Were You Afraid to Start The Hobby?

I was afraid to start this hobby. My doll (I have only one) is a hybrid. For this reason I was very much afraid that the head would not match the body. If it's your first doll - is very serious.)

 

I wasn't so much afraid to start with the hobby, but with having to spend a large amount of money at once. Today, this hasn't changed a bit. Every purchase I'm having that same 'should I, shouldn't I' dance that I had at the very beginning. Even if it's about a doll I've been pining over for years. My Williams, for example. I had saved up for him completely, and more, and still I was nervous, because what IF it turns out I desperately need that money for some unforseen event, even though I've got money set aside for those as well XD.

 

Just a bit. My biggest concern was money and being let down if I found myself in love with a sculpt that was limited. After finding the doll for me, I decided to splurge and I haven't looked back. I didn't even plan on having more than one, and now I already have 2 in the span of a year !

 

I was afraid of the prices for clothes and items! I'm not necessarily one that has a lot of money and since everything is bought online I'm worried about it fitting that's my biggest fear. My friends already know I'm into creative, fun and odd things so this came to no surprise, there was one friend that came into my room and saw my doll on the shelf and was like "Woa! WTF is that?" I was like "its my doll" at first I was afraid of this reaction but I just blurted out how I felt about it (they were looking at my Ringdoll warren) "ARENT HIS WEAPONS AWESOME!?! I use him for drawing and art and sometimes clothing ideas and he's so pretty I love taking pictures of him wanna hold em?" they're like "Wow...He's really pretty! nothing like a porcelain doll." I was like "he's cooler" >w> since then they've been wanting to buy him clothes since they're obsessed with him. So the fear of no clothing for him is a little less since they love to help out and see him in it. (love my friends!) I've also taken up sewing I think as soon as I get a few items I can start making proper sizes for my Dolls.

 

Yes because as there was amazing people, there were also toxic people.

 

Kinda yes. I wouldn't have started unless I had friends to talk about it with. I'm actually glad that I did start. I didn't realize it was going to be so fun.

 

I was a little afraid when I ordered my first doll in 2006. I've never actually seen or touched one in person at the time. I've only seen photos. I also did a lot of researched and joined DOA to ask a lot of questions. Luckily I didn't have to wait long for it because it was a limited full set. After I got it and opened the box I was thinking to myself, this is not what I had expected. It's so big and heavy. I had to get used to handling the doll. And after that I've stayed in the hobby ever since.

 

Initially I was afraid of what people might think, and still am. But honestly if people are going to call you weird for collecting dolls I guess it's more of a reason to normalize it. Make weird things the norm! Make this weird thing more commonplace by talking about it publicly and displaying these dolls with pride! They are beautiful works of art and shouldn't be hidden away.

 

I'm afraid and I'm 'in' the hobby. I'm afraid I won't like the doll I order, which has already happened once. I'm afraid I'm going to spend all this money and feel empty and angry at the end of it, like oh I could have used this for something else. I'm afraid an important cost might come up. Just anxiety all around.

 

I got my first doll in 2006 after two years of saving up every little thing I could since I was in my mid teens at the time, so I was scared of being disappointed (never seen a BJD before), of buying online something that expensive from that far away and of my parents thinking I was crazy spending that much money. My parents assumed it was going to be a temporary hobby or something (not sure why they keep thinking this about me since I've never left up anything I've liked lol), and here I am years later haha I'm still scared of spending the money, like Silk said in a post above, even if it's a doll I've wanted for so long I still get nervous about pressing the button until the last second. Funny enough, once it's done, I have the longest patience waiting for dolls to come nowadays.

 

I'm pretty nervous myself. I never drop more than 40 dollars on things I buy for myself, so I'm balking a little at the idea of spending 150-300 dollars on something just for myself. I've never handled or even seen a BJD in my life, and I'm incredibly clumsy so I'm nervous I'll do something wrong or accidentally break the doll, or that I'll open the box and hate them or find I'm terrified of them.

Weirdly enough I'm not really worried about what other people will think. I figure everyone's got an expensive thing they enjoy, like sports or designer purses, and while my hobby might be a bit "out there" it's not hurting anyone.

 

I was afraid to start. It took me 2 years to finally decide to take my 1st step in to this hobby.
I was still a student, from an average family.
My parents did not allow me to take up part-time jobs as they wanted me to concentrate on my studies.

After graduating and moved on to another school, I was given more freedom to decide what I want to do.
I started to have more savings as my pocket money has increased.
I also started taking short-term part-time jobs during the school breaks.

As I was afraid that my family will scold me if I were to buy any dolls, I had my 1st pair of dolls sent to my friend's house!
I also had nothing for my new dolls to wear so I borrowed clothing, shoes and a wigs from my friends who were already in the hobby. Really glad to have them! From there, I slowly got more funds and I managed to purchase clothing for my dolls.
My resin crew starts to grow and evolved (reshell/rehome) by the years.

I'll say no regrets
Now my dolls are proudly displayed in my house study!

 

I was previously collected fashion dolls, with prices not much lower than less expensive BJDs. I realized one I entered the hobby of BJDs, there was no going back. And the price difference is enough that I was worried about what my parents would think. I'm still afraid people will think less of me if they know how much my dolls cost.

 

I wasn't afraid of getting into the hobby, but I was so afraid when buying my first doll! I got them second hand so it was a lot of money I was wiring to a stranger and I was really worried about it! But luckily all that worry was for nothing and I have an amazing doll now

 

Not really afraid of the hobby itself, but moreso about the money. I have some financial anxiety, so even spending two dollars on myself is nerve-wracking! (Go figure that I'll drop a ton on a gift for someone, though) My boyfriend has been really supportive, though, pointing out that he drops a ton on his hobbies, too!

I also worry about falling back out of the hobby, but again, boyfriend to the rescue, pointing out that I always seem to come back to BJDs over the years, and hey, as long as I get some enjoyment out of it, I shouldn't worry too much about it.

As for talking about it... Most of my coworkers and family are less artsy than myself, so I don't mention it to them. My friends however are willing to let me rant about dolls, within reason.

 

I was worried due to what family and friends would think more than anything. Im glad they support me pursuing and being apart of this hobby. The expense did not really bother me because I could always save up more.

 

I would say the greatest hurdle into starting the hobby is the financial one, even one doll is going to lead to a lot of additional eye/hair/outfit/faceup costs.

The research for sculpts/sellers/shops/care could be fun or intimidating depending on you.

 

I was definitely scared to start it.
I looked at many sculpts, surfed on all of official website from the link list, 3-4 days a week, and that goes on for years.
However, my purchased was done rather fast...I don’t know how it happened but back then I would constantly thinking about getting a doll, and suddenly turn ‘no’ because I was too scared though I had been saving up for the right sculpt to show up.
Then one day, I feel like ‘this is it, I’m getting a doll’ and I purchased them within 2 weeks after that thought.
I still don’t understand what could be the cause to suddenly kicked me out of my scared and indecisive state, but I’m glad it did

 

It took me 9 very long years to convince myself to finally get a doll.

When I was 16 years old, I stumbled across a DZ Hong and fell in love with him and BJDs in general. Yet, I had no money, because I was still at school. Saving up money took very long (I received no pocket money) and so I let go of the thought of buying a doll.
Nine years later, so mid 2017, I had a minimum wage job and had finally saved up enough money to buy my first doll. The fear of spending this amount of money for myself on an item I didn’t even know if I would love it the way I hoped to... was scary. And I hesitated first.

To make all this short:
I was scared for 9 years, missed out my ultimate doll love (DZ Hong I’m still crying over this... this hurts so much I have no words), am now working like a normal human being AND I couldn’t be happier with this hobby!

 

I wasn't too scared to start the hobby, although it is expensive. I was more scared to participate in the community since I am naturally quite shy and it seemed like a very scary place! So I kept my hobby to myself for a long time and then eventually felt like I was ready to take the first step to start posting and I don't regret it!