 I’ve decided to take a day off. In fact, I’m taking a couple of them. I’ve been reminded recently of the importance of self-care. I wrote in the past about the selflessness of knitters and the concept of “selfish knitting.” I think the same compulsion that leads us to knit endless sweaters, baby blankets and winter hats for our loved ones also leads us to give of ourselves in other ways: we give our time, our love, our energy. But those things don’t come from no-where. To paraphrase Eleanor Brown, you can’t pour from an empty cup. We’re headed into back-to-school season. Before you know it, the holidays will be here. We live in a world of constant media frenzy. Most of us are asked to continually do more with less in our careers. Every year it seems like our days get longer and busier, with less time for the things that fill our cups.
I’m encouraging you to find ways to practice self-care. Shut off your phone. Shut off the tv. Spend time with your kids. Meditate. Run. Play. Create. Whatever it is that feeds your soul and gives you the motivation to face another week, give yourself that gift. Treat yourself with the same care you would give your sister or best friend. For many of us, knitting gives us that time. We can focus, one stitch at a time, on creating something beautiful. We can shut out the noise of the world and be alone with ourselves. Or it can give us a way to stay connected with others who share our passions. If knitting gives you that peace, make the time for it. It’s no more selfish than making the time for a yoga class or to read a book. If knitting on a deadline is causing you stress, take a break from it. That’s right. The your yarn dealer is giving you permission to NOT KNIT. Self care allows you to be the best version of yourself for the people you love. It is not selfish, and it is not something to feel guilty about. You have to take care of yourself in order to have something to offer others. How are you taking care of yourself?
10 Comments
Tanya
8/29/2018 06:46:01 pm
I know you know I usually knit :-) but last week I took a deep dive into the frog pond and frogged several WIPs and it felt great - I still have well over a dozen, but giving myself permission to unravel those starts and pop the yarn away for another day was super liberating.
Mindy Forbes
8/29/2018 09:00:28 pm
Thank you for the much needed and appreciated pep talk.
Kerry
8/30/2018 03:06:41 pm
That's awesome, Tanya! I know it's hard to give up all the time you spent on a project, but as you said, it can be really liberating to let go of the projects that are staring at you and tying you down. Congratulations on taking that leap!
KarenJ
9/7/2018 03:55:38 am
Tanya, what a great thing to do! I have, on occasion, reluctantly, frogged a project. But to dive in and have a major frogging session was a concept so terrifying that I never even permitted it to cross my mind! You've inspire me! Someday my knitting kid will inherit my stash, How much better to pass on yarn than a pile of half-knit projects! I need to get digging! Thank you!!! 3/9/2020 07:34:40 am
Self care is something that I always encourage. Self care can really empower you to do great things in life. I know lots of people who have no idea how important self care is, and it always makes me a little bit sad. We are the ones who need to be out here looking out for ourselves. I will try to keep things a lot better, and I wish that lots of you do the same, it is my dream. 4/26/2021 04:00:09 am
I appreciate your hard work. Keep posting new updates with us. This is really a wonderful post. Nice Blog Very interesting and useful information on your website. Thanks for sharing the blog and this great information which is definitely going to help us. 8/19/2021 02:31:00 pm
Self care is best way to improve his skill Because If have power to handle and clam any situation with pressure you can do any thing in life. Leave a Reply. |
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