Episode 4: Crafting as Self Care

What is self care? Society makes us think that it's long bubble baths, meditation, and peace. While all that is nice to have, self care is something I do just for myself, to help center me, and bring me back to myself. As a mom, wife, friend, small business person, I often get pulled in too many different directions, and I forget who I am. Crafting, on my own and for myself, is how I get back to being ME. Selfish knitting is my jam!

We can get so burned out on making a life for others that we can often lose ourselves in the making. I invite you to FIND yourself in the making. What do you love about the items you're working with? Is the yarn color and texture something you enjoy working with? How do the hooks or needles feel in your hand? How are you sitting or standing? Is your body comfortable? What's the temperature around you? What does your environment sound like? Being present in the moment of your creating can become a self care practice.

Why is it called practice? Because it's not self care perfection!

One thing I've realized is that that time will never be mine unless I TAKE it. Unless I CLAIM IT as MINE. For example, my knitting time is in bed after I've put the girls down for bed. They will come in every 5 minutes needing something, and I tell them, "figure it out for yourself, I'm off the clock." I'm setting that boundary with them, which is so healthy for them and me. It shows them that I have boundaries that I won't allow them to cross, and that they can set their own boundaries.

For me, it comes down to intentionality, communication, and presence in the time that you have. Not everyone can take hours of time alone, but can you take 15 minutes to practice being present, and to let your guard down to be yourself? Sometimes this can bring up uncomfortable feelings, I really understand this. Therapy is a helpful tool in this case. I'd like to invite you to share what you've done to practice self care in the coming week on Instagram.

I'm working on my third Sockhead Slouch Hat, in Yarn Experiements Monkey Sock yarn, Supernova colorway.

Bunnies will be up in my Etsy shop soon!