Hello Fiber Friends!
If you are like me right now, I am overwhelmed with emotions. One minute I am positive and know we will get through these uncertain times. Then in a blink of an eye I can watch a commercial about pets and their needs and I become overwhelmed with emotions and the tears just come. I don’t like this feeling but I recognize it is a product of stress. Follow me as I discuss how crafting is therapy!
Stress
We all know that overwhelmed emotions cause stress, stress is both good and bad. Positive stress can help you accomplish tasks more efficiently. It can even boost memory. Stress is also a vital warning system, producing the fight-or-flight response. When the brain perceives some kind of stress, it starts flooding the body with chemicals like epinephrine, nor-epinephrine and cortisol.
Ideally, you can choose activities that make you feel good, happy, and excited. To gauge whether or not an activity is worth your time, pay attention to how the thought of it makes you feel. Do you feel excited? Is it a “want to,” or a “have to”? Be sure your “want to” activities are all things you really do want to do, and your “have to” activities are all absolutely necessary. One activity is having a hobby!
Crafting & Hobbies to reduce stress
Hobbies have often been promoted for those who are leading full, busy, stressful lives as a way to relax and unwind. However, now that we have slowed down and are staying at home it is just as important to remember that this change in status is very stressful. Now having a hobby crucial to take a break from the news, calm fears and anxiety and give us a sense of accomplishment and control when we feel like we have none!
Here are some activities I have seen my friends talking about doing. Working puzzles are what 2 sisters are doing;
Some of my other friends have children and are taking time to play out doors and nature walks.
My Craft room is therapeutic!
Many including myself have turned to their craft rooms! At the start of the “stay at home” order, I wiped the dust off my sewing machine when asked to make masks for a local rehab facility. It was gratifying to know I was helping in some way when I felt overwhelmed by the situation. I know many of my fiber friends have been doing the same thing. Donating masks to health care workers and making sure family members had them to stay safe.
There are so many crafting hobbies that I am sure everyone, even someone who really doesn’t craft, can find one to do; jigsaw puzzles, cooking & baking, adult coloring books(remember those from a few years ago!), Dancing around, My favorites are needle felting, weaving and sewing. The most important thing is to not let yourself reach a state of burnout.
Burnout
Most of the time the term burnout has been associated with people who are working in high stress jobs with no outlets. I feel this time of isolation can also create this feeling of burnout in a different way. Burnout can leave people feeling exhausted, empty, and unable to cope with the demands of life.
A big factor when feeling burnout is isolating yourself. So my opinion is, if I am already isolated then there is a good chance I will experience the systems of burnout! We are forced to create most of our interactions with others virtually or over the phone. For many this technological way of interacting is very new. Stress is then not only created because we have to communicate this way but many don’t know how. It has been a huge learning curve for many including myself!
Just know you are not alone! As the commercials tell us “we are in this together”.
If you need some inspiration check out my free tutorial on making a needle felted picture;
Need more information or inspiration? Go to my Resource page.
Purchase Anita’s art or kits and supplies at Anita’s Fiber Art on Etsy!
Happy Creating!
Anita