Arty-Folks

"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. 🌞

Congratulations to B. for landing just the right job 👏

After years of struggling with a toxic homelife B. was supported to leave and settle in a new place by the amazing Coventry Haven Women's Aid

Nobody should be living fear in their own home. But it sometimes takes years to find the confidence to break away for good and what follows is not easy at all. But, once you've made the decision life starts to get better one day at a time.

To everyone who is looking for a job - no matter what qualifications you have it is tough! To keep positively focused it is crucial you surround yourself with activities you enjoy and that give you a sense of achievement. 🎨

"Your boundaries are not walls.
They are the price of admission for being in your life."

This is a very confident statement about why and where boundaries need to be set - to keep ourselves safe, and for our sanity.

It is your choice who you let into your life.
So choose wisely!

And don't rush in! Give them time to show that they're worthy of your love, care, and attention. 😍

"Loyalty given to the wrong people is not a virtue,
it's a very expensive mistake!"

No idea who first came up with this statement but it's a pretty good one! We've all bent over backwards for the wrong people and suffered for it as a result.

Here's a really good little exercise for you:
From this bank holiday week-end try being loyal to your own self
which means
👉 checking in with how you are feeling and being honest with yourself and also with others
👉 identify what exactly you want to do right here right now and do not make it dependent on others!
👉 say no to doubts that ni**le away at your confidence and self-esteem because you're not being selfish - you are on your way to becoming your own best friend 🥂

Does this surprise you?

A recent survey by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy showed that around 60% of women over 50 struggle with their mental health.

Contributing factors include anxiety, sleep issues, bereavement, loneliness, and glaringly obvious - the menopause.
Sadly 90% of women surveyed had not sought any help.

"What should I ask for help for? The crazy shenanigans that I have experienced in my life that have left me heart broken? That I am seen as a full-time carer to my grown up children and to my elderly parents? That I'm pretty invisible at work and that I'm being taken for granted everywhere I look?

There is no pill that will melt it all away and I'm not prepared to spend the last days of my life feeling dulled by meds. So I grin and bear it!

But I have joined lots of classes and groups where I can meet people who understand and are in the same boat. It's the best medicine in town!"

If you would like to join Arty-Folks next 3-week course visit:
https://arty-folks.org.uk/events/art-for-mental-health-270526

There seems to be a specific term for everything!
Have you heard of 'soft socialising' ?

It's what all social-creative groups do, like knit&natter, art groups, walk groups, board games... It's being with a group of people and enjoying an activity together while gently talking about this and that without any pressure to 'make' conversations or small talk.

These everyday conversations help us develop relationships and friendships over time and have shown to support well-being and reduce social fatigue.

Soft socialising about building connections that don't require constant engagement; it just happens naturally when we're together.

Well, that's what we at Arty-Folks have been doing since day one!
We just called it 'being creative with like-minded people'.

Guess 'soft socialising' is a lot shorter, but it sounds a clinical, no?

We've got a couple of spaces on the 3-week Art for Mental Health course starting this coming Wednesday 27th May, 1pm-3pm

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-270526

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.