Hand stitching: a grounding practice

In this post:

• What is a “grounding practice”?
• Self-soothing in stitches
• “Busy hands, calm minds”: repetitive motion
• Create a grounding stitch practice and challenges
  

What exactly is a grounding practice? Basically, it’s an activity or technique that anchors you in the now, the present moment, when you are spinning, feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed. disconnected or experiencing PTSD symptoms. Or maybe all of these, since they overlap. I have and if you have as well, you know what it’s like when you have nothing to anchor you.

Our culture rewards us for doing too much, constantly being busy; for overloading ourselves. However, our bodies punish us for the same. It’s no wonder we have burnouts and breakdowns.

A grounding practice can help with the feeling that your mind is out of control with the “what ifs”, the “why tf is this happening?”, the “how am I going to fix this?”, and “what am I going to do?”.

Simple hand stitching is considered a “self-soothing” technique as it helps lower blood pressure, deepen the breath as your stress levels come down along with your shoulders from around your ears, and gives your mind something else to focus on other than text messages, phone calls, emails and social media. This helps to break you free from the rumination and comparison behavior that gets you absolutely nowhere.

Stitching is considered a “low-cognition” activity because no one needs any linear or logical thinking when they are attempting to regulate an emotionally overwhelmed nervous system.

“Busy hands, calm minds”, and “counting stitches”. These are all a part of the repetitive motion of thread and needle in and out of the fabric. It is a mindful act because it helps you to settle down from the crappy day you may have had. Settle down from other people’s drama. Settle down from the stuff you cannot control. Repetitive or rhythmic activity has been proven to calm the mind, reduce racing thoughts and slow the breath.

Creating a stitching practice that grounds you doesn’t have to be complicated however, it can be challenging to do it regularly. Try attaching your stitching time to another self-care practice you’re already doing such as:

• As part of your exercise or movement time.
• After your morning or evening ablutions.
• While you’re drinking your regular relaxing cup of tea or coffee.
• As part of your journaling time.
• After breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• Your daily ride to and from work if you’re not driving.

You get the idea.

Sometimes it’s not always doable. I recall stitching almost every day for about 2 years. On the days I didn’t, I could actually feel the difference. But then life moves on, gets in the way, and we forget our self-care practice (because that’s what this is), then wonder why we feel like we did before we began stitching.

Shite happens in life all the time; it’s out of our control. We lose track of our helpful habits & practices or those things that help us feel peaceful, calm, centered and present. The thing to remember when this happens is… it’s gonna happen. It can happen to anyone with the best of intentions. Do not beat yourself up. Guilt is an emotion that consumes too much energy and having shame isn’t worth it. Notice if you start doing this to yourself. Then cut yourself some slack and cultivate self-compassion. I’m having to learn this as well cause like many of you, I’m too hard on myself. We’re kinder to others than we are to ourselves.

Life is fluid and unpredictable. If you can do it on a regular basis, huzzah! And if you find that your stitching practice is also unpredictable, just lean into that until it becomes what you want or what it needs to be. Honor where you are and what you are able to do. No guilt. No shame.

Play with small pieces: slow and manageable is what we want.

Nothing overwhelming. Nothing fancy. Nothing perfect.

Just you and the moment. Needle, fabric and thread.

You are the captain of your own well-being.

It’s as simple as that.

Sit, sip and stitch with me.