Stitching with Jess
Jessica Savage continues her series of charts you can stitch to award yourself for those everyday achievements, both large and small
Hullo! This month’s award for awesome people (which you have thoroughly earned!) is a reminder for resilience in trying times. Whether we look at personal, local, or global issues, it can be hard not avoid having sad or difficult feelings. After all, the bad feelings tend to feel far heavier than the good – and they’re much more adept at whispering tidings of doom in our ears!
While stitching this pattern, we can focus not only on actions we can take to better things for ourselves and those around us, but we can also remember to take time out to respect the daily joys we experience, whether it’s a hug from a loved one, a finished cross-stitch project, or an exceptionally good cup of tea.
Sometimes finding happiness during bad times seems like belittling the severity of the negativity we feel. But getting caught up in negativity makes it harder to notice the positives. Before you know it, you’re spilling over with pessimism and, like trying to untangle the most knotted up strands of floss, it all seems hopeless.
So, it’s vital to remember that even the most damaging and trying times pass; sometimes they pass like a kidney stone, but they still pass. Looking upon these complications as a process rather than an ending can help us all persevere and make it through to the other side of awful times or overwhelming feelings.
The worst thing you can do when it gets too much is call it quits; where you quit is where you sit. Vent and cry and shake an angry fist at the sky if that helps, but after you’ve sat in the dark of sadness, pull back the curtains and let some light shine on your face. There is good all around us if we only take the time to really see it. It’s reaching out to those who love you for support and amity. It’s the positive influences we have at work. It's the favours we do, like holding a door for someone running in from the rain. It’s the personal satisfaction we get via a needle and thread. We can’t always control what happens, but we can try to control our perspective. Sometimes the best way to control our perspective through a bad phase is to get comfy in your stitching chair and stitch the night away in a bubble of contentment you yourself.
Stitch boldy!
Jess