Becoming a Content Scrapbooker

A week or so ago I said I would be making some changes to my blog. I’ve been thinking on it for a long time and I wanted to find the “focus” or vision of my ideas.  Before I get on too much talking about the subject at hand, I want to talk about what will change. This month is the last month I will be hosting a challenge (be sure to link up your project!). I set my goals when I started them about six months ago and it hasn’t achieved what I wanted. To achieve them, I’d have to change my tactic to do things that I don’t want to do for it to continue to worthwhile. So I’m going to scrap that (no pun intended) and move on in a different direction. I will still be blogging about scrapbooking and other random things. I am going to try to group other things into certain days and provide more consistency. At this point, my plan is that Fridays will be “Fabric Friday” (days for my new found sewing love) or “Food Friday” (although I know it’s been a while since I shared a recipe). I still plan to blog 5 days a week, Monday through Friday.

Introduction to Becoming a Content Scrapbooker

Recently I was making a comment to someone that “you have to learn to be content with where you are” and it hit me.  Might as well have been a mud pie to my forehead for as much as attention it make me take.

Content. 

I tend to use this word a lot.  In my life I’ve learned (from experience) that life is much better when I’m content.  Let’s look to the dictionary to see what “content” means.  From Mirriam Webster:

Definition of CONTENT

: contented, satisfied <was content with her life as it was>

I realized that my goal in scrapbooking and my desire to teach others is contentment.  I want to be content with my work, my stash, my style.  From my experience in life, I believe that there is incredible freedom in being content.  Maybe the best way to describe “content” is to say what it is not.  A content person does not look enviously at the rooms of other scrapbookers and say “if only I had that.”  A content scrapbooker does not say “if only my style was like hers.”  A content scrapbooker does not say “why does she always get selected for publication and I’m always looked over.”  A content scrapper does not think enviously of other scrapbookers, their stash, or their skill.  A content scrapbooker does not allow negative thoughts to rule her mind, but rather says “I am satisfied with my stash.  I am satisfied with my style.  I am satisfied with my work.” 

Now, please don’t think that contentment means the ceasing of growth.  I think it’s far from that.  We all have goals and things we want to achieve.  But envy and negative thoughts hinder growth.  The freedom found in being content allows you to break free from the snares of negative thinking to grow!  How exciting that there is much more power in being happy where we are than in thinking “I’ll be happy when….” because if you can’t be happy now, how will you know how to be happy then.  Be happy now, and embrace the freedom to grow!

I did a little video to introduce this.  I pretty much said everything I said above, so you don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to.  But I’d like to explain my reasoning.  Often times the written text is hard to read tone and personality.  If the reader can hear and see the author, I believe tone is easier to understand.  So if you want to watch, here is a 4 minute video introducing what’s going to happen.

My disclaimer:  I’m not psychologist, psychiatrist, linguist or anything else really smart.  The things I will be saying are from my own experience, so please consider that if I make an inaccurate statement.  I have no intention to be deceitful, I’m just not that smart!

I invite you on the journey to become a content scrapbooker!  And if you already are – bravo to you, I invite you then to help be an encourager to others who struggle along this journey!