JUST TRY.

I'm really writing this post to myself.  Reminding myself:  Just try.  Never mind the past...just try.

I have a long history of spectacular failures when trying to follow simple directions to assemble things like basic furniture, tv and computer setups.  This is one reason I've never set foot in Ikea.  If what I hear is correct, when you buy something there you have to put it together when you get it home.  Eeeeek! 

Years ago when I used to make my own clothes occasionally, I cannot count the number of times I sewed things with the right side facing in and wrong side facing out.  Even when following directions carefully.  I would screw these things up no matter how many times I checked and double-checked myself. 

So when I bought a cheap rolling cart with drawers to hold art supplies at the studio and realized it had to be assembled, I was highly dubious.  SHUDDER.  But no pain, no gain...right?  Assuming the worst, and too embarrassed to ask for help, I gave it a shot.

Of course I did make one huge mistake, despite studying the parts and the directions for quite a long while.  But I was able to un-do that and then re-do it, and all turned out fine.  I'm now incredibly chuffed about having put this stupidly-simple cheapie set of drawers together.  Triumph! 

<visualize fist pump here>

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After which I went out and bought another one just like it and put that together as well.  With nary a curse word spoken along the way. 

Ok, that's kind of a lie.  But almost nary.

So now I have two of these cheap rolling carts and I can't wait to load them up with pens and art tchotchkies.  And as of this morning, I've got my table set up on sawhorses, so I can work on days when it's not horrifically hot.

I really need to remind myself to treat these scary (for me) "some assembly required" jobs as mindfully as possible.  To take things one breath at a time, look at the directions--even when they are badly written, as is often the case--and just go slowly.  To expect the unexpected.  To know I can get better with practice; the second cart went together really easily.  I can do this.  Really.  And to know that I can ask for help if I end up needing it.  I'm sure my kindly studio-mate would have pitched in.  Fortunately for her, I did this when she was out of the studio.

Finally, yesterday I combined two things I totally enjoy.  I worked on my rug for a while, and then did some tarot work with a friend on a dream she had.  We were interrupted, so while she was busy with something else I went back to working on my rug, knowing we would finish the tarot work later.  At one point I looked up and saw this:

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Definitely a fun afternoon.