How to Overcome the 4 Mental Roadblocks that Keep You from Scrapping

Posted by Aaron aka Sir Scrapalot on Oct 7, 2010 | View Comments

Have you ever had an idea in your mind you just couldn’t get over?  An idea that prevented you from doing something else?  That’s a mental roadblock – an idea that keeps you from doing something that you want to do.  Personally, my head is full of mental roadblocks…tons of them.  Today, I’ve put together the four most common mental roadblocks that keep us from scrapbooking, and I’ve come up with some ideas to help you overcome them.

1. I’m so behind, I’ll never catch up – Yeah, know what else, neither will I.  I just started scrapping three years ago, and there are still tons of things that I haven’t scrapped.  I still haven’t finished scrapping our trip to Disney two years ago.  We’re already planning our next!  One thing I learned is that if I want to get some scrapping done, I have to let go of this idea.  Who cares if I’m behind?  At least I’m doing some layouts, right?
2. I just don’t know where to start – I’ve heard this so many times.  So many people who are interested in digital scrapbooking, but claim to not know where to start.  In the scrapbooking industry today, there are MANY resources to help you get started, including the tips you get on this blog.  If you are having trouble getting a layout started, try a template.  I promise, it’s not cheating, and it will for sure get you going with another layout.
3. I don’t have the right pictures – If this was the case, I would never scrap.  I am not a professional photographer, and frankly, no one will ever be knocking down my door to get me to become one.  Memories aren’t about the perfect picture, or the best lighting.  I always try to use pictures that speak to me, that evoke a memory to me.  If they happen to be one of the few that are actually pretty nice…that’s a bonus.
4. My layouts aren’t as good as other people’s layouts – Neither are mine.  The nature of the beast that we call a hobby is that there’s always someone whose work you like more than your own.  Always.  I used to worry about this a lot when I started out.  Then I really spent some time scrapping, and I started to see that who had the better layout didn’t really matter to me, just that I was preserving some memories for my family.  Think about it: is your six year old really going to tell you that your layout isn’t as good as this other one she saw?  Not so much.

Do you face these mental roadblocks when you think about scrapping?  How do you overcome them?  What mental roadblocks keep you from scrapping?  Let’s share in the comments below.