Lockdown - How crafting was, and is, so important to me

 I was busy looking through my social media today and saw several posts pop up from friends who had shared their “memories” from this time last year. How the world was about to change as we entered lockdown. If only we knew then what a year we were going to have! 

Working from home for me and so many others became the new normal and finding a way to adjust to this was so important. I remember my mental health really taking a hit and I knew that I was struggling like so many others. I had to take charge.

There was lots of advice around especially when it became clear that it was not going to be over in a couple of weeks. For me I found that I needed to make sure that I was in a routine, after all when at work under normal circumstances every minute of my day was planned out so I needed to make sure that every day was planned out too, not just the ones when I was working from home. Groups sprang up that were trying to help and support and I got involved with making ear savers for the NHS and care home staff in my local area. It was a turning point. I could put my crafting skills to use and feel that I was helping in some very small way. Making sure I was crafting was, and is, so important to me for my mental well being. Going into lockdown just made me realise this.

When I look back to how my life was then to how it is now there is no comparison. I made the decision in the autumn to leave my job, my career that I had had for over twenty years and take a leap of faith into the unknown. Boy that was a scary thing to do! I left at Christmas. 

I changed employers and took up my new part time job straight away. I also took the leap of faith and decided to go for it with my own little small business. Knowing that crafting in whatever form is a big part of what makes me me, and how when  I am crafting it helps my mental well being it seemed the most obvious route to go down. When I am busy making my little crochet makes it does not feel as though I am working. I make whatever I feel like making and am busy developing my makes and learning all the time. Getting feedback on my making journey has also been good for me as it has allowed me to see where I need to concentrate my time and effort whilst also being free to go in different directions. 

With some light showing at the end of the tunnel on being able to interact with customers in person rather than solely on the internet my makes will no doubt take on new directions. They have already changed so much from my very simple and plain cacti that I started making at the beginning to the most recent ones with the cute painted faces on the pots. I have learned so much already and I know that that will not end as I move forward. I am looking forward to where my crafting journey takes me next.

Tomorrow will be a good day. 

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