Gør-det-selv eller ej? - DIY or Not?

Min mor og mormor var sindssygt dygtige med deres hænder – og jeg kan lidt af alt. Med tryk på 'lidt'. Jeg er derfor pr. oplæring en gør-det-selv-person.

Jeg har prøvet alt. At male, sy, strikke, brodere. Jeg har bygget skriveborde, tapetseret og lakeret. Med svingende succes. Det har ofte været 'goddag entusiasme – farvel realisme'.

Men det blev for meget. Nogle projekter er blevet opgivet halvvejs. Nogle projekter fik jeg købt alt ind til, men så har de fået lov til at ligge. Enten fordi jeg ikke har haft tid, eller måske fordi jeg undervejs har erkendt, at projektet nok ikke var min boldgade, når det kom til stykket.

Så for nogen tid siden kom jeg frem til, at det måtte holde op. Jeg opgav en hel masse projekter, og jeg gav en hel masse forskelligt matereiale væk. Jeg bestemte mig for, hvad jeg ville gøre noget ved, og at jeg ville gøre det ordentligt og lave tingene færdige. I stedet for at sprede mig for vidt.

Det har sparet meget energi (som kan bruges bedre), tid (som kan bruges bedre) og penge (som kan bruges bedre).

Jeg følte mig fri, da jeg lærte, at jeg ikke behøvede at sætte gang i alle gode ideer. Somme tider er det ok, hvis det bare forbliver en god ide frem for at blive et projekt, der skal presses ind i en tilværelse, som allerede er stresset nok.

Så hvis du har 1000 ideer, så vælg kritisk. Vælg en eller to ting. Det føles som en lettelse, og det gør det hele meget sjovere. Koncentrer dig om det, du for alvor har talent for og drop resten.

My mother and my grandmother were extremely good with their hands – and I can do a little of everything. Emphasize 'a little'. With that background I learned that DIY is good.

I have tried everything. To paint, sew, knit, embroidery. I have built tables, put up wallpaper, hammered etc. With various rates of success. It has often been 'hello enthusiasm – goodbye realism'.

But it became too much. I have given up some projects halfway through. I have bought a lot of material for a project, and then left it untouched. Either because I couldn't find the time, or maybe because I realized, that the project was not up my alley anyway.

So some time ago I came to the conclusion, that it had to stop. I gave up a lot of projects, and I gave away a lot of materials of different kinds. I decided, that I would put energy into, that I would do it correctly, and that I would finish it. Instead of spreading myself thin.

It has saved a lot of energy (which can be spent better), time (which can be spent better) and money (which can be spent better).

I felt free, when I learned, that I didn't have to act on all good ideas. Sometimes it is fine to let it stay being a good idea, instead of trying to push a new project into an already stressed life.

So if you have 1000 good ideas, choose one or two. It is a relief, and it makes everything so much more fun. Concentrate on the things you are really talented at and drop the rest.