There are times in life when you just feel stuck.
Not just creatively-but emotionally, personally and mentally.
I was in one of those phases too.
For some reason, i couldn’t complete anything I started.
Be it a course, an art project or a blog post – not because I didn’t want to, but because I just couldn’t.
I just felt stuck and the more projects I started without finishing- the heavier everything felt.
Looking back, I think this feeling was magnified because i wasn’t doing great in my career either.
I just felt this quiet pressure of not having made it, or atleast having it all figured out.
The more I dwelled in that, the more it hurt.
People said I was lazy and unmotivated.
But I knew that wasn’t true.I wasn’t lazy- i just couldn’t bring myself to present work that didn’t feel perfect.
I was overwhelmed and tired of never being able to reach the end.
SO I TRIED SOMETHING DIFFERENT
I realised I was too focussed on whether the outcome would be perfect that it made me anxious of the result- leading me to never actually finishing what I started.
I also realised that the only thing I needed to feel good about myself was to actually complete a project. I needed a sense of accomplishment.
So I turned to something I’ve always loved- art and craft.
I bought a few small art kits online-ones that I knew would look great once complete. That way, I didn’t have to worry about how the final result would turn out. I just had to follow the steps.
I had always wanted to learn stitching, so I picked up an embroidery kit.
Crochet and Diamond art were on my list too- and ( thanks to instagram’s algorithm), they magically showed up on my feed and into my cart.
And for the first time in weeks- I actually completed something.
Just that act of completing something gave me a sense of calm and joy that I hadn’t felt in a long while.
Reasons I think these small projects helped me( and why they might help you too):
- No pressure- I wasn’t trying to create something original.
- A clear path- every kit came with step by step tutorials – so I just had to follow steps.
- Sense of accomplishment- I completed something. I reached the end. That alone was healing.
- Confidence- if I could complete this- maybe i could complete other things i was stuck at too.
- Happiness- we don’t realise it enough, but happiness eally has a domino effect in life. And I really needed that.
A few projects I tried ( and loved):
- Beginner’s Crochet Kit- Penguin by The original knit
- Diamond Art kit by Craftmate
- DIY embroidery kit by Knot your type
Additionally you could also try-
- Resin Art kits
- Paint by Number kits
- Punch Needle Art
- Decoupage
- Plan a trip- Yes, planning a short trip — right from the itinerary to actually going — can bring back that feeling of movement and completion.
These projects reminded me that I don’t need to have it all figured out.
Life’s just like these kits, where we need to move forward step by step. Its going to look incomplete and maybe even messy in between, but that’s what is going to take us to the end.
I remind myself everyday that , I can’t know it all before I begin, I need to just take the plunge and keep moving.
Because nothing in life teaches you more than actually doing the work.
So, a quiet win may not change everything, but sometimes, it’s exactly what we need to begin with.
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