(Pardon any grammar errors please)
Uncertain to pick up a new hobby, learn something new, or make a lifestyle change? Maybe you aren’t one to hesitate at such questions, and jump right into a project before realizing you hate it, but only after getting stuck in the middle of it? Whatever your method (or lack of), having some base of understanding beforehand can go the extra mile when it comes to making decisions. It requires a willingness to try new things without being reckless in a way you might later regret. And finding that balance can be hard, not to mention time-consuming, depending on the research you might have to do to make an “informed decision.”
Let’s face it, life is already hectic and busy enough, right? The answer is more complicated than a yes or no. For a majority of people, there is a level of control to this life “schedule,” and it’s not just time management, it’s your mental (and physical) ability and willingness towards an activity. It comes down to one question: Is it worth it to you? Well, that question and a bit of willpower now and then.
In all seriousness, becoming familiar with yourself enough to answer the internal questions that come whenever you make a decision can help you take less time deliberating choices. That said, there is that other extreme that needs addressed: the one where you might assume you hate it before you try it or even know much about it, and maybe even in a way that some might call “over-opinionated” (that is unless you know enough about it and yourself to know this, which there is nothing wrong with and means you have found some balance). Also there is that extreme of not thinking at all as well. Being familiar with yourself needs to be balanced with the inclination to think critically for yourself, and the motivation to stave off ignorance without gullibility. This includes knowing to not rush into everything, not hurrying everywhere you go, that sort of thing. In other words, don’t put yourself in a rut, while at the same time don’t despise the mundane.
There is no cookie-cutter way to find this balance, no sure formula. It is something you have to discover for yourself of your own freewill. When you take this to heart and let it shape you, it helps considerably, far more than hunting for that one perfect “self-help” book or one “fix-all solution”. You can still watch those organization/cleaning shows, tips and tricks videos, and more, but now you will know that if what they say does not help you, that does not make them un-helpful, and it will soften the blow of disappointment you might feel if that tip or trick you try out does not work for you in the end. In fact, knowing about yourself can help you take those different ideas and methods and distinguish what will actually help you specifically. In addition, if or when you find something that does help, you will know how to properly apply whatever it may be to your life in a way you can properly manage. (This also can allow you to understand that what works for you does not always work for someone else, and that other concept that does not work for them should not be forced on them, especially lifestyle-related factors, whether or not you think it is a good change for them.)
Asking questions are one of the first steps that can be utilized for walking through the decision-making process. As simple and obvious as this is, people rarely seem to fully put the concept into practice. It is easier to say “well, no duh!” to the idea than to apply it “in the real world” and everyday life. Choices can backfire on you when not enough thought or analysis is put into a choice, and it can backfire on you when putting too much thought into overanalyzing it. Either can lead to regret. Learning from experiences, both your own and that of others’, is vital. Small choices are equally important to the big ones, and what is small for you may be big for another (and vice versa).
Further below we have a list of questions that are mainly for our upcoming series of articles: “Before You Try,” that covers topics in which some of us at the Studio are familiar, mainly consisting of crafts and hobbies. These questions are to assist as a reference so we won’t have to constantly be repeating ourselves (as much), so the questions will be geared more towards craft and hobby related themes. That said, these questions, though generalized, can be used as a rough idea that can be applied to various other topics you may find of interest.
There may be some questions on the list that you might think don’t apply to what your topic/decision is, or be a question you might not have an answer to. Maybe you think there are questions that should be on the list yet are missing. Perhaps seeing the list or a particular question makes you think of more questions of your own. Whatever the case, the questions on our list are meant as a start, and we ourselves might think of more later on. The point is that this list is meant to be a general and versatile concept or example, to be altered and fitted to you, for helping you. If you think of questions not on the list, write them down! If something does not apply to you on the list, ignore it! The goal of this list can change for you as well. The key is being able to practice mentally going through your personal “list” of questions and making a decision without a physical list.
For the main purpose of the list regarding our Studio’s goals, our wish is to take what we have learned and help others by writing specific articles under this “Before You Try” idea to discuss specific subjects (for this we will use hobbies as the example) in-depth, including expenses and time averages to take into account before taking on a hobby or other, as well as how to test the waters before you fully invest in the hobby.
For example, let’s say you would like a scarf. What caused you to want a scarf was the beautiful pictures on the internet where someone had knitted their scarves. You had seen people knitting before, and it seemed so effortless for them to make a clump of yarn into a fashionable (or practical or useful) item. So you read and watch tons of tutorials and how-tos, maybe buy some yarn and knitting needles, and set out to make your own. But let’s say it turns out that your head knowledge only got you so far, and the scarf is looking kind of terrible compared to your expectations even with tutorials and help. Also, it has taken you a whole week! Then maybe you see some scarfs for sale by someone who makes them and you like them better. Why spend a week on a scarf when you can just buy one, you may ask. And that is part of the problem, isn’t it? Is it really worth it to you? Was that steep learning curve and long week worth that scarf to you, if the only reason you wanted to knit was for one item?
We are not trying to dissuade anyone from knitting or any other hobby, activity, or anything else. In point of fact, it is nice to hear when people enjoy those hobbies. The concern we hold is towards the disappointment, the unnecessary investment, the sad moment when someone tries something that they aren’t great at or don’t like right off at the start. Or maybe you cannot fit your new hobby into your schedule, even though you do like it.
One thing about trying something new when it comes to art, crafts, and other hobbies and projects of that nature, is that most of us as people are not going to be perfect at it at first. In fact, it might be tedious, irritating, and disappointing to begin with! You might like it once you get the hang of it, but you might only get the results you want after weeks, months, even after years of practice. That is why we are saying that it is good to know about yourself, and still retain willpower. It is like brushing your teeth: you may not always feel like it, but since you know that maintenance is better than repairing your teeth and health, you force yourself to brush your teeth. Or, you may not be good at sewing now, but if you keep practicing and trying to improve, you might be able to make clothes you can actually wear in a year.
Here are some of the questions:
What piqued your curiosity?
What are your goals in this?
What made you interested in trying this?
What motivates you? Is it saving money? The final result/product? The activity itself? The process? An outside idea?
What are your expectations? (The higher the expectation, the higher your knowledge and skill might have to be for crafts or DIY projects)
How much of this is fueled by excitement or other emotions? (It is good to have optimism tempered with realistic expectations)
Are you pressured (by yourself, others, or something else) to do this in any way? Are you pressured to not do this?
Do you have/are you given encouragement to do this? Does anyone/anything discourage you from this hobby/etc.?
What is your head knowledge on the subject/topic? Have you tried it before? What do you really know about this?
Do you know anyone who does this hobby?
How familiar are you with the concept?
And so on and so forth…
A poor motivator can be an issue. By asking these questions, you are evaluating your answers. If your motivation is: “I want to sew that dress because I saw it online and it seemed cute”, it would be a poor motivator compared to: “I want to sew that dress because it seems like it would be flattering on my figure and I want to have more control over my clothes and the style, even if I have to work at it”. Motivation may not be the key to success, but it can determine how much effort you are willing to put into something to achieve your goals, even if the achievement is not instantaneous. Even so, that does not mean the first example of motivation is poor in itself, it simply is not considered as strong as the latter of the two when compared. It is still up to you on if you are inclined to put more effort into your work.
These questions are not just for finding about your reasoning in a decision. Questions should help you identify help, obstacles, pros and cons, and more. They are not to give you the feeling that reality is crashing down on you. This should not make you feel depressed, discouraged, or any other bad feeling. Use the list for yourself, not to dissuade you from ever trying anything, but instead to view it with a more distanced perspective. You having a poor motivator does not mean you should give up. It is good to be excited, just don’t let it overwhelm you. When you “overhype” about trying a new hobby or craft and the first result is not perfect, of course it will be disappointing because you opened yourself up to it by having unnecessarily high expectations about the finished result.
Concisely, our goal in this is to help you and others become more aware of the balance that is needed when making decisions, not only when trying out a new hobby or learning a new craft, but in any choice. Despite the fact that our primary intentions of this introductory Before You Try article is meant for being paired with a small collection of articles pertaining to DIY and crafting, we hope that everyone can gain something helpful from this, like help give you encouragement to not be scared (but prepared) to try new things, or help give you comfort in knowing that it is perfectly ok not to try something new if you don’t want to. Your freewill is an important part of trying something new, and can shape how you perceive and remember it. A last note: If you wish to force yourself to try new things, do so to help yourself or better yourself, not so you can “fit in”. Things may be hard when trying a new healthy habit or hobby, but what matters is few things are easy, so don’t be hard on yourself, we are all still always learning.
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