Thoughts on Resolutions, or Cyclic Thinking

For the past four years, I've reached the same conclusion on December 31st, which has repeated itself every three months or so. The thought is the need for seasonal resolutions, not annual ones. I put good faith in this idea with my Great Summer To-Do List, and accomplished several things I had been planning for a while. Fall brings its own challenges, especially when teaching, and my Fall to-do lists are pretty generic: stay alive, teach school, love my students, make everything pumpkin (or apple). 

When I think about goal-setting, I have made a solid effort not to let it slip into the dark winter months, but to dwell on it year round. I am always trying to set goals for myself, big and small on a consistent basis: it is with this attitude, that I think my best progress and my "growing up" has happened.

Small goals are set with daily to-do lists--so often that at this point, if I don't make one by noon at least, I'm lost. I end up sitting on my couch at 8 in the evening thinking that my only accomplishment was that I made dinner. If this is the case, Mr. Kopf and I probably had chips for lunch. 

Here's a pretty big goal I am accomplishing this week and next: teaching a sewing class!

Technically it's called "Interior and Apparel Construction." I'm teaching 9 high school girls basic sewing skills. We're making tote bags, sewing zippers and pillows, and generally having a great time. Our first step was practicing some basic and decorative stitches. As one student stated, we were very "Amish."

We have now decided we need to find some Amish friends so we can sit around and stitch with them.

My giant cutting board is coming in handy!

AND

You will never guess what I found (and bought) at Hancock Fabrics giant 1/2 off sale?

Yes. Dinosaur knit fabric.

My dinosaur tshirt dreams are all coming true. They're really going to come true.

I also bought this shirting fabric for a new tova top!

My handmade wardrobe isn't really consistent... Maybe I'm still trying to find my style. When does that show up? Is it your thirties? Or should I really latch onto one before I have some kids? 

A pretty obvious goal would be to finish that triangle quilt... and it's so close. It's been so close and I can't seem to finish it. I'm not a closer. I know this about myself. It's going to take some serious self discipline to not start on some new quilting project before I finish that old one.

So with that last statement in mind, I will introduce these new photos with: "whoops."

A minor goal for the later winter months is to destash and reassess the fabric and notions I have been hoarding. A major goal is to buy a house! I think that on the back of the major goal, the minor goals of decluttering and organizing will work--since I am highly motivated to not have to move as many useless things as we moved last time. It's not a vague, invisible deadline type of resolution: "this year, I swear I'll be the most organized person in the whole world forever". Well that's a beautiful sentiment, but it's also silly. Real goal setting, as I've learned, has to do with deadlines. As much as I hate them, I need them.

Good luck on your own resolutions! May all your wardrobe and sewing dreams come true in 2013.