Create something out of nothing, or in my case create clothing out of a single thread of yarn.
During the day I found idle hours where I would be watching virtual lectures, facetiming a friend, or watching a weekly episode of Euphoria. My hands would gravitate to my phone to scroll aimlessly or fiddle with the silver rings on my fingers.
What could I be doing that occupies my hands while my mind is focused on something else?
Painting, drawing, knitting, crocheting, jewelry making all came to mind when thinking about what I could be creating while my mind is preoccupied. I landed on crocheting due to my minimal experience back in grade school. My aunt tried to teach me yet my little hands could not figure out how to twist and turn the hook in the correct way; therefore I gave up.
12 years later I am creating something out of nothing. A single yarn thread in an hour’s time is turned into a finished clothing piece. Aside from creating new wardrobe pieces there has been a host of benefits from this new found hobby.
Creative juices have been flowing, inspiration for new projects come with ease, and this simple threading of a hook has leveled up my motivation across the board. Since starting, only a few weeks ago, I have rekindled my eagerness to challenge myself. This has stemmed from trying new patterns with my novice crocheting skills. From blankets to bras each finished piece comes with a rewarding sensation and encourages the start of another project.
Why is this important?
Finding a hobby that you enjoy outside of your passion projects, work, obligations and miscellaneous activities creates time for yourself, in turn creates time to decompress and release stress. The more pieces I make, the less tension I feel within my body. Getting the negative energy flowing out of my hands and through the yarn physically turned anxiety and stress into a wearable work of art.
Commit to five minutes a day. Doodle in a notebook, brain dump your thoughts in your journal, read one chapter of the book you have been neglecting to finish, join the crocheting club, pick some paints up and throw them on a canvas. It only takes five minutes to start creating something out of nothing.