Just Say No

Why is saying "no" so hard? Does the piece of fabric feel rejection? Will the UFO cry?

Earlier this year, as program chair of my guild, I had an ah ha moment to hold an Orphan Block Reunion. Cause sometimes we want to say no, but need a little help from our friends to let something go.

Why is it easier to pass on something to a person we know than to put it out there to the great unknown with confidence that the person that needs and wants it will be drawn to it?

This year my quilting bee is swapping blocks for a very lovely quilt. Each will end up with enough blocks for a queen size quilt. At first I said yes, to be part of the gang, then after a month, I said no to the swap - I felt all kinds of guilty. And if I think too hard now, guilt might surface...

But I knew I needed to say no, I've been having trouble devoting time to work on the art projects that I really want to do and I'm still limited by the space-time conundrum. That is the "I wonder why I don't have more space and time" when my issue is really that I need to decide what I invest my time in and which supplies and tools should belong in my studio.

And since I said no to that swap... I've gone to Lonni Rossi's studio with Cheryl Lynch, experimented with gelatin printing and silk screening, spent memorable artist dates at both the National Arboretum and at Longwood Gardens...

Would I have done the power suit challenge? Or created my flower-cogs? Or decided to clean out my closet? Or started a blog? Would those opportunities knocked loud enough if I was distracted?

Much like dating... If you know what you want but then spend time with the "not what you want" you will miss the opportunity and not allow space for the right one to enter your life.

David Allen of "Getting Things Done" says that we don't typically know what all our commitments and goals are. If we did know what we've said yes to, it would be a lot easier to say no.


So I continue cleaning out my fabric supply aka stash (god, I hate that s-word). There are opportunities to donate or sell to help it along on it's way to a better life - but first I must look at the fabric and say NO! So I think about what it is I want to say yes to... And make sure just cause I said yes to something in the past, that it's still what I want and need now.

so say yes, so you can say no

or say no, so you can say yes?

sounds like a Beatles song...