If you have got creativity on the brain, then you can always be looking for more ways to find some more meaning and connection with the art of getting creative and making! It could be that you enjoy crafts more, or perhaps you prefer art. And if you have had a hobby like this for a while, then you are likely to have had time to improve your skills and probably gotten quite good at it. So are you ready to take your creativity to the next level? But what does that even mean?
Taking something to the next level could mean doing more of something or just doing something better. You don’t have to feel like you need to make more time for something, because when time is precious you won’t enjoy it as much. So it could just be being better at what you are doing. So you might be looking for some things that you could do to take your creativity to the next level, if you want to do a little more than seasonal crafts for the home, for instance.
Having a hobby or creative outlet, that you are really passionate about can be of benefit in many ways:
- It can give you more energy and some exhilaration as you will look forward to the time that you have for the hobby and you can get excited about new projects and ideas
- Being passionate about a hobby can be about problem-solving, and it can help you to find new ways to look at challenges
- As someone who enjoys your hobby, you are likely to want to get involved with local people doing the same too. So it can be a great way to network, which can improve your networking skills, as well as giving you the opportunity to improve your skills
- Organizational skills are another bonus that can come naturally as a result of being passionate about a hobby. You have to schedule in time, alongside your other commitments and life, so it can really help you to be more naturally organized
- Having a hobby can give you a new perspective on things. It could be new perspectives on life, on what is happening in the world, and on others. That time to yourself really lets you think and see things in other ways
- If you are someone who puts things off or likes to procrastinate, then having something that you’re passionate about can squish that procrastination feeling quite easily
- Having a creative hobby is great, because it can be as detailed and long-winded, or as short and quick as you want it to be. So it can be a great thing to help you with goal-setting and achievement-setting, as you decide what to do next
There is also a lot of research why having a creative hobby can actually be good for you, and good for your work and life balance. In fact, researchers from San Francisco State University quite recently looked at how creative activities (things like knitting, cooking, and painting), can actually affect work performance.
In the study, professionals were asked about their favorite pastimes, and they were also asked to rate their level of creativity at work and to what level they support their colleagues at work. The results were found that in general, the more that people engaged in creative activities, the better they were doing at work. So if you want to jump right into your creative hobby, then that is a reason right there to do just that. You are likely to see and feel the difference both at work and at home.
If you want to take your hobby to the next level, then it can be a great thing, especially if you are looking to take the leap to earn an income from it. And why shouldn’t you? If you are passionate about it, then why not use your skills to pay the bills? Here are some ideas to help you if you like the idea of taking your business to the next level but don’t know quite how to do so.
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Selling Items Online
If you are wanting to earn from your creative hobby, then could you sell what you make online? It could be sewing crafts that you sell, custom items, jewelry, paintings, photos, and so on. If you want to improve how quick that you can do things, such as jewelry making, for example, then would you have ever look at getting something like a 3D printer? It could mean that things can be made quicker, which can be great if you are strapped for time on things. Just make sure that you find a good supplier of 3D printer parts, so that if parts need to be replaced then it can be sorted quickly, and then you can carry on selling your crafts online.
There are places like eBay where you can sell things, as well as Etsy which is set up for homemade items. If you are looking to not pay as much for things like postage or selling fees, then using local social media groups (such as the Facebook selling groups) can be a good idea, as well as going to local fairs and events where you can have a stall.
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Teach lessons
If you have been developing and having a go at a hobby for quite a while now, you are likely to be quite skilled at it, and have some tips and expertise that people are looking for. If someone is new to getting started, then could you show them the way? You could do classes in person, as well as online classes, such as through Skype. Those could be done by appointment, but you could also look to do classes through YouTube. This could be by uploading videos of tips and tricks, or how to do something specific. You can go live through YouTube too, as well as on social media, so that could be a good way to get people to check in and see what you’re all about.
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Redecorate your home
If you are a crafter, then no doubt your home is full of different things that you have created and out together. But if you wanted to really push yourself, then how about trying to redecorate the whole of your home, just using you and your skills? You could upcycle furniture, for example, as well as sew cushions, create artwork for the wall, and so on. It can be a fun challenge for you, and can be a great way to hone your skills, improve things, and do more and more. Not to mention the end result of your home looking like new and looking great.
If you are someone who has been thinking about getting involved with a creative hobby, then there really is no time like the present. There is science to back up what you are doing, and back up how important having a hobby is in general, but especially a creative hobby. So try something new, to find out what you enjoy. As long as you enjoy it and look forward to doing it, then you are onto a good thing, for sure.
I really like your idea to find local groups of people that are sharing the same hobbies as you do. My son is really interested in getting some model cars and planes to put together and paint. I think it’s a great idea because he needs a hobby to work on and make him happy.