Setting realistic spinning goals

Since writing about Spinzilla in the last blog post, I've been thinking about spinning goals and self-acceptance. Basically, I'm talking about setting realistic spinning goals for oneself and feeling good about them. Or, sometimes, not setting any goals at all.

Here's a true fact: I've never participated in Spinzilla. And it's been years since I spun the Tour de Fleece. In September and October, I'm busy teaching a great big lecture course to 270 stdents at my day job (with, thank goodness, lots of help with grading from teaching assistants) and getting ready for—or recovering from— the fall festival season. And in July, getting the first shipment dyed and out to my new fiber club subscribers usually requires my full attention. 

All of this is completely OK with me. I love what I do—all of it—and I count my blessings every day that I get to do it. Running Sheepspot means that these days I spend most of my making time dyeing, though I do have a wheel in my studio and spin while waiting for dye to set or fiber to cool. I know that you, too, are juggling your making time with work, families, spouses, or other time-consuming life circumstances.

The more stressful our daily lives, the more I believe in the need to carve out a bit of quiet time for spinning. For lots of folks, group competitions such as Spinzilla can serve as reminders to ourselves that we need to create this time, whatever that may be, and bring it forward into our routines. For others, though, such events can feel like added pressure, like just another "should."

So practice self-compassion and let your spinning goals emerge from what makes sense for you right now. The time I spend spinning is meditative and replenishing, and for those reasons it's something that I do my best to make time for. It really doesn't matter how many miles you spin, only that you participate in the act of spinning itself.