Helen Woodford - When Did You Stop Making Things? - F&T52

Why do so many adults stop making things?This week on Fitness & Thinking, I'm joined by Helen Woodford, artist, teacher, and founder of creative workshops that help people reconnect with something many of us lose somewhere between school and adulthood: the ability to create without needing a reason.We explore why adults struggle with beginnerhood, how perfectionism kills creativity, and why so many people arrive looking for an art class but leave having found something much deeper.From painting birds on a Friday afternoon to building community through shared activity, Helen reflects on creativity as play, recovery, connection, and self-expression in a world increasingly obsessed with productivity.We discuss:Why adults stop making artPerfectionism, creativity, and fear of getting things wrongWhy analogue hobbies feel so restorative in a screen-heavy worldCommunity, belonging, and the power of making things togetherWhy women often give themselves permission for creative spaces more readily than menIdentity beyond work, parenting, and productivityWhat creativity can teach us about wellbeingAlong the way, we talk about motherhood, self-belief, reinvention, the importance of curiosity, and why some of the most meaningful things we do never need to become businesses.If you've ever thought "I'm not creative", this one's for you.More from Helen:https://www.createartschool.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/createartschoolChewing the F&TEach week, I sit down with experts, practitioners and interesting folk from the UK and beyond to better understand what it means to live well in the modern age.📺 New episodes every Wednesday on YouTube🎧 Available Thursday on Spotify & Apple Podcasts📩 Newsletter every Wednesday morningFollow along:Instagram: @fitnessandthinkingCoaching: [email protected] enquiries: [email protected]