Just thinking about thinking

So I’ve been learning to knit. I’ve been working on a sock. Well, I guess socks since I am on sock #3. Sock #1 was just a quick tutorial for a tiny baby sock to see the basics.

Sock #2 was after an afternoon with someone who actually knits beautiful socks and showed me the way she did it. Then I spent five days making mistakes.

Sock #3 is the real thing. Hopefully Sock #4 will match sock #3.

This is the perfect example of the way my brain works. When I want to learn something I have to just do it. I need to see myself make mistakes until something clicks and shows me why I am making the mistake, in order to stop making the mistake. My brain sees in patterns. If A happens, + then B happens, = C will be the result. If I never get to that formula then I won’t remember and I won’t be able to see the pitfalls and how to avoid the mistakes.

The older I get the more I see these patterns. I see them in my daily routine, If I spend a few minutes in the morning reviewing what i want to accomplish in my day and setting a joyful intent (A) + If I get up and get moving with intention (B) = I am more productive and feel better (C)

I see them in my interactions with the animals ( I won’t continue with the formulas in writing, they are tedious) they will respond to my specific actions with their own actions, I see them in the people around me. If something happens I can be fairly certain of how they will respond based on how they have responded to similar circumstances in the past. I think the mistake some people make is in putting their own patterns and responses onto the other person so they’re always surprised and thrown off balance by not getting the reaction they expect.

I remember learning new things at work by sitting with a programmer and asking questions. Just repetitions of why? I needed to know why, why when you click on this, that happens. And why something different didn’t happen. There were a couple of different super smart people who would allow me to do that and would patiently answer my questions over and over until it clicked in my head.

Okay – that’s it. That’s my thoughts for today spilled out.

I have Good Morning America on my television and once again I ask Why is a celebrity break-up “breaking” news? I saw it show up on my IPad this weekend and wondered why I was getting notifications.

7 Comments

  • Nina

    February 22, 2021 at 1:27 pm Reply

    I think m problem is starting something new with a negative mindset ,!

    • tlm0000

      February 22, 2021 at 2:21 pm Reply

      Do you start out thinking of all the things that will go wrong? Sometimes I start to do that, or the “I will never get this” moment. Then I think of all the things I started and got better at. The things I started and never mastered are just things I am not supposed to do right now.

  • Tami

    February 22, 2021 at 3:51 pm Reply

    Yes! I think this is why I have a problem following patterns in crochet. I hadn’t thought about it like that until reading this. I thought I crocheted like I bake. Basic recipe that I then change to my liking. But the first time I made a cuff it didn’t make sense to me. I was so intent on following the directions that I couldn’t see it in my head. I had to just keep doing it until, like you said, it clicked and made sense. And you are on the money about the same dealing with people and with life. Although I think I do it a little different than you. If I make too big of a plan, I start adding in second guesses and what if’s. I start thinking too much. So my plan is more basic. ‘I’m going to call ____ about ____’ and leave it there or I might start imagining that the call itself is a mistake. (is this what you’re talking about Nina? The over think thing) Or if I plan to run to the “city” and make 3 stops and I’ll be home by noon…..and then I’m there, wanting to make a 4th stop but that’ll shoot down my plans of getting home by noon. WHY should that bother me? It shouldn’t, but I made a PLAN! It’s so dumb but why I have to keep it simple.
    Oh the computer thing! I remember my kids clicking around so fast supposedly showing me how to do something and I’d be NO! Tell me what to do and let me DO IT! I can’t just memorize the steps you took. It has to make sense!
    And Holly wood….I think I like British tv because they don’t all have perfect damn teeth. I’m so jealous of perfect damn teeth.

  • Susan Joos

    February 22, 2021 at 3:58 pm Reply

    This process sounds very familiar to me! Sometimes it’s like my brain resists absorbing a new thing.

    I think sometimes when I haven hired for a new job people might have second-guessed their decision for a while, 😉

    The first year I felt like I learned something every day. The second year it would be refined and fewer (mistakes) & learning experiences, since I would figure out a way to catch and fix most likely errors. Then I would start to get bored by the third year but I would be good at doing it and teaching it.

    Brains are so interesting; we can learn so differently!

    • tlm0000

      February 22, 2021 at 5:04 pm Reply

      I remember starting new jobs and having to pep talk myself the same way I do now when trying to figure out how to make something with yarn.

  • Cheryl Albright

    February 23, 2021 at 6:14 pm Reply

    Here I am finally reading one of your blogs! You really got me thinking! Because I always overthink and over process everything, well just about Everything! Ha ha
    But seriously I really like what you said about crocheting and life. I’m thinking, ha ha, if I would look at life the way I crochet, I might be more relaxed/chilled out in general. Because when I crochet I can’t think about anything else or I make mistakes. I have to follow the pattern and concentrate on the pattern, one step at a time, and the end result is fabulous. So why not apply that concept in life!? Love this analogy! Thanks for thinking!! 🤪🤗💕

    • tlm0000

      February 26, 2021 at 1:09 pm Reply

      I’m glad to see you here. 🙂

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