Years ago when I attended my very first Creative Memories workshop (scrapbooking), one comment has resonated with me "Finished is Better than Perfect." To a recovering perfectionist, that is a serious statement. Having things "just so" and waiting for that "perfect" inspiration or the most innovative new tool - or waiting until I have a big enough block of time to do EVERYTHING at once....has all plagued me and provided enormous roadblocks in my creative life as well as my day to day life. Finished is Better than Perfect. That mantra has caused me much irritation but has subsequently lead me to all sorts of creative and personal liberation.
If I waited to create projects that turned out exactly as I hoped - I never would finish anything. Two times during the creation of Gianna's Baby books, I completely lost over fifty separate pages of work. The first time it happened, I melted down into a puddle of pitiful woe. My husband came to the rescue and found some of the work - but it was in a compromised form. I finally got okay with it, lamented the wasted hours, and made a plan to avoid such a castrophe in the future. Problem: I did the very same thing on this last book. Lost the whole flippin' thing - none of which was retrievable. Rotten, stinkin' luck.
I have to say that I was SO proud of myself regarding my respeonse to the last bit of misfortune. No tears - no drama - just started from scratch hoping my creative juices would keep pumping enough to cross that finish line. That's a big deal for me...and a pretty good life lesson in a rather unimportant niche of my life. Hopefully I will translate the lesson I learned to the rest of the areas of my life. Achieving perfectionism is another way of controlling life. I'm pretty sure one of my biggest lessons is having to learn, "Ultimately, there is very little in this world over which I have control." And one of the few things I DO have control over is how I react and respond to the challenges life brings.
So, here are my final attempts at the munchkin's Baby Books. Not at all what I imagined them to be --- but FINISHED! Happy to have them all in one place.
The books I've already posted:
Baby Book First Year - Volume I
Baby book First Year - Volume II
Baby Book - First Year, Volume III
Baby Book - First Year, Volume IV
First Birthday
Words of wisdom. I love getting to "visit" with you daily. Just like old times.
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