I started knitting when my first child was born, lucky to be patiently taught by a lovely older lady in a local shop.
It was super fun to make cute, small things and I found it creative and relaxing.
Over time it became less fun. As my children got bigger so did the projects, and then (when no one wanted to wear my knitting anymore!) I thought I should challenge myself with 4 needle socks in the round…
I haven’t knitted since - I took something I wanted to do and I set too big, too hard a goal. I took the joy and the sense of creativity and achievement out of it.
Until now. One ball of wool + the simplest, easiest pattern they had in the shop. Starting with something I want to do and can do :-)
It’s also how I’m approaching this year.
There are no big goals yet, I can sense them but can’t quite bring them into focus yet. And that’s absolutely fine.
Instead, I’ve taken a good look back at last year, gathered the learning and the loose ends, and identified a list of small, simple, useful actions that I can take while it’s still cold and dark here.
Some of them are finishing up WIP, some of them are niggles that I’ve been meaning to fix (comfortable office chair!), and some of them help set me up for what might come next.
Then, when the days get lighter and longer and I can see the rest of the year more clearly, I’ll take a longer view.
So, if you’re feeling the pressure to set big goals for a year you can’t see clearly yet, try focusing on a smaller timeframe - this week, this month, this quarter - and some manageable actions.
You could ask yourself:
What’s working well that I want to keep doing?
What have I started that I want to finish?
What’s something that niggles or frustrates me that I can fix?
What something I’d like to become part of my daily routine? And where does it fit?
What’s one thing that I would love to try?
We don’t have to set big goals to create change in our lives. Small steps add up.
And starting with the things we can do now builds our confidence, and our momentum.
What feels like a useful timeline for you to focus on right now?
And can you get started with something you want to do and can do?
Wishing you all a steady start as the year wakes up,
