Silence

Society today is built to allow for communication with others or from others.  We have phones (cell and land lines), e-mail  not to mention television, radios, and voice mail.  The only communication that society doesn't allow or even sometimes encourage is communicating with yourself.  To do that you need, not all those electronic gadgets, but the antiquated idea of silence.

Silence is how we hear ourselves think.  As creative beings, we need silence.   We begin to see our lives, and the world around us in silence.  To some it is the only way to communicate with the Spirit. 

For many years I lived in a dormitory as the hall director (what many might think of as a Dorm Mom).  Outside my front door was usually a lobby with a TV and dozens of college students at any time of the day or night.  I realize now, being away from that atmosphere, that I kept my stereo and TV on more as a sound wall than for any enjoyment or even company.  As long as I had something on in the apartment, I couldn't hear what was going on in the lobby (and there were times I didn't want to hear what was going on in the lobby J. 

Now the TV is rarely on.  I don't have to fall asleep with either music or something creating 'white noise'.  When I do listen to music, I am able to enjoy and relax to it. And to my great enjoyment I can hear the little birds at my feeder, the breeze through the trees and a thunderstorm.  But mostly I can hear my own thoughts.  

I don't have to set aside time very late at night to create an atmosphere of quiet (usually with ear plugs).  Silence isn't that far away.  Without all the noise, my stress level is down, decisions are made easier and my creative ideas just flow.

Now this might not be possible with a house full of family.  You might also have to create some time late at night with ear plugs, as I did.  If you need to, do so.  Without silence, your life and your creativity will reflect the chaos of the noise around you. 

Catch bits of silence whenever you can.  If you are consciously looking for the quiet, try not to use the phone - even let voice mail pick up.  Don't have the TV or stereo on.  While driving, turn the radio off.  Silence can be found quite nicely in the newly insulated cars on the market these days.  And even in the mist of traffic, with the radio off, you will be able to hear yourself (pay attention to the road though, OK?)  Take a nap in the afternoon when you can so you can stay awake after the rest of the household is off with the Sandman.

You don't have to do anything during these times of silence (unless you are driving the car).  Just sit.  Maybe start out by breathing deeply.  And relax - the blood can't get to the brain with those tight shoulders and neck muscles.  As you spend more time in silence, your mind will take over.   Just follow it to see where it leads.

Even with tiny bits of silence here and there, your stress level will decrease (noise of any kind raises the blood pressure), your concentration will increase and your creativity will blossom.  It may take a while but you will see a difference in your life.

Silence is golden.  Shhhhh.

© 2017, 2023– Cheryl Fillion

 

Naptime

It has been cold and snowy all week where I live.  Cold weather always tempts me to do one of two things:  crawl under a quilt and read or crawl under a quilt and nap.

 

Napping is becoming more and more essential in today's world of tablets and smart phones and overbooked schedules.  Books are being written on how to nap, the benefits of naps, and the enjoyment of naps.  Businesses are encouraging naps as a way to increase productivity.  Clinics are being created to study sleep deprivation and its effect on our health.

 

While daily naps have not been accepted in America, medical research is finding that lack of sleep is actually a danger to our health.  Sleep deprivation increases our stress which can lead to high blood pressure.  According to the National Sleep Association, 100,000 highway accidents a year leading to 1,500 deaths are due to fatigue. Not getting enough sleep can stop your immune system from functioning properly which leads to more frequent and longer lasting illnesses.

 

Now a nap here and there is certainly not going to take care of all the sleep deprivation that America suffers from.  But it can't hurt either.  Naps tend to refresh us.  They allow our minds and bodies to relax.  This increases our ability to accomplish things and to make fewer mistakes.  We are more likely to be sociable when we are rested. Our anxiety and depression will lessen.  It is even thought that if you think of a problem before you go to sleep, the solution will come while you're sleeping.

 

Naps are good for our creativity.  They counterbalance the busyness of our lives that doesn't leave any room, energy or ideas left for our art.  It gives us that extra boost our souls need to do something fulfilling for us.  How many of you want to do anything but be a couch potato when we are tired.

 

How long a nap last varies from person to person.  Some people feel refreshed after 15 minutes; some need an hour or more to feel any rest.  Some need dark and quiet while others doze just as well in a crowded room.  (I had an uncle who slept through every family gathering for as long as I remember and we had pictures to prove it.)

 

So if you find yourself overwhelmed this week, frustrated that you can't accomplish what you want and not wanting to be around anyone, take a nap.  It will do you and the world, a universe of good.  Nighty-night.

 

© 2018, 2021 – Cheryl Fillion

 

Silence

I was reminded of this blog this week and I thought it might be good to report it.

 

Society today is built to allow for communication with others or from others.  We have phones (cell and land lines), e-mail, pagers, not to mention television, radios, and answering machines.  The only communication that society doesn't allow or even sometimes encourage is communicating with yourself.  To do that you need, not all those electronic gadgets, but the antiquated idea of silence.

 

Silence is how we hear ourselves think.  As creative beings, we need silence.   We begin to see our lives, and the world around us in silence.  To some it is the only way to communicate with the Spirit.

For many years I lived in a dormitory as the hall director (what many might think of as a Dorm Mom).  Outside my front door was usually a lobby with a TV and dozens of college students at any time of the day or night.  I realize now, being away from that atmosphere, that I kept my stereo and TV on more as a sound wall than for any enjoyment or even company.  As long as I had something on in the apartment, I couldn't hear what was going on in the lobby (and there were times I didn't want to hear what was going on in the lobby J.

 

Now the TV is rarely on.  I don't have to fall asleep with either music or something creating 'white noise'.  When I do listen to music, I am able to enjoy and relax to it. And to my great enjoyment I can hear the little birds at my feeder, the breeze through the trees and a thunderstorm.  But mostly I can hear my own thoughts. 

 

I don't have to set aside time very late at night to create an atmosphere of quiet (usually with ear plugs).  Silence isn't that far away.  Without all the noise, my stress level is down, decisions are made easier and my creative ideas just flow.

 

Now this might not be possible with a house full of family.  You might also have to create some time late at night with ear plugs, as I did.  If you need to, do so.  Without silence, your life and your creativity will reflect the chaos of the noise around you. 

 

Catch bits of silence whenever you can.  If you are consciously looking for the quiet, try not to use the phone - even let the answering machine or voice mail pick up.  Don't have the TV or stereo on.  While driving, turn the radio off.  Silence can be found quite nicely in the newly insulated cars on the market these days.  And even in the mists of traffic, with the radio off, you will be able to hear yourself (pay attention to the road though, OK?)  Take a nap in the afternoon when you can so you can stay awake after the rest of the household is off with the Sandman.

 

You don't have to do anything during these times of silence (unless you are driving the car).  Just sit.  Maybe start out by breathing deeply.  And relax - the blood can't get to the brain with those tight shoulders and neck muscles.  As you spend more time in silence, your mind will take over.   Just follow it to see where it leads.

 

Even with tiny bits of silence here and there, your stress level will decrease (noise of any kind raises the blood pressure), your concentration will increase and your creativity will blossom.  It may take a while but you will see a difference in your life.

 

Silence is golden.  Shhhhh.

© 2017 – Cheryl Fillion

 

Try a Coloring Book

Coloring books are popular now, especially those for adults. You can find them everywhere. I even see them in the magazine rack at my grocery store. I have bought a couple, mostly for the images inside. They give me ideas for embroidery and appliqué. But I had never colored in them.

Until about a week ago when I was feeling restless but didn’t want to sew or embroider. So I pulled out a book and my colored pencils and started to color.

I immediately felt my body relax. It was a calming sensation to move the pencil along the paper. It also brought back some wonderful memories of coloring as a child. I really enjoyed coloring.

Looking back on the activity now, I also realized some other things. When deciding what picture to color, I found myself attracted to the ones in the book having to do with teacups (the coloring book had a theme of houses and homes). I found this interesting. I don’t drink tea, don’t own any flowery teacups, and probably would never go to a tea party. But I was wanting to color teacups. (I settled on a picture that said Give Love and had all kinds of hearts surrounding the words. As I have said before, what do you expect when one has a shop and a blog entitled Heartfully Cheryl).

I also noticed that I am attracted to landscapes particularly beach scenes. I think these pictures are providing me with a little bit of an escape. I can’t go to the beach so why not color one.

And while coloring I was able to play with color. I did one heart in one color scheme and then tried another heart in a totally different color. I mixed together colors I never would have done on fabric or with thread. But after doing it on paper, I might try playing with those colors combinations in my quilting and embroidery.

  It was a nice activity to do. It was relaxing and playful and brought back memories I had forgotten. If some people think that coloring for adults is childish, then let them. I am going to do it again (maybe this time a teacup and maybe with crayons.)

  Want to try something new (or if you colored as a child, something old)? Get a coloring book and some pencils and color. You just might have some fun.

  ©2018, 2020 – Cheryl Fillion

How Art can Help with Stress

This is a very stressful time for everyone.  Just having your routine upended can be upsetting but then having the fear of getting sick and possibly the loss of work and you are on stress overload.  But art (in any and all forms) can help.

Working on something, anything that you enjoy is a distraction from the stressful news on television or social media.  It gets you thinking about something else and in times like this, that is the best thing you can do.   It helps your mood and relaxes you.  That in the long run helps your health.

Doing anything that will help you laugh improves your health.  Laughter helps release hormones that dissipates stress and improves the immune system.  So do that thing that gives you the most joy.

If you are social distancing, creating art and posting it on Social media or through emails, can help you connect with other people even if you can’t physically be with them.  And creating art helps your surroundings look a little different.  Staying at home and not going to other places can become boring very fast. 

And creating something also helps make the time go by fast.  I was working on a project the other day and before I knew it 3 hours had past.  I was concentrating so hard I wasn’t even aware of the time.

This is the time to start a new project.  Or maybe finished one you started a long time ago.  If nothing else, this may be the time to clean up your art/craft area.  Take an inventory of what you have and what you might need and when the retail shops are up and running, you can help them by shopping for new supplies.

I told a quilting friend of mine that after this break from our Guild meetings, we were going to have one great Show and Tell session.  Maybe on a smaller scale, you could plan a show and tell party with your friends when we don’t have to social distance ourselves anymore.  Show ff what you created and oooh and ahhh what they created.

What ever it is that you enjoy doing, make sure you do it now.  It will help with your stress, with your health, and create a lot of fun in this uncertain time.  Happy Creating.

©2020 Cheryl Fillion