Want to want a doll?

Yes, I have. I started feeling it a few years ago, when I still wanted the fun of buying a new doll to bring home but had grown distinctly apathetic about everything I saw. I think it's a very different problem from how you say it though.

I think that based on your concerns it's best to just enjoy them in pictures and not buy unless the feelings change.

Personally I liked trying new things and getting all kinds of dolls. Sure, they didn't all work out. Even when they are expensive it's a variable gamble on how much you actually loose trying them out, just factor it in. But there is also no reason to push yourself to buy dolls you don't completely want in the moment. There will be the right one later.

 

I've definatly kinda forced myself to want/like a doll. I had found an in stock doll on a dealer site, and as much as she was cute I couldn't think af a character for her and she wasn't a doll I would have ever thought to get. (not that i worry about dolls fitting in with my collection. Every doll in my collection is quite different from one another and i love it, it makes me happy to look at my display shelf and see all the beautiful, unique sculpts from different companies that ive aquired. I dont let "fitting in" really keep me from buying a doll i love) but I desperately just wanted to buy a new doll.

After a while of trying to convince myself and still not being 100% sold I figured it just wasn't worth it. I didn't get the little pang in my chest when I thought about her and when I thought about pulling the trigger, I just felt guilt stopping me from doing so.

I don't know if this is the same as what you're currently feeling, but If you feel like you need to force yourself to want the doll, than I think its a sign that you don't really want them.

 

Your dolls your rules. Who restricts and tells you that this doll won't fit in? You.

So ask yourself ... if your internal wish is big enough to ask for advice maybe you are restricting yourself and should stop it for the sake of enjoying the hobby.
If that doll doesn't end up to your liking, well... you can always sell them no need to keep them forever.

Also I too thought "omg dolls need to be fit together" and no they .. don't. I have spend years to figure out a theme I could stuff them all into and well... you don't need one. You can have several themes, you can have completely different dolls. It's a hobby, have fun.

 

Oh yes, wanting to want a new doll is a very real thing in this hobby! In my case, it usually happens when I feel that creative itch to do something new, and I find myself looking for a new “canvas” to work on. When that happens, I actually make an effort to treat myself kindly about it…after all, I’m just longing for a new creative, artistic experience and that isn’t a bad thing. But where I can keep it under control is in reminding myself that I want it to be a very special creative experience…not just a new, run-of-the-mill, normal doll sculpt. That keeps me looking and researching, which is part of the artistic process for me, so that keeps me from jumping too soon and helps curb any possible regrets.

That being said, I have curated my collection from the very beginning with diversity at the heart of it, building a fantasy world of my own imagination that could include a wide variety of creative possibilities. This gave me the artistic freedom I was looking for. But if your collection is curated in a stricter, more limiting way, then that can make it more difficult because of more stringent parameters. But still, I believe it’s important to be gentle with yourself about it. This is far from being a hobby with no do-overs. And each collection is unique to the person who collects it. So just think about what you want…and more importantly why…and realize there are no right or wrong answers.

 

this happened to me recently with minifee alan....it got to the point where I put him on layaway ahaha my dolls arent very heavily curated aside from the "do i like it?" factor so once i fall in love with a doll I usually find a way to get it and if it turns out I don't like it I sell it lol

 

I think that being picky/highly curated can be an advantage for certain personality types. Pickiness works very well for me: I curate my dolls by size and aesthetic, and I actually enjoy creating a crew that looks harmonious together. Also, some people like the buying/selling part of the hobby, but I find it very tiresome. I try to avoid buying something (not just dolls, but anything) and then immediately sell it off due to buyer's remorse or it wasn't what I wanted. So both thoughts combine to make me quite picky about adding to my doll crew.

I know this mindset doesn't always work for others, but it's helped me a lot and I see it as an advantage. I've used this to keep my buying habits under control, and to keep my life free from unwanted clutter and "stuff". As for "wanting to want" - there are many dolls in that category, but I stave off the feeling by doing more things with my dolls (photography, rearranging them, having them out so I see them a lot), learning how to be content with looking at other people's photos, and becoming more satisfied with my current dolls. Eventually the feeling of "wanting to want" goes away.

On the other hand, if your pickiness is starting to feel burdensome or restricting, then maybe it's time to make a change of mind? There are some times when I've felt that I "should" be picky, and feel guilty for splurging on stuff that I did love and want and use. I think this kind of "I should be picky for pickiness' sake" mindset can be quite misleading, especially if it leads to guilt and discontentment that has no real basis. But it depends on your circumstances and state of mind. Sometimes it's good to be picky, but sometimes you have to break your own rules - after all, you made the rules, if they don't work anymore you are free to change them.

 

I have this problem in the sense that I wanna like the dolls that so many other people like, but I just don't. The prime example of this for me is Venitu. He just doesn't appeal to me at all, and I wish I could appreciate him as much as other people, but I just cant for whatever reason.