Have you ever felt like you just aren’t making any progress with your skills? I think this is a normal occurrence. There comes a point when you know enough that it’s not new anymore, but you’re aren’t exactly an expert either. It’s easy to get stuck in this mindset, so let me tell you how I deal with those feelings.
Recognition
Allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings. This is an important step, even if it seems silly. If you are unsettled and discontent about your progress, let yourself figure out why and put a name to those feelings. It’s ok to feel that way, and I think it’s a normal part of progress. See if you can also figure out why you are feeling this way.
Find Community
We don’t always have someone in person that we can talk to about our crafts, but these days there are many robust online communities. Join a Facebook group. Find a discussion board. Search out a Discord server. All of these things exist, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home to engage with other crafters. Sometimes just chatting with someone in the same boat can help a lot.
Look Back
We all started somewhere, even if it’s hard to remember first starting out. Think about to when you first learned your craft. I bet you were excited to learn, even if it was a bit scary. Think about how far you’ve already come and the skills you have gained. You might not be perfect, but you have improved so much already. I find this often helps me to rediscover why I enjoy my craft.
What do you do when you are discouraged by your progress in a craft? Do you have someone you like to turn to for help?