Lately I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the projects I am working on (both personal and business). I find myself wanting to do all of the scrappy things…
- Project Life
- A Day in the Life
- A Week in the Life
- Traveler’s Journaling
- December Daily (still haven’t finished 2016)
- Planning
- Cards
- Pocket Letters
- One Little Word
- Art Journaling
The list goes on and on and on! Do you feel me? Are you in the same boat? All of these projects seem like so much fun (because they are) and there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t see stunning examples of these projects on Instagram and think, “Wow, I really need to do that!”
I need coffee to deal with my overwhelm!
Except…I don’t freakin’ have time to do all of the scrappy things!!!
I have fallen into the scrappy overwhelm trap many times, feeling as though I need to have multiple scrapbooking projects going on at the same time to justify my existence as a creator. And this feeling did not go away after I started my business last June. The pressure to create different kinds of projects ALL THE TIME intensified (self-induced) and I began to feel a little down about the entire ordeal. Talk about stressful, unnecessarily stressful. I decided to cut myself some slack.
I decided that I did not have to do all of the scrappy things.
(Mind blown)
December Daily 2016…still not done.
I made the decision to focus on the projects that I truly love and have time to complete. Maybe one day I will dabble with Project Life or perhaps I will create more spreads in my traveler’s journal…who knows! But I certainly will not set unrealistic expectations on myself to do all of the scrappy things.
Our creative energies ebb and flow and we should allow space in our creative environment to focus on the projects that truly fill us up!
We do not have to keep up with the creative Joneses!
(By the way, my maiden name is Jones…ha!)
So off I go to my creative space to work on my ONE project, knowing that other projects are available to me if and when I decided to do them…or not.
victoriamarieblog.com 
You do not have to do ALL the scrappy things. But the things you do, you do well. So…glad you’re cutting yourself some slack. Smooches!
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Thanks Deborah!!!! Hugs!
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AMEN SISTA!!! AMEN!!!! I adore many of the projects people have going on, I just can’t do it. I spent way too much money on planner stuff and found out there isn’t just enough of me or time in a day to do it. Love the look of Travelers Notebooks but see my statement above. I am not going to get sucked into the void of so much supplies and definitely not enough time. Not enough time even if I didn’t work full-time and overtime in my job, my family and social life. So I’ll be an admirer and lover but I AM NOT GETTING SUCKED IN!!!!
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I totally feel ya! I like looking at those projects as well, but at the end of the day, there is only so much we can do, right? LOL!
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Do what brings you joy, let go of the rest! You provide inspiration thru your sharing, be content & smile…. you’ve got this.
~Jill.
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Thanks so much friend!
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Totally agree, VM! Do what you love; do what grabs you right now… tomorrow is another scrappy day xxx
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I think a lot of scrappers need to hear this right now. It’s OK to not do everything, including all the cool group projects bringing out the FOMO tendencies in us! Even the “professional” scrapbookers can’t do it all, so that should give us permission to show ourselves some grace and let some of it go. You go girl!
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I agree! And too the point that some scrapbookers get stressed out…totally not worth it. Those other projects aren’t going anywhere, that’s for sure!
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A little something my yoga teacher says at the end of meditation:
“Be patient with you. You’re patient with everyone else. Make sure you get your turn.”
I think you’re on the right track with your observations & decisions.
Maybe you can make an Art Journal page about the things you give yourself PERMISSION to do/not do.
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Your yoga teacher was very wise!
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I completely agree! Thanks for validating what I already knew, but wasn’t willing to admit out loud!
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Absolutely! I knew there would be others who felt the same way!
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yes, yes, yes! All the Scrappy Things look so fun and wonderful, but it is not possible for me to do them all! I have learned not to sign up for anything Daily! Other than showering and other life-sustaining necessities, not much gets done daily. And it’s just guilt producing to sign up and commit to those activities. Some days I create lots, some days/weeks I don’t get to do squat. And that’s ok. I’ve had to accept that in my life. Thank you for saying it out loud!
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Exactly! We have to remember that we do this for enjoyment…and not stress out! LOL!
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Great post. I still have not finished 2015 DD, let alone 2016. Next year, i am not even going to try. I finally got around to scrapping Week in the Life from last August but it is a series of 6-7 layouts as opposed to an album. That has been fun to scrap and I am alomost done. I plan on recording the same week in 2017 as I just retired and it would be neat to compare a week when I was working and as a retiree. However, I don’t Plan to do too many Week in the Life or Day in the Life projects. I love looking at other people’s projects but the process really doesn’t give me enough joy to make it a habit.
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