How to Spark Joy Through Crafting

Immersing yourself in a crafty activity can lift your spirits, soothe your stresses and supercharge your sense of wellbeing. 

But what is it that sparks a sense of joy when we sink our hands into a soothing ball of clay, master our first row of crochet or indulge in the mesmerising process of paint pouring? And what tempts us back to these creative pursuits time after time?

It’s all in the science

Dip into a bit of research on crafting and happiness and you’ll soon stumble across phrases like “dopamine rush”, “embodied cognition” and “flow state” – but what do these phrases actually mean? And how can we experience them for ourselves? Get a cuppa and settle in as we reveal the physiological benefits that crafting has on our brains and our overall sense of wellbeing.

Why does crafting boost your mood?

Because it releases dopamine! Dopamine is sometimes described as the ‘feel-good’ chemical as it motivates us to repeat feel-good behaviours. The less expected the outcome, the greater the dopamine hit, so having a go at a new craft with unexpected results is the perfect formula to make you smile.

Roberta was filled with joy after her pottery class:

“So positive, happy, energetic, passionate and excited, we loved it! An amazing activity to do for the weekend”.

Harriet's printing workshop left her feeling so uplifted:

“Absolutely loved our lino printing. Our teacher was so lovely and we had such a great evening. We also made something we were really proud of! Thank you!”

The more dopamine we get, the more we want! In other words, one craft class is all it takes to kickstart a lifetime of learning.

Mathilde was super inspired by terrarium making:

“This class was amazing! The teacher Emily was so friendly and passionate. The venue was really nice and I feel like I've learned so much! Can't wait to make more terrariums in the future.”

Trying a new craft is the ultimate way to supercharge your sense of wellbeing and tap into the uplifting physiological effects of a dopamine boost. Try some soothing soy candle-making and indulge in the enlivening scents of essential oils as you melt your way to a wonderful waxy creation. Or, get that warm glow from a watercolour workshop as you blend beautiful tones to bring a landscape to life. You don’t have to produce a masterpiece to get the delicious dose of positivity that crafting can bring—it’s all about the process! 

Expand your smile with something tactile 

We’ve discovered that unexpected rewards deliver a buzz. But what is it about creating something tangible—think fluffy felt craft, smooth ceramics and meandering macrame—that increases our happiness more than non-physical activities? It’s all down to embodied cognition, the concept of using our bodies to learn and create.

Working with tactile mediums like cool clay, stretchy yarn or gooey paints can help us to become more mindful as our physical senses push our mental chatter to the side, turning down the noise in our busy brains and helping us to relax our muscles, slow our breathing and reduce our heart rate.

A 2015 study found that the tactile sensations of finger painting induced a state of mindfulness that was strongly connected with a feeling of wellbeing. The participants found that swirling the silky paint with their fingers and making marks with their hands was super satisfying, making them feel more aware, more present and ultimately, happier. 

What better reasons to seize some knitting needles and soft yarn, melt into some mosaic-making with some glossy glass tiles or ground yourself with some crochet loops and reap the mood-boosting rewards of a tactile task! 

How to find your flow state 

Lots of crafters describe a feeling of “zoning out” or disconnecting from everything around them as they focus on their craft, forgetting their daily worries and losing their sense of time as they build, mould or make. This blissed-out flow state is a mindful and peaceful place to be, giving you a freeing sense of joy, calm and escapism! 

Katerina escaped for a while with a paint and sip class:

“I had a great time in Kaisa's class! We got to try many different techniques with different tools which Kaisa always encouraged us to do. The time flew by and it was definitely a new and fun experience. I would recommend the class anytime!”

Really relaxing into an activity, finding your flow state by reconnecting with a tangible task and challenging yourself to produce something handmade is a wonderful way to ease anxiety, be more mindful and generate feelings of satisfaction and happiness. 

Psychologist, Csikszentmihalyi’s flow state and happiness research explains that the best moments in our lives occur when we are deeply focused on accomplishing something worthwhile. Social psychologist, Tavris backs up this sense of finding joy through mindful creativity. She says, “the way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful challenge”.

So take some time to out to be mindful and let your happiness bloom with a creative activity. Embrace being present, get into the flow and give your brain a boost of positivity with some mindful macrame, a soothing painting session or an uplifting foray into printmaking. The possibilities are endless, so choose something that inspires you, enjoy the process and explore the happy science of creativity for yourself.