Crafting my Peace...
Crafting is my PEACE. It is my mediation. For me, crafting/art is the time that I can immerse myself and use a different part of my brain. I am often shocked at how relaxed it makes me. The concentrated time in making something brings emotion and daydreaming - almost removing me from the world around me for what I don’t even realize is my very own version of peace. We can all tap into this peace in different ways - exercising, reading, meditation...it’s tapping into our happy place. Often we don’t do this enough. We are busy, our lives are about juggling 10 things on 5 plates. We think in terms of schedules, structure, planning the next day. What am I making for dinner ? What time is soccer practice? Did I reply to that email? Did I pay that bill? Ahhhh! Take a deep breath. Give yourself the time and space to find your peace. You need it. We can’t keep moving forward if we don’t take care of ourselves. What brings you PEACE? What is your “let go” thing? Do you find time for it daily, weekly, ever? How can you make time for it? One way is to schedule your peace. Sounds crazy but that is what it takes sometimes to allow peace into your busy life. Should you get up earlier? Maybe go to bed earlier so you can have that 20 minutes before things get crazy each day? I know, it’s hard. But, even though it may feel selfish to many of us to take time for ourselves, the more we find time for our release. This makes us stronger for everything else we have to do.
Through Meraki I have found time for crafting in my life. Creating and practicing the projects we do at our Meraki events has brought me joy and contentment that I may just have lost a little over the past years. I have twin boys that are 5 years old. I am an “older mom” lol...which means I waited until my 30’s to have kids. I am tired and stressed...and more fulfilled than I ever thought possible. My family is my world. My 3 boys (yep, my hubby too) are the center of my universe and I often define most of what I do around them. Meraki has reminded me to take time for myself again. What a great reminder that there is no guilt in continuing to find my strength as a woman. I was single and career driven for a long time. I have the resume I always wanted ....world traveler, national award winning art teacher, Fulbright Scholar, theater director, and list goes on….but, what is the most important to me at this stage in my life? Wife and mommy. It fills my heart and challenges me in new ways. Career, travel and awards have made me who I am in so many ways. I would not trade those years for anything as they taught me so much. I am very proud of all that I have accomplished.
I am in a new season of my life, a place that needed a new way to fill my heart. I think as women we travel through different phases of our life and grow from each experience. I don’t think I would be the mom that I am if it wasn’t for everything that came before it - my relationships with family and best friends have taught me love and how to love these wild and crazy boys. Teaching has taught me patience and planning...things that you can’t live without while raising these monkeys. Traveling the world taught me to be prepared for anything, it taught me to be ok with making decisions on a dime and that there are things you have no control over - does this sound like parenting or what?
Where am I now? Happy and learning new ways to make it all work. What is your happy? If it’s not crafting or exercise...could it be cooking, volunteering, socializing? Find your happy and find time for it. There is no guilt in always making you the best version of yourself.
Our children are always watching us. They know when we are happy and it makes them happy. Our partners can tell when we are happy - they know that when we are happy it helps the whole family happy.
Meraki has it all - socializing, relaxing, learning, growing and yes...even crafting! Make time for YOU….make time for some Meraki in your life.
So, stay tuned! I am going to share some of my favorite craft ideas on our Meraki blog and ask what YOU, our tribe, would like to learn and create!!
With Soul, Creativity, and Love,
Allison
