Yoga, Yarn, and the Art of Showing Up
Comparison is the Thief of Joy — and Why That Expression Still Sucks
Yoga, Yarn, and the Art of Showing Up
The Striving Is the Point: Imperfection, Entrepreneurship, and the Art of Showing Up
There’s a certain rhythm to the creative life , one part inspiration, one part overwhelm, and one part quiet comparison you wish you weren’t doing. Whether you craft, spin, knit, or run a handmade business, it’s easy to feel like everyone else has a cleaner studio, better lighting, sleeker photos, or a steadier hand at the wheel.
We’re always told not to compare ourselves. That it steals joy, drains momentum, distracts us from our own path.
And while that might be true, it’s also human nature — especially in creative fields where the work feels personal and the results are public.
But here’s the thing I’ve learned after years in fiber arts and entrepreneurship:
comparison isn’t the real problem.
Perfectionism is.
I notice it most in yoga class. The moment I’m in Downward Dog, everything on my body seems to be pointing the wrong direction. Meanwhile the younger, bendier students around me fold themselves into perfect shapes without breaking a sweat.
And instantly, the thoughts begin.
Why don’t I move like that?
Why doesn’t my body look like that?
Why does effort still feel messy?
Even when I know better, the comparison slips in.
But yoga has a quiet lesson baked into it:
the point isn’t the performance rather it’s the practice.
The act of showing up, even when you don’t feel flawless, is where the strength comes from.
Fiber arts have taught me the same thing, just with wool instead of warrior poses.
Because the truth is, handspun yarn is never perfect.
It has personality. Variance. Spots where your attention drifted and the twist thickened or thinned. Even drop stitches or minor inconsistencies — the things we think “ruin” a project — often become the detail that gives it character.
A wheel or spindle doesn’t demand perfection. It demands presence.
Hands on fiber.
Attention on the moment.
Willingness to begin again.
And the entrepreneurial life is built on the exact same principle.
Not every product will sell the way you hoped.
Not every post will land.
Not every month will feel expansive and inspired.
But showing up anyway — continuing to create, refine, test, adjust — that’s what builds something sustainable. That’s what teaches you your own process, your own voice, your own rhythm.
You don’t build a business out of perfection.
You build it out of persistence.
Comparison may nudge us toward someone else’s highlight reel, but our real work is done in the private, imperfect process. The rows we rip out. The yarn we re-spin. The ideas we test before we’re positive they’ll work.
If anything, comparison only stings because we care.
Because we want to grow.
Because the work matters to us.
But the growth doesn’t happen in the flawless moments — it happens in the showing up.
Book overview
Feral: How to Be Yourself Professionally as an Artist or Entrepreneur
Build a life and business that feels wildly true to you—without apology.
Feral is part real-talk memoir, part strategic handbook for artists and indie entrepreneurs ready to claim their creative identity, income, and impact. Erin James, seasoned fiber artist, writer, and online business founder, pulls back the curtain on what it actually looks like to grow a handmade empire while raising a family, finding yourself, and ditching the performative hustle.
Inside you'll find:
Unfiltered stories on motherhood, marriage, burnout, rediscovery, and reinvention
Real advice on starting and growing a business—no pyramid scheme required
Practical strategies for building a brand and income from your ideas
Why authenticity beats algorithms, and how to be both professional and personal
Encouragement for women who don’t fit the mold (and never wanted to)
Whether you’re in the early stages of your business or you're shifting into a new season of visibility and confidence, Feralis here to remind you that success isn’t about being liked—it’s about being you, unapologetically, and building something that lasts.
This is for the women who never fully fit in—and finally realized they were never meant to.
PRAISE
"She fearlessly shares everything she learns with others and provides resources for spinners around the world. Erin is an ideas machine, authentic and unapologetic about her space in the community, witty and vibrant - she makes the learning curve of spinning yarn joyful and exciting.
Ashley Martineau
Neauveau
“Working with Erin made me realize how much greater my own indie business could be. It doesn’t need to just be a side hustle. She taught me that our craft could and should be the main gig. I am forever grateful for her.”
Heidi Stone Black
Cocoon Homespun Goods
Erin James is truly a force to be reckoned with. What sets Erin apart is her unwavering support for small, independent, and women-owned businesses, uplifting everyone in her path. Collaborating with her over the years has been an absolute joy, leaving me constantly inspired and dreaming of future opportunities to work together again.
Jessica Ays
Double the Stitches
"This is exactly the kind of tongue in cheek wisdom that I wish I had when I was first starting out. Erin's story is such an inspiration no matter where you currently are in your business journey"
Dawn Prickett,Twice Sheared Sheep
Fiber arts, yoga, entrepreneurship… all of them share the same truth:
Perfection isn’t the goal.
The practice is.
And the human hand is meant to show.
