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Over the summer, I took a little break from "information-collecting" of any and all sorts- virtual pinning, magazine tearing/clipping/pinning, blog post 'bookmarking'...
Sure I was busy with the kids at home 24-7... vacations... Instagram... life away from the computer... But really- I was just tired of pinning images of "inspiration" up on those boards, without turning a single one into fruition. Tired of clipping a craft idea that I had no intention or time to create- or bookmarking a recipe that I knew I couldn't eat (due to our temporary diet restrictions). I couldn't possibly pin another item onto an already overly full board/plate/LIFE.
After our major spring purge, I realized that our cabinets & cupboards weren't the only areas that needed sorting, tossing, "refining."
Aside from summer's huge reward of spending more time with the kids, & road tripping our way to 'wine country'- it provided a time to take a much needed step away, to put an end to the madness of the piles and piles of magazines, the insane amount of emails [literally] flooding into my inbox each day...
To sort my way through the information, the inspiration, the aspiration- until I was left with almost nothing. Which meant a lot of deleting. A hell of a lot of unsubscribing. A lot less sharing, committing, piling, stacking, saving, filing, PINNING...
But as of Thursday, I was ready.
Ready to dive in. Into magazine reading... article clipping... meal-planning (I can't even begin to express how nice it has felt over the past few days to have a little order when it comes to our meals- to not stand aimlessly in my kitchen at 5:30- or later- each night and wonder WHAT IS FOR DINNER). Into my long-lost love that is Pinterest.
It's funny how intrusive it can all become- all of the craft ideas, surefire cleaning techniques, the surefire parenting techniques, the "how-to" tutorials, the party-planning/picnic-throwing/meal-making ideas,- how overwhelming... how excessive...
Yet on the other hand, how incredibly stirring, useful, motivating, uplifting it can also be.
As long as there's a little doing action involved.
{When it comes to the 'food & recipe category,' I will say- there was plenty of doing going on this weekend. Those [articles/pins/bookmarks] are usually the fastest to pile up after all.}
Sure I was busy with the kids at home 24-7... vacations... Instagram... life away from the computer... But really- I was just tired of pinning images of "inspiration" up on those boards, without turning a single one into fruition. Tired of clipping a craft idea that I had no intention or time to create- or bookmarking a recipe that I knew I couldn't eat (due to our temporary diet restrictions). I couldn't possibly pin another item onto an already overly full board/plate/LIFE.
After our major spring purge, I realized that our cabinets & cupboards weren't the only areas that needed sorting, tossing, "refining."
Aside from summer's huge reward of spending more time with the kids, & road tripping our way to 'wine country'- it provided a time to take a much needed step away, to put an end to the madness of the piles and piles of magazines, the insane amount of emails [literally] flooding into my inbox each day...
To sort my way through the information, the inspiration, the aspiration- until I was left with almost nothing. Which meant a lot of deleting. A hell of a lot of unsubscribing. A lot less sharing, committing, piling, stacking, saving, filing, PINNING...
But as of Thursday, I was ready.
Ready to dive in. Into magazine reading... article clipping... meal-planning (I can't even begin to express how nice it has felt over the past few days to have a little order when it comes to our meals- to not stand aimlessly in my kitchen at 5:30- or later- each night and wonder WHAT IS FOR DINNER). Into my long-lost love that is Pinterest.
It's funny how intrusive it can all become- all of the craft ideas, surefire cleaning techniques, the surefire parenting techniques, the "how-to" tutorials, the party-planning/picnic-throwing/meal-making ideas,- how overwhelming... how excessive...
Yet on the other hand, how incredibly stirring, useful, motivating, uplifting it can also be.
As long as there's a little doing action involved.
{When it comes to the 'food & recipe category,' I will say- there was plenty of doing going on this weekend. Those [articles/pins/bookmarks] are usually the fastest to pile up after all.}
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I need to recommit to cooking. I've been really bad lately!
ReplyDeleteAh! Yes, cooking. It can be stressful, time consuming but as you said- also uplifting and such a gift to those who are being served the food. Glad to see you getting back into this because as much as you come to me for recipes I come to you for inspiration. you always find the best cooking site and recipes!
ReplyDeleteI can relate, for sure. I've cut way back on blogs I read, keeping those that nourish me and/or people who I feel a connection to. I stopped pinning, aside from recipes (that really is the best way to save my ideas in one place!) I definitely felt overloaded. But meal planning, that's a must for me. Otherwise I end up at the store five times a week!
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe how far, far away I got from meal planning of any sort. And how long I let it go on… despite the extra work/stress every day of not having a clue! I wrote a post a while back about having a love/hate relationship with meal planning. I do like to have a little flexibility to “play” with leftovers, random csa/pantry items… to throw together meals based on what we have in the freezer/what we need to use up… but NOT a complete lack of plan whatsoever!!
DeleteAs for the ‘information-excess’, I am so glad that you geeet it… and can relate. It was/is such a huge weight lifted, and I can now honestly say that when I do sit down to read a blog, a magazine, or log into pinterest, I can actually enjoy it, and if I’m at a point where I am overwhelmed- I leave it for later. Maybe when there’s wine involved :).
Thank you for your message… I always appreciate your perspective.
great post that i think many (myself included) can relate to. but i'm glad you took the sumer off, so to speak, because you can't get that time back. i'm completely shaken right now as a woman was hit by a car on the street we cross to walk to school. i shielded the kids from the scene but on my way back, i saw what a mess it was - not so sure the person survived - so a good little wake up call for the day.
ReplyDeletep.s. sorry to debbie downer this comment.
Oh wow. No need to apologize whatsoever. I am glad that you felt comfortable to share this with me. A huge wake-up-call, and so incredibly sad. Hugs to you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this on so many levels...it is such a delicate balance, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely relate. It's easy to get lost in the inspiration, and then I get overwhelmed. I can't possibly do that, so I won't ever try" mentality. I think an occasional break can do so much good!
ReplyDelete