Arty-Folks

If things have gone badly in the past, we want to make sure that we are safe, that it never happens again. But unfortunately we cannot predict what will happen in our future.

Anxiety keeps on growing when we try to predict, control, and prepare ourselves for every possible eventuality. Fighting tomorrow before it even happens will create an internal war zone that is exhausting for body and mind.

If you feel burnt out and stuck in negative ruminations and over-thinking we suggest you try our 3-week Art for Mental Health course. We will show you how you can use your creativity to ground yourself in the here and now and build your confidence to grow through your past experiences.

Book your free place here:
https://arty-folks.org.uk/events/art-for-mental-health-010726

if you're aged 16-25yrs old you can join our Canvas to Change group here: https://arty-folks.org.uk/events/canvas-to-change-june26

Yayy!

We've been granted a couple of months extension at Eaton House and so we can run a few more Art for Mental Health 3-week courses for you.

The next one starts Wednesday 1st of July, 1pm-3pm and a couple of spaces are still available.

If you live in the CV postcode area and you're struggling with motivation, anxiety, to take positive steps even though you really want to - then this course is for you!

Book your space and we will then call you to talk you through details https://arty-folks.org.uk/events/art-for-mental-health-010726

No, you don't need to be good at drawing!
All you need is an open mind to learn new skills and we will show you step by step how to achieve a great result 😀

The course is free with materials provided.

Lovely session today, thank you all! 😍

It's so nice to see our new members settling in well and feeling so quickly at ease in the group. This piece of work talks about what weekly activities make that member feel good, including boxing!

Lots of really easy chatting about 'stuff' and how we use music to motivate ourselves, as a pick-me-up, but also to focus or step back from stressors.

It's so interesting how the same piece of music can be experienced so differently! Today we listened to a classical piece by J.S.Bach and some felt uplifted while others felt more pensive, even sad.

What's the best advice you've ever given yourself?

"Be with people you can have a laugh and avoid those drama makers."
"Not to care so much about what other people think."
"Breathe! Ignore it and it will pass."
"I can't predict the future or avoid making mistakes but I will be ok."
"Bending over backwards for them only makes them take you for granted."

Let us know yours!

224 = 2day 2morrow 4ever

The best way to move away from something you don’t want in your life, is to take a step toward something that brings you joy and calm.

It's not about making drastic changes. It's about building new small daily rituals, and understanding that what you do in small steps on a daily basis changes everything over time.

This idea might seem obvious, but when hard times hit we tend to focus on rescripting the past, rather than focus on we can learn from it and move forward.

Instead, choose just one or two new weekly habits that are worthwhile and add to it until your present and future look completely different to your past.

What will you never give up on?

"My belief that fundamentally human beings are good."
"Chocolate"
"My son, even though......"
"I will be camping well into my old age."
"Myself. I know that deep down there's a happier me."

What about you?

"The hardest part has been to accept that it is what it is right now.
Checking in every week with my mentor at Arty-Folks has helped me accept it, learn from it, and grow from it.

I have fully embraced now that the past doesn’t matter anymore.
What does truly matter is what I am going to do from here.
It's been really freeing, and I'm quite excited now about my future!"

We make ourselves really miserable by ruminating about the past, hoping that if we could rearrange things, understand things differently, we would feel differently. But that's not how our memory works.

Letting go of the past is not about letting go of your ideals and it's not about not caring anymore. It's about accepting we cannot change what has happened but you can put it aside and start living and making new memories again.

Sometimes letting go allows you to look at the same situation with fresh eyes and an open mind, so you can take the next step on a different path.

What would you immediately do differently if you knew no-one would judge you?

"I would walk away from my family and never look back."
"Sell the house and everything in it, and live without a plan."
"Learn to play the violin even though I've got arthritis and I'm sure I'll never be any good."
"Eat what I like and when I like."
"Completely change my wardrobe to colourful flamboyant."

What about you? What would you do right now if you felt free to choose?

When hard times hit us we tend to assume the future holds more of the same. Isn't it strange this doesn’t happen as much when things are going well?

We take the good times at face value in the moment for all they’re worth and then we let them go. But when we’re stressed, struggling, or fearful, it’s easy to heap on more pain by assuming tomorrow is a groundhog day.

Never assume that you are stuck with the way things are right now!
Your life changes every single second, even if you can't immediately recognise it.

If you are 16-25yrs old and are looking for support through difficult times get in touch! Book your place on Canvas to Change creative peer support group that runs Wednesdays 4pm-6pm

‘In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.’ - Albert Camus

Life is rarely a smooth journey. There are periods of uncertainty, setbacks, heartbreak, failure and emotional struggles that challenge us at our core. Personal growth often begins when we push through these life lessons to find hope even in the darkest of circumstances.

As Camus suggests, no matter how harsh life becomes, there is always a source of courage, hope and determination within every one of us that cannot be destroyed by external circumstances. The ‘invincible summer’ represents our ability to remain positive and keep moving forward towards better days.

In today’s fast-paced world, where stress, anxiety and uncertainty have become a way of living, this message is more relevant than ever. We hope this quote encourages you to believe in your own inner strength, your own invincible summer. 🌞