Making Time to Create Isn’t Selfish - It’s How We Heal Ourselves and The World Around Us
How Crafting Can Help You Feel Grounded and Hopeful in Uncertain Times (And an Invitation to Explore This Together)
I am an artist. So are you. Maybe you use another word. Maybe you call yourself a maker, a quilter, a stitcher, a crafter, a fiber artist. Maybe you create every day but hesitate to claim a title at all. Or maybe calling yourself an artist feels completely easeful, as natural as breathing. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, I invite you to stay with me - because by the end of this journey, I hope you’ll see just how deeply creativity is woven into who you are - and how that makes a difference not only in your life but in the world around you.
Creativity as a Way of Life, A Light in the Dark, a Touchstone
I was born into a home that was absent of religion. In that vacuum, I had to invent my own belief system. I had to seek and search and question and struggle. It is still difficult for me to comfortably say aloud that I am spiritual. And yet, it has never been difficult for me to say that I am creative. An artist? That was hard to claim. A writer, slightly less so but still difficult to own. But creative? That was never tough to say. Creativity has always felt like the most natural way of life for me. In embracing that natural drive, I came to view creativity as the foundation of my own spiritual practice.
We all create. In ways big and small, every single day, we shape the world around us, intentionally and unintentionally. We create personal fashion styles through the clothes we select and wear at different times in our lives. We create warmth when we gift something handmade. We create quiet moments of peace with our stitches, our knots, our textures. We create relationships with others. We create ourselves.
Creation, creativity … it’s at the heart of all that we do. And yet, so many people hesitate to call themselves creative. I see this too often, especially in the craft community. People are making beautiful things by hand every day, yet they hesitate to name themselves as artists, as makers, as creatives.
One of the things that I am here to do is to encourage you to own your artistry and honor it—because in doing so, you make more space for creativity in your life. This betters the world. The world thrives when each of us creates in the way that is truest to our hearts, when we do it often, when we do it daily, when we infuse it into our breath, our words, and the stitches we pull through fiber.
I know that it might feel silly, small, even selfish, to focus on your craft when there is so much happening in the world. Maybe you tell yourself that there are more "important" things to do, that making time to create is indulgent. But let me be clear - taking time for your craft is an act of resilience, an act of empowerment, an act of self-preservation. It is a way to process, to heal, to bring something beautiful into a world that desperately needs it.
This is why I’m offering the year long series of Craft to Heal workshops. It’s not just about making things … it’s about making meaning. It’s about using the act of creation as a tool for personal transformation and healing. It’s about giving yourself permission to prioritize creativity as a valid, necessary, and deeply valuable part of your life.
Why Creativity Matters (Even When You Doubt It Does)
Anyone who follows my writing knows my favorite quote from Martha Graham:
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you.”
I not only love the language of this quote, but it remains my favorite over all these years because it speaks to a fundamental truth: your creativity is irreplaceable. No one else in the entire history of the universe has had the exact same combination of experiences, perspectives, and influences as you. And because of that, what you create is entirely unique. If you don’t express it, the world will never have it.
I believe that when we fail to embrace our creativity, the world loses something. And I believe that when we dismiss our artistic abilities, when we are too scared to call ourselves artists, or too timid to carve out time for craft, we deny ourselves a profound source of joy, healing, and connection.
Some have said that it is selfish to take time to create. I know people who hide their yarn stash, who feel guilty about the time they spend knitting or stitching or quilting. They worry that they are indulging in something frivolous.
But this way of thinking is not just wrong, it’s harmful.
The truth is, when we don’t create - when we deny ourselves that space - we become drained. We become depleted. And when we are depleted, we cannot show up fully for the people we love or the causes we care about. Taking time to create isn’t selfish - it is essential. It is an act of refilling your own well so that you can continue to give.
This is part of what we will explore in Craft to Heal. Through guided exercises, storytelling, and intentional creativity, we will explore how to craft with purpose, with presence, and with a deeper understanding of how fiber arts can support our emotional well-being.
Creativity as Healing
In embracing our creativity, we heal ourselves. And when we heal ourselves, we help heal the world.
The best thing for the world is for it to be filled with people who are fully alive - people who are engaged, inspired, and expressing their full selves. Creativity, art, and craft give us a way to do that. Through fiber, through stitches, through fabric and thread, we can process emotions, reclaim parts of ourselves we’ve neglected, and find balance in times of chaos.
For me, crochet was my first creative love. As I shared in my book Crochet Saved My Life, it was a lifeline that pulled me out of a deep battle with depression. I have experienced firsthand the way that making something with my hands can be a tool for survival, for clarity, for transformation. And I have seen that same healing power in countless others.
Now, I want to share this work with you. Not just the lessons I’ve learned, but the interactive journey of crafting with intention. That’s why I created Craft to Heal.
This workshop is for anyone who has ever:
Felt the call to create but struggled to make time for it or name its value.
Used their craft as a way to navigate grief, anxiety, or big life changes.
Doubted whether their art "counts" or if they’re truly an artist.
Wanted to connect more deeply with the why behind what they make.
You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to have a specific craft in mind. You just need to be open to the possibility that your creativity is more powerful than you realize.
Why I’m Offering This Workshop
This workshop exists because I know how deeply transformative creativity can be. I know that making time for your craft isn’t always easy, that calling yourself an artist might feel uncomfortable, that it can be hard to justify prioritizing creativity when the world feels heavy.
But I also know that crafting grounds us, soothes us, strengthens us. I know that it heals us and helps us and strengthens us. And in becoming our best selves, we become better for the whole world around us.
I created Craft to Heal as a space to explore that power together. Each month, we will dive into a new theme - mindfulness, letting go, fear, balance, abundance - through creative exercises designed to help you not just make things, but make meaning.
You don’t need to join for every month. This is a flexible program that you can adapt to your needs. Join the first workshop on March 18th to learn more.
So, if any part of this resonates with you, I invite you to join me. I invite you to set aside time for yourself, for your creativity, for the act of making as a form of healing.
I invite you to step into the full power of your artistry - because the world needs what only you can create.
Join me in the first Craft to Heal workshop. I’ll provide a foundation for what the program is all about, give you some beginner Craft to Heal exercises, and share more of my own story. It’s only $5 and you can receive the recorded video whether or not you are online for the class.
I love the part about how making time to create is such a necessity. I feel it!