Finding peace

 

Without all of my hobbies I would probably still be curled up in a ball unable to get out of bed.  At the beginning of my grief journey everyone said to “journal” and write about grief.

 

Well, I HATE WRITING.  Therefore that was not going to help.  Seriously.

 

Guess what?

 

There are many positive ways to help process grief and also take your anxiety down a notch.

 

Read below for ideas on what to try.  I’ll continue to add full pages about each of these subjects as the year goes on.

Watching the transformation from egg to caterpillar to butterfly is simply amazing. I also love having 'little friends' in the house! It can be done with minimal supplies. Since butterflies remind me of Gigi I always feels like she's part of the process as well.

Raise Monarch ButterfliesFun & Rewarding

Gardening is a wonderful activity. You get to be outside and in nature, which for many people can be very healing. You also have something to nurture and take care of. I tend to gravitate towards flower gardens, especially ones that bring lots of butterflies, hummingbirds and bees!

Butterfly GardeningYes you can!

Crochet is one of my favorite portable crafts. There is just something so calming about working with my hands. I can make a cute little flower or butterfly in no time. I always feel like my body and mind begin to calm down the moment I pick up my crochet hook.

CrochetBusy your hands

I have always loved coloring beautiful pictures. I never thought I could draw until I took Johanna Basford's "Inky Art School". She is a wonderful teacher and I just LOVE drawing now! If I can do it, you can do it! (However, if drawing seems too stressful then coloring Johanna's beautiful books is very calming!)

Drawing & ColoringGo back to basics!

Knitting is another craft to keep your hands busy. I find it a bit more difficult in the beginning than crochet, but it is just as rewarding! I love making scarves, little animals, cowels, and little baby jackets! There's nothing quite as calming as having some lovely yarn in your hands!

KnittingTwo needles, no big deal!

I fell in love with sewing long, long ago! If you are someone with a sewing machine in your house and don't know how to use it, you are not alone. Guess what?!?! It's not rocket science! I would love to get you up and running. The possibilities are endless: make clothes, bags, baby items, coasters, pillowcases, etc, etc!

SewingDust off your old machine, or buy a new one!

POM POMS are by far the most underrated craft that there is! They are just the cutest. How can you not smile when you see a pom pom attached to something? They are also great to hold and 'fidget' with. I make these while on zoom calls as well... they are all over our house! No concentration is needed, they are just fun and theraputic.

Pom PomsEveryone needs more pom poms in their life

Hand embroidery is so versatile! It can be simple or complex, you can use any kind of fabric or thread that you want. You can sew words, flowers, pictures, or random shapes. I can also be done on paper and fabric - the possibilities are endless. It is portable and oh sew fun!

EmbroiderySuper versatile handwork!

Writing is a wonderful way to process your grief and express yourself, Get yourself a beautiful journal and write! There are many books with prompts to help you with your grief as well as programs you can go through. More info soon - for now, get out that pen and paper!

WritingFind a way to process your grief

More to come!

Great job for being open to new things.