Planning

I understand your horror as you look at the picture above (which, by the way, was taken by me today) but this post isn't really about Christmas.  Well, it is, but it isn't.  You see, I have an obsession with Christmas and anything remotely Christmas related is likely to get my attention.  And right now I am reading my Christmas books and looking for inspiration.  Because soon I am going to have to start making Christmas cards.  Now, as you noticed I said make the cards and I certainly don't expect anyone 'normal' to start planning for Christmas in August but for crafters now is the time when preparations begin simply to be even close to ready when the big event happens.  My point is I'm going to have to plan what I need to make and what I need to buy and how long everything is going to take and how many of everything I need - you get the idea.  Planning helps me feel confident and able to approach everything I need to do.  I can break it down into smaller pieces and I always plan with spare time as I never know when my M.E. is going to hit. 

But usually, a week before Christmas I am inevitably in the shops with everyone else trying to find the one thing I forgot or didn't plan for.  And that is what life is like.  You can plan it as much as you like, down to the last minute of every day what you are going to be doing.  But the truth is you will always forget something or something interrupts your plans.  For me, M.E. interrupted my life and I've had to learn to live with it but a singular event such as a forgotten birthday needs to be accounted for (just for the record, I've never forgotten a birthday to date).  As much as you try, you cannot plan your life.  (Well, you can but you probably won't end up following, but you know what I mean).  And my advice is just go with the flow.  If you're worried about what you didn't get to do or what you had to do that you didn't want to, you will miss the joy of it.  If I miss a few cards I can worry about it or I can go to the shops and buy some more or stay up late and make some more.  I have to be flexible and life can only be enjoyed if you actually live it rather than trying to control it.