As a crafter, I often feel guilty for buying hooks, yarn, fabric, thread, patterns, craft books, and more. I feel like I have to justify each new project. If I don’t complete a project before starting a new one, I feel so much guilt that I will often hide it away in a box, or a cupboard, so I don’t have it constantly reminding me that it’s not done. You see, I am not a project completer. Rather, I am a project planner. A dreamer. A Designer. I truly love the creative process of the project so much more than the project itself.
Discovering this about myself has helped me to understand how crafting, crocheting, sewing, writing, singing, playing an instrument, cooking, painting, gardening, and other creative hobbies help us care for ourselves. When we create a new design, it helps to keep our brains sharp. If we use our hands for crafting, painting, or playing an instrument, our fingers stay nimble. When we read a book, we are learning new ideas and we are using our imaginations. When we garden, we are out in the fresh air and are moving our whole bodies. When we make a gift for someone, we are actually thinking about them the whole time we are working on the project. This lifts our spirits and fills us with love and joy. This boosts our mood.
You see, every penny and every minute that we spend on our hobbies is an investment in our physical, emotional, and mental health. So, get out there and find a new hobby or revive an old one. Focus on the joy it brings you. Your life will be better for it.
~ Gail Straker, BAEd
Community Manager, Director of Coaching
Lipedema Simplified
Learn More
Attend the Innovative Solutions for Lipedema/Lymphedema Virtual Symposium 2021
Listen to our Mini Podcast episode, Self Care as a Path to Self-Discovery.