A Pattern of Words

Consume less, create more. If I keep any sort of New Year’s resolution in 2022, this one rings true to what I most crave. Consume less, create more. One could argue that in the last, almost-six years of parenthood (holy cannoli, has it been that long?) I’ve done plenty of creating. Four tousle-headed, mini me’s who have a tendency to talk at the highest pitch possible while simultaneously kicking or pinching whichever sibling is the closest. While motherhood in of itself is quite the creative endeavor, right now I need something for myself. I need to use my hands, stretch my mind, and escape all the dishes and diapers for just long enough to find my way back to where I can hear myself think. So here’s to putting aside the chaos of daily life for even just ten minutes a day to create, whether that’s words on a page, scribblings in a sketchbook, or careful stitches in fabric.

Consuming less. This one is a bit obvious. Less screens, less scrolling, less blanching when my phone informs me that I’ve spent an average of 6.5 hours a day staring into its abyss. I reluctantly acknowledge that while avidly following my college friend’s father’s neighbor’s quest for a new dog might produce a good laugh, this time drain lacks value, leaving me consistently drained, anxious, and irritated. I don’t want to know everyone’s kooky beliefs and wild opinions. I especially don’t want a constant reminder of how those opinions bleed into real life consequences. Social media often leaves me struggling to like or love people as a whole. This isn’t good.

All of last year, I desperately missed my blog. I missed writing. I missed having a space to think. I journaled, but somehow it wasn’t the same. I’m not good at journaling on paper. I need a backspace button to help me gather my thoughts. But I kept putting off creating a new blog because I was worried it would just feed into my need to consume and be near screens. It took me a year of thought to realize I don’t think this will be the case. I love having friends follow along my blog, but to me a blog is so different than social media. You can’t just toss a “like” reaction and go. You’re clicking in, giving it time, committing to reading it. It creates a relationship, even if you don’t comment (but gosh I love when people comment).

So here I am. New year, new resolutions. Will I last long? Let’s dive in and see.