This month I want to share lessons I learned from my stitch kit.
In January, when the new year began and I still couldn’t do much physical activity, I was still trying to come to terms with my surgery and simultaneously heal my body.
The word that I chose (or what came to me) for this year (2022) was Flow. I did not have an intention for January, but as I was cleaning up our home, I found this art thing called “stitch kit”. By the way, cleaning is my way of clearing my head. It could be a quick clean of the kitchen benchtop or cleaning of a spot that has been bothering me and I haven’t done it yet (and you know no one else in the house will do it 😏).
Growing up in India, in the late 90s, is when I first did my stitch kit. It is like a paint by number kit but uses thread and needle. I haven’t done one since then. A few years ago, my mom bought a stitch kit for my daughter. She never really was interested in it. So, I started the kit. It requires a lot of patience (I would assume just like paint by numbers but I haven’t done one, so I’m not sure).
As you can see in the image, I decided to start with pink and purple first (rule of thumb – start with darker colours and wake your way through the lighter ones). I thought, wow, this is super fun and I completed three colours – pink, purple and green. After that, I got bored, lost interest and let it sit in a cupboard.
When I discovered the stitch kit earlier this year, I promised myself that I would complete the two or three unfinished artwork that I started during covid.
So, through Jan and Feb, I slowly got back into the habit of being consistent; one colour after the other, one stitch after another. When I started a new colour, I would be so interested and eager. After a few stitches, I would be like ‘I wonder when I will finish this colour’? 🙄
It felt that way for every single colour. This realisation happened when I was only two colours away from finishing.
Some days were easy and fun, other days I felt like giving the stitch kit away or forcing my daughter to do it (after all it was hers in the first place). But I found ways to keep going. Sometimes while I was on the phone with family or friends, I would keep doing the kit while chatting away. Other days I would listen to music or chant as I was sewing.
I am proud to say, I persisted, one way or another to complete this project. The biggest takeaway is that in life, we all get excited when we start new projects – at work, a new side venture or at home (cleaning, organising) or even personal projects like artwork or exercise. But it requires a lot of discipline and motivation to keep going when it gets boring or tough.
It took me two to three years before I decided to finish this artwork. And sometimes that is ok too. Because life is not linear. For me personally, I wanted to finish these already-started projects so that I make space for something new in my life. I feel that the energy is shifting and I like to make the necessary changes now to allow the new in my life soon.
What is one project that you need to complete – so you too have a feeling of satisfaction, of having conquered something?
Another lesson or observation this month is to never diminish anyone’s experience on this earth. Sometimes, when a friend does not check-in to see how you are feeling you might feel offended or ignored. Most of us think that our life is the most important to us (of course it is to each person) and how dare no one care about us when we always care about others. This is so true for many women because we are natural nurturers and sometimes get tired from giving.
But it made me think about why a friend might not return ‘caring’ in the way I want. After some meditation, it came to me that everyone is trying to do their best in this lifetime. If a friend doesn’t proactively call you, maybe there is something going on in their life – grief, unhappy situation they are trying to get through or sometimes even overwhelm from the day-to-day life.
My mom and I have this mantra that if you are thinking of someone, pick up the phone and talk. At other times, we can’t be bothered… That’s ok too…
Until recently, I was still feeling tired a lot and not able to use my voice/throat or live life vibrantly. Any medical professional I spoke to said it didn’t sound normal and I should be able to do most normal stuff – two months after my surgery. Around mid-Feb, I decided enough was enough. I wanted to show my body who the boss was. I got tired of being tired. So, I decided to take control and started using my voice more. I started with singing for a few minutes a day. And man, it was not easy. Where once my vocal cords could do what I wanted, it was an effort now. I had to really slow down and couldn’t reach some notes. But I persisted. I’m not fully there yet. But once I made the decision that I am in control, things shifted – a lot. I feel more energetic in my body.
Remember, ‘Energy can neither be created nor destroyed’. That means that energy is there, we just need to make a choice to harness more of it, so it serves us in the best way possible.
That’s a wrap from me for this month. If any of this resonated with you or you have something to share, I would love to hear from you.
