As we head into the holiday season, it’s extra important to take the time to practice some good old fashioned self care. (Talking to myself, here, too!) In fact, taking care of ourselves is a “must” for being able to show up for our families and our friends – and it’s super important if we want to be able to fully enjoy the holiday season.
Last year, I was really sick on Christmas day…
and I don’t want that to happen again. When I stop the think about what self care really means to me, I admit that I don’t follow my own advice nearly enough.
So I have an idea…
What if we hold each other accountable for taking care of ourselves so that we can be our BEST selves for the rest of 2025? Are you in? (Let me know in the comments down below if you are… just type “I’m in!” and post your comment. 😉 )
Here are my top 10 self care habits…
- Walking at least 7000 steps every day
- Going to the gym 2 days a week for strength, flexibility, and balance training
- Eating healthy, whole foods as often as possible
- Drinking at least 64 ounces of water every day
- Getting 8 hours of sleep every night
- Connecting with friends at least once a week
- Spending time with Rebekah and her family a couple of times each week
- Visiting with Mama at the nursing home 3 – 4 times each week
- Attending church services twice a week and reading daily devotionals
- AND working on a needlepoint project that I want to stitch! (work projects don’t count 😉 )
I know that may seem like a LOT, but it works for me. I encourage you to do what works best for you... and if you want to borrow some of my self care habits, go right ahead! 🙂
Many of the things on my list help me stay physically healthy, but I know it’s really important to be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy, too. I’m a firm believer that not taking care of ourselves is a sure-fire way to end up at the doctor’s office. (I’m fairly certain that’s what happened to me last year… I stretched myself too far and my body said “enough”. Eek!)
That last self care tip on my list…
The one about working on a needlepoint project that I want to stitch—that’s the kind of self care that rejuvenates your creative spirit. It’s what makes your heart sing, and when you can show yourself that kind of care, it gives you the “oomph” to keep going when the going gets tough. (Ask me how I know… 😉 )
I love this piece from Thorn Alexander…
It reminds me that we all have the same number of hours in a day…
We just have to be mindful of how we choose to use them.
So instead of scrolling on your phone, how about stitching when you’re having your morning coffee? Or set aside some time in the evening before going to bed. Maybe spend a rainy Sunday afternoon with a canvas. Use those little snippets of time to practice your art and renew your creative energy.
As humans, we need to create…
but the creative process can be messy. Sometimes your project doesn’t end up looking like what you could see so clearly in your mind’s eye. Stitches don’t fit into the spaces on your canvas like you thought they would and your compensation looks wonky. Or the thread you chose ended up being a pain in the neck to work with, but you’d already spent so much money on the project that you had to try make it work (even though it stressed you out to even think about it!).
It can be soooo easy to just throw your hands up and cry “uncle”!
And then you actually do it… You take that project and you shove it in the closet—or in a drawer or under the bed.
Out of sight, out of mind, right?
But it’s not really out of mind, is it?
You know it’s there – just waiting for you to rescue it. Oh, the angst and agony – and guilt! And you feel even worse when you acknowledge that it’s joining all those other abandoned projects in the dark recesses of the needlepoint netherworld. (Does any of this sound familiar? If it does, let me reassure you that you’re not alone. I know how you feel because I’ve been where you are.)
So, what are you to do?
While it can be easier to say you “don’t have the time to work on that project”, I’m going to encourage you to, instead, pull it out and think through what’s not working. Instead of coming at it from a place of frustration, try looking at it through an objective lens.
Make a list of everything that’s bothering you… and don’t be afraid to rip out what doesn’t work. If a particular thread is making you crazy, write it down. If your canvas looks more like a stitch sampler than a cohesive piece of needlepoint art, jot that down, too. Be specific. Be brutally honest. What DON’T you like?
Because there’s a way to fix it, my friend….
and I’d love to help you do just that inside The Stitcher’s Club. Our special fall enrollment period is going on right now and there are some terrific bonuses available to stitchers who join us before November 9 (2025) at midnight, US Central time.
You can learn more about how to become a member of our needlepoint family HERE.
Invest in some self care by giving an abandoned project another try. You might just surprise yourself. 😉
Kurt Vonnegut once said, “To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”
I couldn’t agree more.
I want you to consider the time you spend creating as self care.
You’re investing in yourself and your soul.
TODAY is the perfect day to begin investing in yourself and your art – because, if not now, when?
Alrighty, my friend – that’s all for now.
Until next time, happy stitching!
XOXO
