Are your BJDs a source of Comfort?

Absolutely.
I mean how can you come home and see THAT staring at you and feel terrible?

 

Not with this: "where have you been all day! " face

 

Every time I come back from a long day of working and stress, the first things I see when I come to my room are my dolls. When I’m feeling especially strained or tired, I might take one off the shelf and fix up their hair and clothes. Even just fixing a ribbon that got out of place feels therapeutic. It’s nice to come back to see my pretty dolls welcoming me home.

 

And a sense of anxiety when the cc comes!

 

Someone said earlier that it's hard to be a person these days... part of being human is (re)connecting with the tactile, sensory and physical nature of one's own body.

Playing with dolls helps me reconnect to my senses. They're wholly embodied entities, I can only interact with them through my body, yet they don't demand anything from me. That brings me back into myself and makes me engage wholly with the physical world without pressure or expectations. I can also spend ages sitting in front of them and contemplating their faces, and this gives my mind space to wander and daydream, again without pressure or expectations.

That is calming and grounding. So very important, especially since modern life nowadays is so disembodied and "lived" through digital screens, and the Internet is a constant barrage of distractions that can often feel like a prison not freedom. There's freedom in playing with dolls - no screens involved! (except my DSLR camera but it's not connected to the Internet)

A while back I got extremely busy IRL and had people living in my house for a while. Not only was I stressed by circumstances, my physical space was also very constrained and I had no room or capacity to play with my dolls. At one point I was itching to impulse-buy a new doll (I'm not usually an impulse buyer). But all this stress went away when RL calmed down, the guests left my house, and I got a stretch of peace where I could keep all my dolls out and do things with them without having to put them away afterwards. That itch to impulse-buy also went away -- it turns out I wanted to buy a doll because I wanted my dolls but they weren't accessible. That was pretty eye-opening, I realize how much I relied on my crew's presence for comfort and calm -- not just having them out and visible, but being able to handle them routinely.

So yeah, my dolls have become kinda essential for my wellbeing. Handling them relaxes my body and I'm sure it keeps stress from accumulating inside. They're lovely and don't demand anything.

 

I find handling one when I’m really nervous or need something to fidget with when I’m talking or trying to process my emotions helps a tonnnnn. In that way they’re a big source of comfort and I do feel proud when I look at the ones I’ve done up and gotten to a place that feels like “yes! I did that! Look what I’m capable of!”

Other times though, looking at them can cause me some stress. “She still doesn’t have a faceup.” “He really needs a wig.” “She needs clothes desperately.” Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming, especially when I see a project I’ve put off too long and feel ashamed of that.

But I’m never not happy to see them.

 

Yes, the dolls are currently helping me imagine what life can be if I just stop being ridiculous and lazy.

 

Like many doll owners I'm on the spectrum and they've been invaluable for emotional support lately. I originally entered the hobby back in 2020 because I wanted an emotional support doll. Now the hobby has kind of taken over my life, but in a good way.

Working from home is good but also very isolating at times. I've now started meeting other humans at real life doll meets... here's Reina at one such event.

 

Yes, definitely! I really feel at ease when I just look at them after having a bad day - it just gives me that sense of comfort y'know?

 

My dolls are inspirations for ideas like fashion, art, and character design. I like how they are a way to escape everyday life, like a part of another world.

 

Me too. When I am taking out my dolls to dress them and do photoshoots, it is as if I am in another world and time seem to slow down to a zen state.

 

These days - they absolutely are a source of comfort. The smallest ones I keep on my desk and change their poses from time to time. They're so cute and I forget at least for a few minutes about responsibilities and horrible things happening in the news, in my city and in the world. When I hold them in my hand, something inside smiles - and it seems I am not tired anymore, but young again.