Ask yourself this: when was the last time you took a moment to savor your morning cup of coffee or tea?
Or a slice of pie? I mean, really notice the taste and aroma.
When was the last time you looked at a rainbow? Or just sat down to listen to the rain?
We don’t enjoy the little things anymore because we’re always rushing through the day and through life, and we are constantly interrupted by our phones.
The stress never seems to go away. We don’t seem to get a break from our screens. EVER.
As I look at the world, it frightens me how lonely, fearful and unhappy we’ve become. What’s even worse, we don’t make time for ourselves to do something simple that brings us joy.
A few years ago, I was going through a lot of stress and anxiety. It got so bad that I had daily headaches. I didn’t know how to meditate back then, but I read that knitting was a way to do so.
I started knitting, learned to crochet and eventually embroider. Eventually, I got back to sewing, and the more I kept my hands busy, the more relaxed I felt.
As time went by, doing these things became a habit, and I wanted to learn new activities.
Crafting has helped me feel happy and accomplished, especially after finishing a challenging project.
Lately, I’ve been figuring out what direction I want Cat & Raven to take.
When I began this endeavor back in 2015, I focused mostly on printing ceramic mugs.
In the beginning, decorating mugs with cute phrases was fun. But with the passing of each year, it wasn’t making me happy, and I couldn’t see myself printing mugs forever.
I moved on to sewing bags, embroidering wall decor and creating cat dolls. These are the things that have made me the happiest because they feel much more personal than a ceramic mug.
All these things have hours of work behind them, trials and errors, and I don’t mind working on them till 3 a.m. just to see someone smile when they see my finished pieces.
Hearing someone say: “your cats make me so happy!” has been the greatest gift and motivator to know I’m on the right path.
Still, there is so much on my list that I want to do, and I’m slowly integrating these in my business. As much as I love selling what I make, I also love sharing the experience of making.
In the coming months, I’ll be sharing DIYs, tutorials and other activities on my blog in the hopes of helping you set aside some time to create and nurture yourself.
Because, at the end of the day, a happier You creates a joyous world for everyone around you. And boy, do we need it right now!
Do you agree?
I’d love to hear from you! What do you do for self-care & self-love to step away from the daily hustle?
Stay weird!
