How to Keep From Losing Your Mind With Charity Knitting
Learning to prioritize is the key to effective charity knitting
No matter how much you love charity knitting, it's possible to get overwhelmed. It happens to me all the time. I wind up with a hundred different charities I want to help, a thousand knitting patterns I want to try, and three angry family members who want to eat supper.
Does any of that sound familiar? When I first discovered knitting for charity, it consumed my life. There were so many charities, so many amazing people dedicating their times and talents to helping others, so many in need... how could I possibly spend my time on anything but charity knitting?
If you've been there, of course, you know that when you do nothing but charity knit, it quickly loses its appeal, and you make some angry friend and family members along the way. So over the years, I've developed some strategies for balancing knitting for charity with my own peace of mind.
Charity knitting without going nuts
If you have an obsessive personality like I do, this is all sounding pretty familiar. And even if you don't, some of these tips may apply to you. Over the years, I've discovered things like...
-You are only one person. You can't save the world by yourself. What you can do is make yourself part of a network of charity knitters, and together you can make a huge difference. Knitting one scarf won't change the world, but if a thousand knitters each make a scarf, suddenly there's a big impact. Don't look at it as if you have to singlehandedly support each charity you like: you're part of a group, a team.
-Focus on what you accomplish rather than what you don't. I used to get frustrated because I couldn't contribute to every charity knit organization I supported. Over the years, though, I've learned to contribute based on what I knit and who seems to need the most. Sometimes I also make financial contributions, or donate old yarn. Anything I do helps, and beating myself up over not doing enough is pointless.
-Take time for yourself and your family. If you're snapping at everyone because you're frustrated and exhausted, you're not doing anyone any favors. Don't get so caught up in taking care of strangers that you forget to take care of the people closest to you -- and that means you, too.
-Don't forget why you started knitting. When it stops being fun, when it stops relaxing you, when it becomes another job -- then it's time for a break. There's nothing like knitting for charity, but when those knitting patterns remind you of your tax returns, you're working too hard.
Knitters are selfless, giving people -- sometimes to a fault! Don't get caught up in the blame game. Thank yourself for what you do and learn to love charity knitting all over again.
