Patience comes through Stitching

Hello!

I hope you don't have too much snow today and that you're warm and cosy at home? As the title says, I'm going to talk about some of the virtues embroidery brings you, whether or not you've noticed them before or not. You'll see by reading this article if they resonate for you or not!

Before writing this article I was looking for a good quote to accompany it but I didn't find anything that suited me ... so I decided to write it myself!

Patience

I can assure you that every time I participate in a show, either in France or abroad, I always hear the same remark. "Oh my.. embroidery .. I don't have enough patience to do that" and I always answer "patience comes when you stitch Madam"

And I'm sure it's true.  Stitching has, as it's fundamental core.. the art of patience ...and I'm convinced that when you stitch on a daily basis it even helps to increase your patience even more!

One of the definitions of patience in Wikipedia is

"Patience is, throughout the world and beliefs, an essential quality required for the one who aspires to wisdom. As for meditation, patience is acquired and practised, it requires an effort of concentration and self-control which is opposed in general to natural agitation, to innate impatience "

Patience is learned and practised and requires concentration ... and when you master patience you become wise! Embroidery is an ideal way to learn patience, and become wise as well!

The woman who thinks that it's useless to live a hundred miles an hour without a specific destination has understood everything. As this other quote says so well:

"In embroidery, as in life, we move slowly towards fulfillment"

The secret is to take your time, to have a goal to reach and then advance little by little, step by step towards this goal. We all too often forget that the most important thing is the journey, not the destination. We advance at our own pace without seeking perfection.


Calm

In addition to patience stitching allows us to put ourselves in a bubble of calmness. All the stitchers I meet, and to whom I ask this question "what does embroidery bring you" answer with the same word. Calm!

It has been scientifically proven over and over again that embroidery activates the same areas in the brain as meditation. Thirty minutes of cross stitching or embroidery gives you a feeling close to a yoga session! And yes maybe you didn't realise that you were exercising your brain and body every time you sat down to stitch?!


When you have niggling thoughts or problems that preoccupy you, try to stitch a little bit and put yourself in a quiet place ... the answers you need will come to you I assure you!

Serenity

State of calm, tranquility, confidence on the moral plane:  serenity of the mind. No trouble or agitation.

Serenity goes hand in hand with calm. When you are calm and quiet, in life in general, and when you embroider, you are serene.

Stitching helps to find a calm and inner serenity, which is seen on the outside too. You're more patient with your family, friends and colleagues when you embroider everyday!

Good Health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just an absence of disease or infirmity"

A state of physical, mental and social well-being summarises exactly what health means to me.. it's not necessarily if one is often sick or not well .. I am convinced that often illness occurs when you don't feel good within and there's a blockage in your energy system ... and that's why we get ill.

By stitching a little every day, letting yourself go to your thoughts, doing stitching-meditation, you can contribute to your mental and physical well-being, energetic balance and all this keeps you healthy.

Well Being

The definition of well-being in wikipedia tells us that,

"Well-being is a state linked to different factors considered separately or jointly: health, social or economic success, pleasure, self-realisation, harmony with oneself and with others"

For me this is one of my most important goals in my life and I work on my well being on a daily basis. 
Harmony with myself especially..not to judge or denigrate myself. It's all too easy to be hard on yourself isn't it? To accept yourself for who you are and to love yourself profoundly first. I live my life for myself (I didn't always)..if I'm happy, serene and healthy, physically and mentally, then I'm good. I forgive myself the negative thoughts that I may have had about myself, my weight, my skin, my character ...

When you feel well and happy within yourself, you're in harmony with others too and life becomes a little easier.

In writing, and re-reading, this article I realised that all the values ​​and virtues that I'm talking about are intertwined and closely related. Just through the act of stitching you can learn patience, calm and introspection, you're serene and all these qualities contribute to your good health. A feeling of well-being lives, surrounds and accompanies you and life is beautiful! 

• When did you start cross stitching/doing embroidery and why?
• What do you feel when you stitch?
• What do you gain by stitching?
• Using one adjective can you describe what you feel once you've stitched?
• Have you overcome a problem or illness through the art of embroidery?

It really interests me to know your answers to these questions. In answering them you'll help me move forward in my business and know how I can grow to serve you better. You can leave your answers in the comments here, or if you prefer by email: tometlily@hotmail.com.
You can also contact me by messenger on Facebook. 
If you want to talk a little more about the positive virtues of embroidery and how it has impacted and improved your life, it would be also with pleasure!


I look forward to reading your answers. Until then I wish you a wonderful week full of cross stitches!

Happy Stitching!

Melanie
xxxxxx