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People think I’m not a handy person. I like to correct them: I can be handy if I want to be handy. I just have other interests, such as, well, blogging and other pursuits that take up my time.
Even I, however, have to admit that there are definite benefits to doing it yourself (DIY). Yes, it indeed allows me to save money that would otherwise be going to contractors. But there’s also a great sense of accomplishment that can be gained from doing a job yourself.
So, have you been telling yourself you have better things to do than become your own handyperson? Or, have you been telling yourself that you don’t have what it takes to be handy?
Forget all that noise! Start by flipping the script on that limiting narrative and tell yourself you can be handy! Once you’ve decided to believe you can do it, you’ve already done the hard part!
All human endeavors involve creativity, so you have to be willing to tap into your own imagination when it comes to home repair. And, open yourself up to the thrill of the challenge ahead of you!
Here are some vital steps to being your own DIY hero!
Make A Checklist
The first thing you’re going to want to do is to compile a checklist of the equipment you’ll need. Depending on the task, this could include everything from saws and drills to lots of wood. It’s important to make sure you’re equipped with the essentials ahead of taking on any laborious task. If you’re not, you’re only going to make the job harder for yourself going forward.
Training
You may have to admit to yourself you need a bit of instruction before you get to work. For jobs that require you to learn new skills, there are a lot of ways to enhance your DIY know-how.
Online videos are a fantastic resource, showcasing how to do virtually any job around the house. If you’d rather take things to the next level, local and online courses are the next logical step. The benefit of the latter is that you’ll get more detailed and potentially hands-on experience in the process.
Take Risks
When I say “take risks,” I don’t mean with your health or safety! I don’t want you dangling from the gutters on your house like Clark Griswold.
What I mean is, don’t paralyze yourself with fear of making mistakes. Taking risks with DIY projects is a natural thing to do. You’ll fail here and there, but you’ll also learn crucial skills, techniques, and shortcuts in the process.
Just like a task such as a computer repair, tinkering and finding new ways to solve problems is part of the process, not something to be avoided. If you stick to the script too rigidly, you’re not going to be able to unlock your creative potential.
Start Small
Don’t dive right into tackling tough projects that deal with more complex home systems, like electrical and plumbing, if you’re not prepared mentally or in terms of your current skill set. Start small by delving into tasks such as creating shelves from old pieces of wood.
Like any other hobby, slowly building up your skills is crucial. Jumping ahead and tackling overly complicated tasks will only demotivate you. You’ll get just as much satisfaction from creating a shelf as you would from a more important household task.
Once you’ve gotten some small wins under your tool belt, you’ll have the confidence to move on to more difficult projects.
Focus On Your Strengths
Push your boundaries, but don’t stretch yourself too far beyond your comfort zone. Focus on the skills with which you feel most comfortable. DIY incorporates many different things, and you don’t have to be a master of all of them right away! Focus on your strengths, and you’ll be set for success.
We can all be DIY heroes in our homes! It pushes us one step further to becoming the hero husbands we’d like to be, and it doesn’t take much effort. It’s time to get started!
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Talk to you soon.
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This post was previously published on www.livethehero.com and is republished here with permission from the author.
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Photo credit: Shutterstock