now closed.
I hope you all have had as much fun as Stacey and I have!
Pippa Puppy is the final pattern in the club. If you’re a club member, you’ll be able to download the pattern here until your membership runs out. Everyone’s membership and download access will run out on different days, depending on the date they signed up.
If you have any trouble accessing the final pattern (or didn’t see this notice of the closing until after your membership expired) please contact me at smile@shinyhappyworld.com and I’ll get your pattern to you.
You can find all the crochet patterns (including previous Ami Club patterns) here.
The end of the club doesn’t mean we won’t be designing more crochet patterns – just not one every month. 🙂 Instead, we’ll be designing some patterns that take a little longer. We’ve had requests for Mystery Crochet-Alongs and more Mix & Match patterns – so look for those (and maybe some crocheted puppets and baby toys) in 2020. You can sign up for the mailing list here.
