Let's talk about failure. We are surrounded more and more by beautiful images on social media: magnificent works of art, perfectly cooked and plated dishes, happy and smiling families, etc. Even if we know full well that these are curated images, which do not represent all of reality, it’s easy to put pressure on ourselves and internalize these ideal images as “normal” standards. This, in turn, can lead to a fear of trying new things, because we are afraid of not succeeding at the first try, we are afraid of failure. 

We often see this phenomenon in handicrafts, such as quilting, knitting, or ceramics, just to name a few examples. The pressure of having to quickly master techniques in order to be able to share our "successful" creations with others, in fact, can discourage us from learning and rob us of the basic pleasure of creating. 

I’m bringing up the topic because this summer, I took the time to try new things, just for me, just to learn and have fun. My goal was not to create anything in particular, I had no project in mind, I just wanted to have fun and create things freely. There were no criteria to meet, no specifications. And it did me a world of good! 

I am convinced that allowing ourselves to "play" in this way, without needing to necessarily ​​share anything, is essential in order to hang on to our enjoyment of artistic practice. It also plays an essential role in learning. To learn, we have to practice and learn a technique in a way that suits us, without thinking about how others may perceive and interpret our efforts.

Playing to learn is a well-known approach for children, but it applies equally well for adults, for vocational training as well as when we simply want to learn something new related to a passion or a hobby. (Read this article by the Harvard Graduate School of Education for more information).  

Moreover, there is another subject related to this pressure to share only “successful” projects: perfectionism. Perfectionism can be deadly to the process of artistic creation because it prevents us, once again, from changing our methods, from testing out new things, in short, from learning. In our desire to show only a perfectly finished product, we restrict ourselves to techniques we feel we’ve mastered rather than trying something new.

Here are some resources if any of this speaks to you and you want to explore this topic further: 

• this blog post by Deer and Doe, which really touched me. They talk about the pressure to always show a perfect face/product on social media, in particular, and the impact this can have on both physical and mental health; 

• the Stitch Wish Radio podcast by Christi Johnson, where she often talks about the importance of play in maintaining joy and artistic balance, especially in episode 7; 

• the Seamwork Radio podcast, in particular, episode 88, with its tips for playing more and stressing less when sewing; 

• the famous book “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown, also available in French under the title “La grace de l’imperfection”. 

Personally, I want to continue my learning momentum with periods of free and unencumbered practice, without the need to complete a defined project.

If you have any thoughts or tips, to help keep a healthy mindset and manage this type of pressure, please share them in the comments below!