What is it about getting your hands dirty?
Like really dirty. Like requiring a nail brush and possibly solvents to get clean. Some people get that satisfaction from gardening which I can totally see, but sadly I seem to have a black thumb for outdoor plants.
For me, it’s paint. That’s the medium where I can totally lose myself in the process. Painting something fresh is lovely, but for me it’s way better when I paint things new-ish to look old and weathered. There’s usually a lot of layers involved; paint, more paint, distress, add texture, add literal dirt, more paint, more distressing…
Lately the weather has been cooperating that it’s finally the all-too-brief season where I can comfortably paint outdoors. Much more atmospheric than my dark basement or chilly workshop, I can tell you that. An afternoon spent under the shade of my tree working with my hands is the equivalent of a few weeks of therapy in my world.
Maybe paint isn’t your thing, but find something to lose yourself in (and bonus points if it makes a terrific mess; life has gotten way too clean these days). Get dirty, experiment, try something out that might work or might not. Worst case, you can always paint over it.