Posted by Rok Hardware
on July 07, 2016
Reaching out to people with your creative ideas has never been so easy! The explosion in social media platforms connects you to millions across the world. One of the most popular social media platforms, Pinterest, is great for showcasing DIY projects. Pinterest is very user-friendly, is available as a mobile app as well as a website (similar to Facebook) and is brilliant for hosting visual content such as DIY projects, videos etc.
The problem many potential DIYers face is the fear of stepping from the role of pinning other peoples’ projects, to that of starting your own project from the hundreds or thousands you’ve already pinned on your smart phone.
You may have even bought all the supplies to put together your project, but have been procrastinating because you are not sure about how it will eventually turn out. That's okay, and we've all been there before. Here are some sure-fire methods to help you overcome your fears and get your projects rolling.
Visualise – Think about the end result! When people walk into your home and offer flattering comments on the beautiful, artistic table (which was your DIY project!!!) adorning the center of your living room – How is it going to feel? What will you modestly say to these admirers? Starting with a positive visual image is the first step to a successful DIY project. When a positive end-result is part of your mental imagery, you can be sure that your chances of success are 100%.
Discuss – Speak about it! Even if it is simple DIY project, talk about it. Share your thoughts, feelings, doubts with your friends, family, and even the kids. The more you hear about your DIY project, the greater confidence you will have to complete it successfully. Research has proven that listening to positive affirmations helps overcome fears. Discussing will also give you good inputs that will help your project reach fruition.
Start small – Confidence is good but over-confidence may result in disaster! If this is your first DIY project, start with something simple. You have purchased a brand new saw to build a hanging porch-swing for the family but it might be worth delaying the porch swing until you’ve lubed up your joint with some basic DIY sweat like installing a snazzy new kitchen organizer. Adding new hardware to your drawers and cabinets are a quick and beautiful win to your resume. Installing soft-close hardware to your cabinet drawers is another easy and fulfilling DIY project. A successful small DIY project will give you the confidence to continue on your DIY journey.
Make a plan – It may sound ridiculous but without a plan, chances are your project is a long way from completion. Take the effort, lay out a strategy on an excel sheet. Put in every single, small detail under ‘to-do item list’ and assign a date for completion against each of them. Print this out and put a copy where you can see it every day – on your bathroom mirror or on the refrigerator (more than one place works better!) Tick off each item as it is completed.
Money matters – A DIY project gives a feeling of achievement but it also is a way to save money! How much would you spend to call an expert to complete the project for you? Calculate your savings, give it a dollar amount and put the amount in bold on your excel sheet. Savings are a great motivation to get things done.
These are some simple ideas to overcome the fear of starting a DIY project. Good luck and don’t forget to share your project with us, so we can show the rest of the Rok Community how well you’ve done.
