As a hobby, M teaches fitness classes at our gym, Corps Fitness. He also writes and documents (in images and videos) a lot of what we do there. It's an extraordinarily inspiring place to spend any amount of time, and I wish I could bottle it up and send some of it to you! I think you'll be able to relate on some level b/c I think that same thing about the community I've come to know in the fabric, quilting & sewing industry. There's a very strong, supportive undertone that embraces all of us and our creative ideas; it creates a deep sense of belongingness and understanding; and it allows us to keep challenging ourselves to grow and become better at anything we can dream up!
Our theme at the gym this year is "No Risk, No Reward." Even though some of the references are clearly fitness related, M's write-up (copied below) to introduce the idea struck me at how much I could see it through the eyes of our sewing community:
"Improvement will slow, gains will dwindle, we’ll start not to see any growth in the absence of risk….no rewards reaped. Consider why folks wouldn’t change? Is it too hard? Does it take too much work? Does it slow them down? Is it something they just don’t want to think about? Does it require too much thinking? Would it require doing “work” at home? In other words, it’s too big a risk! Yes, that’s all. Done. To change or modify a movement or exercise is a Risk. And people have to embrace Risk to make any gains.
Now consider CF. The gym, the people, the entire concept. It’s built around supporting risk-taking. The entire concept screams, “What are you afraid of?” That’s the question. When you aren’t pushing the 400m to the absolute point of sprinting exhaustion, what are you afraid of? When you pick a wicked light weight to pull or push, what are you afraid of? When you don’t rapid-fire burpees, when you don’t practice kips? Why not take the risk? It’s calling you to do it!
Because, it may be, that CF is the only place where everyone would understand. To risk it all, to let it all out, to push the limits…we all understand, and truly, we all expect it…if you would step out with hands on hips, if you would stop and walk, if you would get sick, if…yes, if…you would fail…we would all understand. The format at CF erases any self-consciousness, or fear of being judged and evaluated. That’s why it’s the perfect context for risk-taking. We all understand. We’ve all been there, and worse.
So risk it. Why are you holding back, what do you fear? Be done with it. Go faster, heavier. Fail on kips. Miss a lift. Catch your toe on Double Unders everytime for 2 weeks. There’s no better way to develop confidence to hold your head high, than to risk something. What’s it gonna be in 2012?"
So, do you see what I mean? We all try (or want to try) new things; sometimes they work, sometimes they don't (like my pillow fails). It's the support we receive from one another directly or indirectly that allows us to keep trying, keep taking chances! I know what my goal is for the gym, but I'm not sure what it will be for my sewing self. I'd really like to try free-motion stitching; I think about it obsessively, yet I find it very, very intimidating... which is why I've never even tried it! Maybe that will be my sewing goal.
What's your sewing goal for 2012? Any fears holding you back? Someone will always be there to give you a toehold, and you already have heaps and stacks of potential in your sewing stash and in your heart - so go for it this year!
