Fresh from the holidays, we might all feel as though we need a vacation from our vacation! Endless to-do lists, family get-togethers, school obligations, and office parties can leave us feeling as though our calendar is controlling us instead of the other way around.
Besides getting too few moments to ourselves, we might feel less able to cope, or overwhelmed and in need of a break. Even when the holidays are joyous, we can still feel pulled in too many directions or think we aren’t living up to the expectations of others. If these feelings continue, our self-confidence can take a hit, and we might believe we are ill-equipped to balance the rigors of our lives.
Here’s the thing, if you’re reading this, you’re not only perfect as you are, but you also already know a great way to improve your confidence, build coping skills, relieve stress, and exercise your creativity. Yes, you guessed it – needle felting!
It may seem like a significant promise to make, yet crafting not only helps to reduce stress levels but increases confidence and adaptability – skills we need to be good at handling what life throws our way!
Meditate On It
For starters, losing yourself in a craft such as needle felting has been scientifically proven to have meditative qualities. We achieve a “flow state” when we become so engrossed in our needle felting that we lose all track of time, and the concerns of our day fall away. This flow state has properties similar to meditation, and the impact can be just as powerful. Decreased stress levels, better emotional health, reduced anxiety, and better sleep are just some of the benefits of meditation.
Build Coping Skills
Whether you’re brand new to needle felting or a seasoned pro, projects can test our patience, and mistakes happen. Learning to cope and adapt to the challenges our needle felting projects can present helps gather evidence that we can work through the issues. No, we might not be solving world peace, but we are learning resilience along with the faith in ourselves that we can cope – lessons we can take into our daily lives. These lessons extend to problem-solving, a skill we need as much in needle felting as we do our busy days!
Develop Confidence
It may seem counter-intuitive, but we can grow our confidence even when we are new and struggling with a new craft. By taking on a new endeavor, we are reigniting the part of our brain that assures us we are capable of learning new skills and techniques. The accomplished feeling we get when we master something new gives us the boost we need to keep learning, to keep trying. Confidence is built when we put ourselves into novel situations beyond our comfort zone and prove to ourselves that we can do it!
Improve Focus
As we age, our ability to focus and concentrate on tasks slumps, but needle felting can stem that decline. Sitting down to create a needle felted creation takes time and focus to see your design come to fruition. Learning new skills or taking on a new project requires us to sharpen our focus for long periods, building new patterns in the brain. Expanding our capacity to focus using needle felting, supports our ability to focus on other projects beyond our craft space.
Connect to Community
It’s easy to become isolated these days – everything is delivered to our homes, and we spend a lot of time staring at screens. Not only does needle felting get you off your smartphone for a while, but it also connects you to a community of like-minded people who are working on improving their skills. The wide array of people you will meet because of needle felting and fiber crafts will truly inspire and motivate you in surprising ways. Reawakening your desire to connect with a community will no doubt extend into other areas of your life as well – maybe you’ll even host a crafting gathering!
Are you sold on the benefits of needle felting? If you’d like a little more support, the Bear Creek Needle Felting Academy offers the help and direction you need to get started. Plus, you’ll be part of a community of creatives who generously share their tips and experiences. I’ll be there too to help you create enchanted animals for yourself and others. Click here to learn more!
Learn to Needle Felt the Easy Way!
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