It's Okay: The relationship between cosplay, motivation, guilt and these strange times

[@Diranda23]

Thanks for this vid. I have been having motivation issues lately with not only cosplay but my crafting and especially writing. I've started on this project and recently have pretty much lost all interest in it and the story/fandom it's based on and that really threw me hard this week. Since I am primarily a writer, I've been feeling kind of lost and unmotivated to do much. This video helped quite a bit. Sometimes we do need to take a step back, relax, de-stress and maybe we will be able to pick up our projects later on, or not. And that's okay! Thank you for telling us all that it's okay to feel like that, even if we already know in our hearts that it is alright and healthy to feel like this sometimes, it always helps to have a friend remind us of that fact.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Many hugs

[@rillegas08_vods]

Honestly needed this tonight. I've been "working" on a cosplay I was really hoping to have done by a convention in 2.5 weeks, and while I've had all the materials I need since September 13, I've been putting off making the pattern for the bodysuit. It hasn't been going well because the patterns aren't lining up the way they should (masking tape on stretchy fabric is a hassle), and with the con being so close I needed to decide between two equally unattractive options: rip the seams of the outfit I'm using as a pattern (which cost a pretty penny) and use those pieces as the pattern, or wait to make the cosplay for a future convention so I have more time to get it right without as much stress.

[@KirileeCosplay]

It doesn’t sound like you are having fun either way. I would say wait, shelve it for another con and just rewear something xoxo

[@LuluRushCosplay]

This was me all last year. Once I accepted the "I don't want to" it changed my whole perspective. And I learnt how to make bras Instead. It really helpful to learn something new .

[@KirileeCosplay]

Oh that would be interesting!

[@LuluRushCosplay]

@@KirileeCosplay it was a lot easier then I thought. I would highly recommend it.

[@thetimelesscostumemaker1266]

I can totally relate to what you are talking about. I was preparing to do a historical get dressed with me presentation for our town's Founders Day celebration last year. Three months before the day they cancelled the event. Deflated I immediately put the project away. The festival is now happening this year but I still haven't been able to pull out the project and work on it, and I have to have it completed by September.

[@stevezytveld6585]

Maybe you're in mourning. I think we all are. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown

[@KirileeCosplay]

Sending hugs

[@autumn7143]

Thank you!!! I needed this!!! Yes. I’ve done this again and again as well.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thank you

[@Ellaodi]

I REALLY.really needed to hear this. Thank you so much. I had the best year of my life last year, got a new job and moved to a beautiful state with my boyfriend, and I've been so anxious about my mother coming to visit because I want her to know that I'm okay and be proud of the choices I've made and I haven't sound anything I plan to for the summer, haven't finished a bunch of things, haven't paid down as much as debt as I wanted, and I'm generally just feeling down on myself for not being enough. I didn't realize how badly I needed to hear this today so thank you so so much for reminding me. My boyfriend tells me but he doesn't understand the pressure that we face as women to be everything and do everything and it means a lot. Your videos are always so inspirational and awesome to watch, and you should take time too if you need it

[@KirileeCosplay]

Sending hugs

[@1nerdyknitter]

This just happened to me this week. Thank you for this video.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thanks for watching

[@isabelledescarries5593]

You really are a great model of goodness in the cosplay community, thank you! The part about feeling down when looking at outstanding cosplayers really hit home for me. I wish I had the time, money and ability to create such magical personas!...

[@KirileeCosplay]

Most of it is all just photos. Cosplayers are just regular people with a normal income

[@missladylace]

This was a lovely video, thank you for sharing. So applicable burlesque and pinup!

[@KirileeCosplay]

Absolutely! It is hard to get motivated at times when it is a group activity/ live performance at the heart of it all.

[@michellecornum5856]

Thank you. You nailed this.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thanks

[@DarthThorns]

I really felt everything you said in this. I’ve been working on a complicated cosplay for nearly a year and it’s been such a struggle to keep motivated with not knowing if the con I was preparing it for would even happen or not, whether I’d still fit in it by the time I’m done and if it would even look good by the end. I finally pushed through a lot of those feelings until I heard about all the controversy at Sydnova, so now even if my con I was aiming for goes ahead, I don’t even want to take it there, which makes me start wondering why I’m working so hard. But I agree that with how everything is in the world, all you can say is “oh well” and just keep moving along.

[@KirileeCosplay]

No pressure on yourself :(

[@miapugh8217]

Thank you!!!!! This touches very close to me and my dear friends who are going through the same thing on this side of the globe. Wishing you the best of health and happiness!

[@KirileeCosplay]

Indeed!

[@carriescostumescrochet]

Well said!!!! It has been so hard. I was in such a rut during the first lockdown (here in Ontario, we've had 3 or 4 depending on how you look at it). To motivate me, I started my KZbin channel. I've always found that having to document my progress for a competition was great motivation for me. With no cons to go to documenting to share online kept me creating.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Good work!

[@ayshabowling5685]

Thank you for this. I needed it.❤️

[@KirileeCosplay]

You are so welcome

[@AliceinCosplayland]

You read my mind. This is exactly how I have been feeling lately. Thank you for giving us some good vibes!

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thanks mate

[@kaytiej8311]

Great thoughts and real insight into life in general at present, not just cosplayers etc. Warm and fuzzy has been more difficult to find. You've given permission to be where we are at. Bless you heaps. Stay well.

[@KirileeCosplay]

You too!

[@canucknancy4257]

I like the saying "Don't compare your blooper reel to someone else's highlight reel" I get it, but it's hard to not do. I'm finally starting to pull out of the 'covid blues'. I found a very simple pattern for some light weight culottes (as it's stupidly warm here at the moment... 36C for 6 days straight isn't our norm in the wilds of Canada). I figure that I'm going to 'do the thing' as Noelle says. If it works, amazing...I'm ready for the next heat wave. If not, then it was just a learning process. One step at a time to get back into being creative. Thank you so much for your smiles, your wonderful words, and your understanding. You are marvelous. Good luck with King Candy.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thank you!

[@journeyoflovelight]

Your so awesome!! Thanks for this Pep Talk. Im a wanabe Cos Player..lol I love historical dress making. I found you because of watching other Cosplay people. Thanks for the inspiration. Have a good day.- Melanie

[@KirileeCosplay]

I hope you are doing well

[@rebagrime4898]

Oh man this hits home so much!!!!

[@KirileeCosplay]

RIGHT?! GAH

[@esthermaples4456]

I just subscribed after watching your 20 questions with Nicole & this is the first video I watched & you are an absolute ray of sunshine 💛 now to binge the rest! CHEERS you have a new fan!

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thank you so much!!

[@sandrinefamilleexare3313]

Your video is so perfect for me today. That's absolutely my feeling these last days. Love cosplaying and sewing my costumes but since few days my motivation is down .

[@KirileeCosplay]

Sending virtual hugs

[@alaskacosplay]

Before the pandemic, I was able to produce at least 3 to 5 big cosplay costumes every year since I dont wear the same costumes twice but ever since CoVid happened, I have made a whopping……1 gown. Yep one gown. Ive really been unmotivated to make dresses since I have no where to wear them to even though I have the patterns already drawn up and the sketches already rendered. I was supposed to make around 8 gowns by now (over the span of last year and this year) but motivation has been pretty scarce lately but I know it will eventually it will come back when the time is right and I know I would be happy to wear them one day.

[@KirileeCosplay]

It is hard to keep motivation up - but conventions are now slowly coming back so I hope it helps

As me and my partner lost most of our cosplays in the fire from December 2019, I've just been busy (re-)making outfits for both of us to use as soon as events are starting again. Normally I make a little matching purse with some of the leftover fabrics, now I also make a matching facemask as it's still is a law here in Belgium to wear them at places with a lot of people like events and conventions.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Oh gosh I am so sorry. Xoxo

[@TheFlauschig]

Thank you so much for this video. I felt so guilty not being motivated for a complete year to do anything. I thought "I have time now, I should be working. I should have a wardrobe full of new cosplays".

[@KirileeCosplay]

You are so welcome! I'm glad it was helpful

[@at-fq1km]

i actually did pretty well mentally during covid, but as it’s come to an end I’ve currently been going through a very severe depression. even though this video was meant for covid times, this video was very helpful for me. thank you

[@KirileeCosplay]

I'm glad it could help still

[@sarah-the-dog-lover]

I just get so burnt out sometimes and have to remind myself that it’s ok to take a break

[@KirileeCosplay]

Indeed

[@boots1622fan]

I have my first con in over a year in two months and i have... no lineup. and i feel miserable. i have some vague ideas but i just feel really lonely, i don't know... and i keep feeling like the things i like, what if i dont like them anymore by the time the next con comes, you know?

[@KirileeCosplay]

It’s okay to feel like that as well

[@lesleyharris525]

Hi,yep, got a little bit more fluff than pre-covid, ok a lot. I'm the sewing mum to a cosplay daughter,she is only leaving the house for medical reasons,and it's been hard on us both.thanks for the pep talk,💖

[@KirileeCosplay]

Oh I am sorry you were/are doing it hard

[@LadyBern]

That was me mid 2019 (precovid) through 2020. Nothing inspired me. I kept looking and looking trying to find that thing that gave me that creative spark and drive. I had ideas but the excitement wasn't there. I didn't look and go "ooh a new challenge! Let me mentally reverse engineer that prop, let me look up tutorials and figure out the best way to do this!" As I usually did. I just felt nothing and at times I tried to force it but still nothing. When covid hit I thought I'd have more time to work on it (I didn't get the covid blahs, my life and routines barely changed at most i just had to wear a mask more often.) As that year's con drew closer I pushed aside my barely started project and basically went "I'll just wear an old one." Nothing wrong with wearing a cosplay again but I barely felt like doing that. There was just zero motivation and I couldn't figure out why. And that depressed me so much because this is something that I love. I was actually relieved when I heard mine was cancelled due to covid, but still I felt sad and angry wondering if this was the end of my cosplay journey. Luckily that drive to create is back. I have ideas even if I don't know when my next con will be. I even want to build stuff for my apartment and I'm happy for it.

[@KirileeCosplay]

I’m glad you worked through it

[@nixhixx]

I don't cosplay.... yet... but the same applies to other artistic/creative pursuits. I think part of it is the GIGO effect, garbage in garbage out... or even NINO, Nothining In, Nothing Out... Creativity needs to be fed and stretched and it's soooooo easy to get into a rut.

[@KirileeCosplay]

So true

[@MN-vw1np]

Ive been really in a panic lately just due to all the things Ive been taking on. I decided to do this BIG cosplay that requires me to learn a lot of new skills and expand upon others. On top of that I decided since Im doing such a big cosplay I thought, might as well join the cosplay contest as well cause why not. But as Ive been slowly going about the process Ove been freezing up due to just how overwhelming everything is. I just want to skip to all the other parts of it and Im struggling to push myself just to finish the base of everything. I also decided to add LEDs to it which I have zero experience in. Ive done my research but I have no confidence just due to how many bumps in the road Ive already ran into. I also recently found out that I didn't have as much time as I thought I did. I thought I would have 4 months for this but now I only have a month left. Although I have all my plans, I am just so scared and worried that, I wont finish in time, things arent going to be as clean as I want it to be, it isnt going to look good, evereything is just going to fall a part. I know it wont be an easy road but I barely have time to do evereything. I have always been a very overly ambitious person which has often been part of my downfall. I know I should tone it down, especially for my first cosplay competition, but I am just so excited and love the characters design that I just want to do it all. But I also am just so scared. And I know I am never really satisfied with my work either which is just the cherry on top. Although, I know I always finish in the end, I just am so doubtful it will be worth it. My last cosplay I worked so long and hard on it but ended up leaving the con early cause I had so much anxiety about it. I felt like evereyone could see the mistakes and I was just uncomfortable with it as a whole. I know I shouldnt be so hard on myself, especially since I know worrying about things wont help, but everything just feels so overwhelming I cant help but freeze. I still push through of course but there is always that lingering feeling of just being lost. I cant even look at any other past cosplays cause the games isnt even out yet lol. The beta for the game just finished up and I kind of jumped the gun. I am just so panicked and have no one to really turn to for help since no one really knows a lot about cosplaying. And to be honest I dont even know what to ask for help on. I just wish everything was clearer for me or at least that I didnt freeze up so badly. I still have motivation and hope and love for the character and possibility for the end goal, I just have zero faith in myself and my skills that Ill finish in time with a product that both I and the judges will be happy with. I keep running in circles, repeating the same cycle of working, panicking, working, and then feeling sick. Everything feels like a struggle. I know things dont always go to plan and that I was going to run into obsticles but the time restrant wasnt one that I considered. Just due to that everything is on full rush mode. I was already panicking when I had 4 months thinking I wouldnt finish. Now I have 1 month left. Im not even working now. Or sleeping for the matter.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Sending you nothing but love and virtual hugs. If I might just say, it’s okay if you don’t get it done for this competition- there will be another one it can be entered into

[@transatlanticcrochet]

I'd like to add that, as someone in a very remote location, I've been enjoying the virtual cosplay contests etc... And I'm wary of what will become of this when covid is over - I don't want to go back to being (extremely) limited in my competing options....

[@KirileeCosplay]

Agreed

[@brigidscaldron]

#sorelatable

[@KirileeCosplay]

I’m glad

[@wendyspiesman992]

Add me to this list. Sigh. I'm not sure who that chubby, old lady in the mirror is. I'm struggling most with finishing things. I have four that are about half done.

[@KirileeCosplay]

Try not to be so hard on yourself

[@transatlanticcrochet]

first of all: get out of my head x) Secondly: you ok? Do you need to talk?

[@KirileeCosplay]

The question is - are you ok? :)