How do I rekindle my enthusiasm?

[Yorkshire Sam]

This is rather an odd one but I am hoping that someone here may be able to help.
I have only recently recovered from an illness and am working my way back into some kind of fitness. I am 70 years old and I have a small workshop in my garage where I used to spend many hours doodling, mainly with hand tools making small objects, boxes, toys, repairing, restoring, etc, more for the fun of doing it rather than for the finished object.
But it’s been quite sometime since I have attempted to do any woodwork, partly due to the illness but more because I seem to have lost any interest in doing it! I keep looking into my workshop but just can’t seem to raise the enthusiasm to start anything, even so I still log into UK Woodworking everyday. I don’t have anyone to pass the tools onto and I am reluctantly thinking of selling my tools rather than let them waste away in the garage.
Can anyone suggest a way to help me rekindle my love of working with wood or has it gone forever? Any suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[NickN]

What seemed to work for me was a combination of watching woodworking videos of making various things and being inspired to try for myself, and also just having a day where I said to myself "I am going in the workshop and I AM going to make something today before I come out!"
Like you my enthusiasm had all but disappeared earlier this year, but seeing videos on YouTube and then deciding on something to make (a spatula, it was) tipped me back into getting keen on doing woodworking again. And now there's no stopping me!

 

[Mr T]

Hi Sam

Sorry to hear that you have lost your mojo Sam. Working in the shed on your own can be a bit lonely, especially if you are not feeling inspired. I wonder if you had company it would help you to get motivated again. You could think about Men In Sheds, there are a number of Men in Sheds sites in County Durham, may be worth a visit just to see what they do. https://menssheds.org.uk/find-a-shed/

Hope you get your mojo back soon.

Chris

 

[John15]

Sorry to hear how you are feeling Sam. This weather doesn't help either. Do you think it's depression you have? - if so a visit to the doctor can help overcome this. I take a daily pill which helps me a lot.
All the best. Hope you are back to woodworking soon.

John

 

[deema]

I would like to suggest threesolutions.

1. If there is a mans shed close by pop along to that, there will be lots of like minded people and people needing help and assistance. The comradary and others enthusiasm will help to rekindle your spirits.

2. Buddy up with someone who needs either a little help or is willing to have someone to talk to, could be either a fellow amateur or a professional looking for ‘cheap’ help. Someone from this forum may welcome having someone to share their time with.

3. Offer to make something for a local charity, church, youth organisation or what ever for Xmas. A gift or something to raffle is always welcomed. You will have a purpose a timescale and a very appreciate client.

Losing your interest could be sign of mild dipression as it’s trendy to say or, feeling blue as we used to call it! that could just needs you to become motivated to achieve something in the workshop

 

[Jacob]

What about a big spring clean in your shed - get rid of stuff you haven't used, perk the place up, make sure it's warm and as pleasant as possible to work in. Perhaps get a new bit of kit - something you've always felt a need for but put off? Put in a bit of technique practice on scraps. Then cast around for some fresh ideas - do things differently?
I'm 73 and I find good lighting to be essential.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

Chris and the others are right about the solitude being difficult to deal with at times. company is the thing, for at least some of the time. aside from men in sheds, do you have any grandchildren that might like to join in? I saw this the other day, this or something similar couldn't fail to motivate and be really enjoyable.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/2017/12/ ... =268293897

good luck with your mojo.

Mike.

 

[ED65]

I was also going to suggest giving the workshop a spring clean, but if that's a bit overwhelming at this stage how about just dust, lubricate and wax up a favoured tool? I find handling the tools often gives me the itch to use them.

And just planing up some rough scraps, seeing the beautiful wood appear like magic from underneath the rough surface, I always find particularly inspiring.

 

[kevinlightfoot]

I tend to want to go in my workshop if I have some of my favourite music to listen to,may sound obvious but it really makes a difference.

 

[Tasky]

What got me fired up to try this stuff was twofold...

1/. Find someone who wants/needs/would like something that you can make for them. As mentioned above, it could be a local community or church, a family member, a charity, or just a neighbour.

2/. Go shopping, see how much people are charging for a naff-quality version of something you yourself could make for a fraction of the cost, then challenge yourself to do exactly that... ideally with something that fits part 1 above!!

 

[custard]

Sam, maybe it's time to just let woodworking go and move on to something else.

I've been guilty in the past of being a cheerleader for the joys of woodworking, but maybe I should stop assuming that because woodworking has been a life long passion for me, then it'll be the same for everyone else. And when you look at all the people that fetch up this forum fizzing with enthusiasm, but then disappear after a year or two, you've got to conclude that for many people woodworking is a temporary enthusiasm.

It's also difficult to avoid the fact that woodworking has several significant problems as a hobby.

-It's not cheap. I used to think it was, but when you sit down and add up all the expenditure it's generally thousands rather than tens or hundreds.
-Wood, especially decent quality hardwood, really isn't that easy to source. But without a ready supply of decent wood no one can make much progress as a woodworker.
-It's quite physically demanding, and if you try and side step that with machinery it takes you onto the next problem.
-Bargain basement machinery and tooling is often just an exercise in frustration.
-The skills required for woodworking aren't particularly quick and easy to acquire, it's closer to learning a new language or a musical instrument than it is to learning how to bake a cake or drive a car. But unlike a language or an instrument, your inevitable mistakes don't conveniently disappear into the ether, woodworking mistakes are rendered in the solid and pretty permanent!
-Individual woodworking projects can be substantial commitments. To make even a modest sized piece of furniture might well require a hundred plus hours of effort. I once trained under a guy who kept banging home the point that furniture making is a marathon not a sprint, he used to say if you want quick results then take up turning instead!

It's worrying that so many of the replies to your question are couched in the language of mental health. I wonder if woodworking is a help or a liability in that respect? I'm not qualified to comment, but an initial burst of woodworking enthusiasm could easily lead someone to take on challenges where they're unlikely to succeed, it's hard to see how that would be helpful.

If the spirit doesn't move you then why try and force it? Maybe it's time for a clean break, and if looking at your unused tools makes you feel bad then the best course might be to get rid of them and move on.

 

[dynax]

I have a few hobbies, some i haven't done for a few years but in some respects each one compliments the other or i have the skills to bring from one to the other, my main hobby is railway modelling, then photography, woodwork some electronics and fishing which is the one that i haven't done for a few years as i was only able to get to do it 3-4 times a year before i stopped, but the other 4 i do odd bits and pieces weekly, do a bit of woodwork for the model railway or some electronics for it and do a bit of photographing it, when the weather gets better i will be able to make some stuff for the garden, such as planters and whirlygigs, personally for me it fills my time perfectly as i don't get bored with something repetitive,

 

[MrTeroo]

I agree with all the spring clean suggestions.

May not work for everyone but it always works for me.

I would choose the first dry and bright day in the New Year and have a good old clean up and reorganisation of your space.

Just making a space neat and tidy again can work wonders.

Good luck!

 

[Hemsby]

Hi Sam,

If your loss of enthusiasm/interest is confined only to the workshop? If so it could well be time as suggested by Custard to consider a change in direction for a hobby.

However if a similar frame of mind also exists with other aspects of your daily life it could be and I stress only could be, a form of depression. If so talking to a professional will probably put you back on track.

I am in not attempting to do a medical assessment from afar. I am 72 and my comments are purely from my past & present personal situation.

For the time being I would suggest that you do not set yourself specific goals like “I must do” Go with the flow, a little as and when you fell like it.

Also as mentioned by John this weather is does not enthuse anybody.

Just hope you manage to get your mojo back.

 

[thetyreman]

let go of perfection and just create something, think about what you want to create, make a list, there's always something new to make, that you haven't tried before. It's getting started again that can be the hardest part.

 

[beech1948]

This is rather an odd one but I am hoping that someone here may be able to help.
I have only recently recovered from an illness and am working my way back into some kind of fitness. I am 70 years old and I have a small workshop in my garage where I used to spend many hours doodling, mainly with hand tools making small objects, boxes, toys, repairing, restoring, etc, more for the fun of doing it rather than for the finished object.
But it’s been quite sometime since I have attempted to do any woodwork, partly due to the illness but more because I seem to have lost any interest in doing it! I keep looking into my workshop but just can’t seem to raise the enthusiasm to start anything, even so I still log into UK Woodworking everyday. I don’t have anyone to pass the tools onto and I am reluctantly thinking of selling my tools rather than let them waste away in the garage.
Can anyone suggest a way to help me rekindle my love of working with wood or has it gone forever? Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Sam,

I have no knowledge of you so at best this is an approximation or a guess.

I am 69...70 next July.

I am depressed and have tried the GP and the pills but found they made me unfocused and fuzzy and so stopped taking them after about 6 months. It took a further 6 months to get them out of my system. A complete waste of time. I would advise you not to use the pills but ask about CBT or the Talking Therapies though you will be lucky to find it on the NHS.

So I looked elsewhere for my salvation from depression. I am now free from depression for 8 to 9 months of the year but for a few months I am unable to do anything due to depression.

What worked for me.

1) Exercise. Yes good old exercise. I walk at least 5 miles a day through the local woods and lake. Takes about 1hr and 5 minutes now. I walk into the village to do bits of shopping. I lift weights in my shed. I cycle as well around 10 to 25 miles every other day. Over 2 yrs my weight has dropped by 23kg to 102.5kg. I feel better and more capable more resilient. I am aiming for 85Kg so a lot still to go.

Exercise is good for getting you out of depression/ennui/boredom.

I have met many people on my walks and formed new friendships and alliances.

2) Mental Health. Worth looking after if you can. I hate the paper based rubbish that is thrown at older people..eg Sudoku or whatever. I am learning to programme computers again with modern languages. A friend in similar circumstances is writing a local history covering the past 300yrs...we live near to Windsor and live in an area which was the King's hunting grounds covering 1000's of acres. I think I find my learning to programme useful as I am currently doing electronics ( new ) with an Arduino and relays to automate my dust collection.

The worst thing is to just sit around moping. There is a lot to say for JFDI.

It doesn't have to be woodwork.

Once fitter, more mentally challenged you may get back to it. If not then sell off the tools and use the space for basket weaving or whatever.

Life is about change and adapting yourself. Whatever that means to you. To me I have had 4 different careers, though linked together somewhat, and see change as just another way to live.

Mens Sheds...great idea

Involve family and transfer your skills to them and their children...great idea

Some time ( a day or two) thinking about next steps great....don't overdo the poor me though.

Take action. Do something new or approach others. That one simple step will shock you as to the emotions it will raise.

Sorry to be an unsympathetic so and so but I have been there. Take action. Any action to try out your personality, your personal brand. Volunteer to help old folks.....not your age but 70+15yrs. Become a volunteer driver for people.

The workshop will be alright for a while..next year maybe without attention.

 

[MrTeroo]

Good post

 

[thetyreman]

this book is excellent, it helped me a lot https://www.amazon.co.uk/Change-Your-Th ... ywords=cbt

there's also feeling good by David D. Burns, but it was just too american for my tastes.

 

[Hemsby]

As I said previously if your only issue is lack of enthusiasm/interest in the workshop perhaps it is simply the workshop that needs to be mothballed for a while, rather than persuading yourself back into it.

If on reflection you think there maybe a chance that depression may be a possibility it should be professionally diagnosed.

It has different causes and degrees. If appropriate, medication is amazing but there are many types, not a one fits all and in conjunction with CBT can be the answer.

I have suffered for over 15 years, but with CBT and the correct medication I mostly function well.

My concern at this stage is that comments including mine may become unhelpful.

 

[Yorkshire Sam]

I would like to thank you all for your interest.. I was overawed at the amount of interest and the many suggestions that have been proffered. I have been walking myself back to fitness just lately, presently doing around 15 -20 miles a week and feeling so much better. I think I will start with a spring clean and a clean up of all my tools, I could feel the surge of interest beginning when I read comments from the many of you who suggested it And I have also learned that there is a mens shed quite close to me ... although they don't do woodwork I shall definitely give them a go.

Once again my thanks to all of you it really has helped. Just watch this space.