It’s easy for me to dismiss insults or harsh words from someone else, especially when I have little or no respect for the person doling out the criticism.  But when the voice is from inside my own head, it takes a little more analysis to determine if I’m listening to my conscience or old tapes of critical people in my life.

Words to Live By

A friend once told me to “Treat yourself as if you were someone you loved.”

I really value this advice.

First of all, it presupposes that I don’t always either love myself or minimally don’t treat myself as well as the people I love.  Second, and more importantly, it advises me to esteem myself at least as much as those I profess to love.

I don’t always live by this advice, but whenever I’m reminded of it, I go out of my way to make sure I judge myself in at least a generous way as my friends and loved ones.  I give myself a break from the sometimes harsh voice inside my head.  I allow myself to make mistakes without condemnation.

Even a brief break from self-criticism can be incredibly satisfying.

Interestingly enough, the times when I hear my inner voice being the most harshly critical are the times I’m most often reminded of this advice…it’s almost as if I have a trip-trigger to reset the voice in my head when it gets too critical.

Current Knitting

I finished the latest biased scarf, and I’m hoping that craft show buyers find this scarf to be as beautiful and luxurious as I think they will.

Pictured also are the four latest West Coast Watch Caps and my meager attempts at merchandising display.

Readers’ Comments/Questions

Concerning my comment about thinking there may be an error in the Brian Smith’s scarf pattern, J. Price writes, “Maybe he decreases at the end to stop ‘scarf splay’ where the end of a scarf ends up much wider than the middle?”

I think you may be exactly right about this…mine don’t splay out at the end, but on my next attempt at his pattern, I will try using his decrease row at the end and see how it works…I can always pull it out if I don’t like it.  Also, by the way, I was wrong about the pattern…I used Cascade Scarf #4, not #5.  Sorry about that.