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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Take the Good Despite the Bad


OK, so I totally just stole this from @kakiofhoneyhill on Instagram. I hope that's OK. šŸ˜€ I wrote this as an IG post, but it's too long... so I'm blogging it. :) (I'm also blogging from my phone because my computer is broken. So I have no idea where the picture will actually show up. ;))

For the past few weeks I have been on a huge emotional rollercoaster. Ups and downs, energy wise, emotionally, feeling hopeful of the future then totally discouraged that progress we were making has come to a dead stop.  I have thought a lot about what direction I am going, trying to figure out what doors are closing and which are opening. Basically evaluating everything I do. And everything I want. In all aspects of my life.

Today as I sat holding my sick sleeping little guy, scrolling through my phone, I read something that just got me down. By the time my hubby came home for lunch, I told him that I wanted to completely step away from this whole quilting community. Not give up quilting and my business so much, but get out and away from all the drama and the socializing.

There is so much good, but sometimes it's heart wrenching to see how little people care about others. I'm speaking very broadly here. But over the past few months there have been circumstances that have really opened my eyes to how harsh this community can also be - directly and indirectly.

I told my husband that I can't handle it anymore. It is too hard to care about people and be in the middle of it when sometimes it seems like no one cares.

He quite frankly told me, "No! You have to keep caring. Even if it is emotionally difficult at times." (Trust me he knows. He gets an earful every time something pulls at my heart strings.)

So anyway, here I am still clueless as to what my plan is. But this quote hit me so hard. It gave me hope that there are good people in the world. And that the world needs people who care.

My hubby also told me, "do it even if no one agrees with you. Stand your ground."

Almost a year ago now I shared my story of my own fabric addiction that I struggled with. I heard so many stories and comments that have completely changed my view on so many things. That have completely changed me. Something I can't turn my back on. Something I continually want to do something about... but what??? I still haven't figured that out. And so I've remained quiet as I continue to mull it over in my head.

But for now I'm grateful for all of you who make a difference in this community and in this world!!! Thank you for being true to you! And for perhaps sometimes standing alone. Know that I will always stand with you and you are never alone!!!

I know on IG sometimes I post certain content and I lose a lot of followers (which for the record I don't care about. I would almost prefer having no followers than knowing that there are potentially almost 2,000 people looking at my life. Intimidating much?! Mostly it's just interesting to see what drives people away and what attracts people.) But it's also been a factor in my decision to alter the content in my blog.

My blog has almost always just been quilting stuff. And I am sure that for some people that's all they want. Though my philosophy has always been, "it's my blog I can post whatever in the world I want", I have tried to keep it consistent.

Especially lately, I feel like I'm leaving a huge part of me out of what I share with the world, by restricting my content to just quilting. And it leaves me feeling a bit unfulfilled when it comes to blogging, something that I want to get back into.

I think after all my thoughts and experiences today, and my conversation with the Mr, I am going to start sharing more of ME. And if you want to stick around, that's awesome!!! I'd love to have you and hear what you have to say! And if you don't want any of that, well then, I'm sad to see you go, but I wish you all the best in your life journey!

It's interesting how much our emotions, experiences, interactions, desires, and everything else, drive us to either act or to not act. At least for me, I've learned that when I decide that I'm going to NOT act, it seems like all the forces of the earth combine against me and make sure that I know that I don't have much of a choice but to act.

Like my hubby today basically telling me, nope, you have to keep doing it! You don't have a choice. If I ignore him, it'll be everything else falling apart around me until I do it. ;) trust me, I know.

But well see what happens.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!!

What gets you through those rough times when you want to throw your hands in the air??


Diane

16 comments:

  1. My friends are what gets me trough. I tend to keep everything on social media positive and uplifting. Mainly bc people don't really want to hear the bad stuff and those that do probably want to revel in it and that isn't healthy for me or them. So I quilt and I Zentangle and I post pics of my little girl being her crazy wonderful self. That's gets me through all the muck I don't share with social media. Having that small tight knit group of friends has been key to my sanity these past several months. They are ladies I met through quilting and have become my safety net.

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    1. And don't give up! There are too many awesome people in this community to give up! Truly!

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  2. Thank you for sharing. I so enjoy your blog posts. Especially your honest this is me and this is what I think or have experienced. You are a gifted writer and have really made me think about things. Especially fabric hoarding. Thank you and take care.

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  3. Drat. Had a whole post and The Login Monster just ate it.

    So. I'm guessing the posts that lose you followers on instagram are the ones about your faith? I like those - the insight into a woman of faith and a family of faith. This could be because of my own faith, which keeps me going through the bleak times: the love of the Father, the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus, the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit.

    When I despair of humanity and think of turning my back on it, I think of all the times that God didn't despair of me. That hope keeps me on me feet.

    So keep blogging what you want to blog, about the things that matter to you, and the things you're willing to share with the blogosphere. We are more than just our quilts or our sewing; we're people. We really can't compartmentalise bits of ourselves, separate and sterilise the things that make us, form us, shape us - our bodies, our minds, our belief systems, our influences. It's all connected, parts of a whole.

    And I look forward to your sharing!

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  4. I found your blog through your amazing quilting but I'm not about to miss out on that because you have an amazing faith you want to share... Just because a post comes up in my feed I don't have to read it. But I do enjoy hearing snip its of your life and your faith. I look forward to more posts where you feel you are being more you.
    I really love the pic and the thought that we should build one another up. Good on you for reminding us that it may be easy to judge and be unkind but it takes a stronger better woman to be kind and uplifting. Good on you.

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  5. I agree with the others who've already commented. You are allowed to be fully yourself on YOUR blog! The blogs I enjoy the most are the ones where the whole person shines through rather than the one-sided, completely positive blogs. Real life has challenges and sharing our challenges and how we meet them is a positive force in the world.

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  6. Hi Diane! I'm Maureen, one of your "quiet" blog followers. I just wanted to say "Hi" and tell you that I think your work is amazing, your family is beautiful and your faith is refreshing. I follow a lot of blogs and I have learned sooo much, but the ones I like best are the ones written by honest real people that have daily struggles just like I do and still carry on and make beautiful things. One of my favorite quotes is : " It's none of my business what other people think of me". As long as i'm right with myself and God, all is well. Don't doubt yourself and don't quit! I'm willing to bet that far more readers admire you then don't.

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  7. I adore your blog and I would lover to know more about you. You just be you Diane. I think your awesome, all your patterns are awesome. I would think it a travesty to lose you from the blogging world.

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  8. I adore your blog and I would lover to know more about you. You just be you Diane. I think your awesome, all your patterns are awesome. I would think it a travesty to lose you from the blogging world.

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  9. It is astonishing how rude and intolerant people can be and even more so when they can " hide " behind a computer or phone. Your blog, put what you want on it. I have found that I have lost visitors, is it because I have taken up an interest in Art journaling as well as sewing etc, not sure but I enjoy it and I have some great stuff on my blog. To show support I shall try and comment here more (seems to be a lack of that in blog land too) and I have been a quiet follower for some time.
    Keep smiling!
    Xx

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  10. I think the same as someone else that it was probably the posts about faith. That being said, I enjoy those posts as much as your quilting ones! Your faith and your family are way more important than anything you will do that is quilt related. Although your quilting is amazing! I have always been a firm believer of being true to yourself and what you feel you need to do. I blog just like I would talk with someone. That's me. I like to put my life online. I figure one day I will be gone and my children will have all my crazy musings to keep as memories. (or not, as they choose). I too get discouraged by the quilting community. I see things that I wish were different, people that disappoint me with not being able to see beyond their own selfish desires and by those that seem to want to remain in the high school clique. But then I meet those that are so generous, so giving and caring and I agree with your hubby, that's why I can't quit either. I may make alterations to things as I go along to discard the drama filled folks but at the end of the day I need to do what makes me happy and so should YOU!

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  11. Oh sweet Diane, I agree that you need to stick around to bring the comfort and strength and love and energy you are so good at giving (even if you don't know it). I hope that I am never one that brings you down, but no one is perfect, so if I do, let me know so we can work on it together? Love and hugs!! Katy

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  12. Hi there Diane,
    Please don't despair…there are a lot of us good peeps out there who enjoy what you write on your blog. If you want to write more about yourself, then go for it!!!
    I also write a quilty blog and do mention personal things(mostly about my chronic illness). I have lost a few followers along the way, but I guess you can't please everyone.
    As Nike says…do it!!!
    Quilty Huggs,
    Jacqueline
    http://www.quilt-sewhappy.blogspot.com

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  13. I'm not on IG, but I've been following you here for a while and have always enjoyed whatever you have chosen to post. I'll still be reading, no matter what! And just for the record, I'm Catholic and I love reading about other people's faith journey. :)

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  14. I'm behind in reading blog posts so just read this one. Whatever you read or heard, just let it go. Think of what you were doing when or just before you wrote this - caring for your little one and talking to your husband - how sweet. Focus on how good life is and what we can do to bring happiness to those around us. Hopefully this will ripple outward and if it bounces against an unkind word, it will keep going. Thank you for sharing so freely.

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  15. Yes, my young friend. I will b e 80 in 5 months (God Willing) and in all my years here on this planet I have never seen so much dissatisfaction, meanness, all the adjectives I think there are since 2000. So many different personalities, many sad women with problems, I see it a lot as described in my blog "Invisible People." Stay true.

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