Secrets of Adulthood- Day 13

                                         “More lawn, more mowing.”

My husband can really relate to this. After moving to the country, he became responsible for mowing three acres of land. In our last two homes, with much smaller yards, we hired someone to mow them. 

I remember our first house was small enough that I could vacuum it within a matter of minutes. When we moved to a larger, two-story house, I was never able to vacuum the entire house at once. It became a two-day job. 

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you shouldn't aspire for more if that's what you want. What I am saying is to be careful what you wish for.

And remember the larger the lawn, the longer the mow. 

Secrets of Adulthood- Day 12

 “Putting materials into our hands often puts ideas into our heads.”

In so many ways, I'm more of a thinker than a doer. A simple search of my personal library shows an overabundance of how-to books. 

Sadly, many have gone unread, and most have been abandoned. 

What I think Rubin proposes here, for people like me, is to get out of our head and more into our body. 

In fact, she wrote a whole book about it. Life in Five Senses was a study of how to include more of the physical side of life, not just the cerebral. 

I'm noticing a new trend on social media. People are taking up what they are calling analog hobbies. To get off their phones, people are knitting, coloring, and doing jigsaw puzzles, to name a few. Kindles have been replaced with real books. Some are even digging out their old videotapes from their childhood to share with their children. (I knew we should never have gotten rid of anything we owned in the past!)

One of my new favorite pastimes is junk journaling. It requires very little skill, but is quite satisfying when you view the finished product. This art form is basically collage using found materials. Collecting potential ephemera is half the fun.

Giving your mind time to roam free is the perfect place for ideas to incubate. 

If you haven't tried a non-digital, hands-on hobby yet, think back to some of the activities you enjoyed as a child. If you need more inspiration, check out YouTube. Don't  spend too long thinking about what to do. Just do it!

Secrets of Adulthood-Day 11

 “If we’re not likely to win a starting role, we can stage our own performance.”

For years, gatekeepers controlled the arts. Publishers determined which books we read. Album companies determined the music we heard. Artists and actors had to break through using conventional methods. 

That is until recently. I know of an artist who got his start sketching people on the NY subway and then posting them on social media. Authors are now self-publishing books. With the opportunity to start podcasts and YouTube channels, people no longer have to wait for someone else to determine them a star. 

I started a blog in 2015. I curated a photo gallery on Instagram. I'm finishing my first novel and will self-publish it. Will any of these endeavors win me an award? Probably not, but I sure have enjoyed pursuing all three. 

What is something you've been wanting to do and have been putting off?

Secrets of Adulthood-Day 10

 “Pouring out ideas is better for the imagination than doling them out by teaspoon.”

I remember a technique I used in my classroom called brainstorming. I'm sure most of you have used it at some point. The basic premise is that you list as many ideas as you can without passing judgment on any of them.

When you are through, you can go back and determine which ideas will probably work best for you. 

I find that in life we are guilty of false choices. When faced with a dilemma, we narrow our choices down to one or the other, thinking those are our only options. In reality, several other possibilities might be better. 

If we get in the habit of pouring out our ideas, we will end up with many choices. Letting our imagination run wild is not necessarily a bad thing. 

Hoarding ideas and only dispensing them drop by drop hinders our creativity. And remember, creativity isn't limited to an art project or your next novel. Any time there is a problem to solve, this is an opportunity for your creativity to shine. 

Secrets of Adulthood-Day 9

                                            “More knowledge, more questions.”

Are you familiar with the Dunning-Kruger effect? It's basically when people with limited knowledge vastly overestimate what they know about a subject. 

At the same time, those who know more don't claim to be experts because they realize there is always more to learn.

You’ll find that a curious person accumulates knowledge by asking questions. Children are well-known for their use of the word why. That's how they figure out the world around them. 

The lesson learned is that a questioning nature helps you become more informed, and that's not a bad thing. 

Secrets of Adulthood- Day 8

 “Beautiful tools make work a joy.”

About ten years into my marriage, I was introduced to Pampered Chef. Until then, I cooked with basic cooking utensils I'd picked up here or there. 

I didn't know any different, and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend the high prices on Pampered Chef, but I went ahead and ordered a few. First, it was a cutting board, then a chopper. (You needed the cutting board to use the chopper)Later I invested in a garlic press, and my life was transformed. 

Around that time, I realized how much money we had invested in my husband’s Craftsman tools. (I had purchased most of them as gifts) Obviously, I thought it was important for him to have quality tools; why were my kitchen tools any different?

As I invested more in my kitchen utensils, my cooking improved. It might have had more to do with a new interest and excitement in cooking, but regardless, the quality of our meals improved. 

The same goes for a nice set of colored pencils or a beautiful journal and pen. Having the right tools can make the work more enjoyable. 

Secrets of Adulthood- Day 7

  

“If we’re not failing, we’re not trying hard enough.”

I don't fail very often. At first glance, that might sound like I'm bragging. Actually, I generally stick to the things I know I can do well. 

As an approval seeker from a young age (thank you, firstborn girl), I basically steered away from things I might fail at. If something was too hard or took too long, I chose something else. 

I wish I could say things have changed, but it's not that easy. Last year I purchased a crochet kit that was supposed to make a cute dinosaur. I was all excited and sat down to get started. I know the basics of crochet, but I had struggled to follow a pattern. 

I wish I could say I have a cute dinosaur sitting on my bookshelf. After several attempts, I gave up. It was not fun. My frustration level was beyond what I'd call comfortable, and I didn't want to continue. 

The secret is the not-trying-hard-enough part. In my heart of hearts, I know that there is a powerful lesson here. Except it's not one I really want to learn. 

I do admire those people who are willing to fail, and I think that's the best way to be. 

How comfortable are you with failure?