On the power of making things by hand

How creativity can aid in the decision making process

My mind is troubled. The voices in my head loud and insistent. I’ve been grappling with the same questions and anxieties ad infinitum since days.

I had a big, audacious dream that is close to fruition. But taking the final step will mean that my life will change irrevocably.

I’ve done everything I could think of to make sure that the transition is smooth. I’ve got my safety nets and check-lists in place. Barring an unexpected catastrophe that no one can predict, all systems point to go.

I just need to take one final step, but I’m hesitating and second-guessing myself.

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I try to read to distract myself, but I can’t make sense of the words on the page.

I scroll through Instagram blindly, but the questions continue to plague me.

I sit, staring vacantly out the window, and my mind goes into overdrive.

Finally, I walk into the studio. Look at my journals and paint.

I can’t. Not today.

I take a deep breath. Look around the studio. I know the one thing that can calm me down is to make something.

My eye falls to my box of collage papers, and I start rummaging around, pulling out papers that look interesting.

I get my sketchbook out. Start cutting and arranging and gluing.

Slowly, my mind quietens down. The tactile nature of making patchwork collages starts to work its magic on me.

The feel of different weights of paper between my fingers. The crinkle of painted tissue papers filling the room. The repetitive motion of cutting and gluing and adding repetitive patterns and lines to the piece.

By the time I am done with this patchwork collage, a couple of hours have passed. My mind has had a chance to empty out and calm down. My decision had always been made. I just had to accept it and move things forward.

This is the power of making things by hand.

The tactile nature of shaping and making things from disparate, unformed pieces, of seeing things take shape beneath our hands, serves as a powerful reminder of our ability to shape our lives.

Just as we can give form to pieces of collage paper or a block of wood or a lump of clay, so can we create our reality with the power of our choices and decisions, breathing life into our plans and seeing them take shape.

We can’t always control the exact outcome — that’s rarely guaranteed — but we can layer our actions on top of one another, respond to what is arising, and find our way forward. Just as with art, so with life.

Let’s chat!

I love chatting with you in the comments or via e-mail. Here are a few questions to help us get the conversation rolling:

• In what ways have you noticed art mimicking life?

• Do you have a creative practice that helps to ground you when your mind goes into overdrive?

• Have you made a big life change, and what helped you in your decision making process?

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