If You Struggle to Like Yourself, Pottery Helps You Rebuild From the Inside Out

Maybe you’re your own worst critic. Maybe compliments bounce right off. Maybe you don’t even know what it would feel like to like yourself anymore.

At The Clay Hole in Draper, Utah, we believe self-respect grows from experience—not affirmations. When your hands shape something real, something beautiful—even imperfect—you start to see yourself differently. Pottery isn’t about fixing you. It’s about reminding you that you were never broken.

The more you create, the more you like the creator. And that’s where the shift begins.

Why Pottery Helps When You Struggle With Self-Liking

Liking yourself doesn’t always come from self-talk. Sometimes it comes from doing. Pottery offers small wins, visible progress, and moments of joy. You’ll create something and feel proud—not because it’s perfect, but because it’s yours. You showed up. You made it. That matters.

• The clay doesn’t care what you look like or what you’ve been through
• You’ll feel pride in creating, even if you’re new or uncertain
• Every class reinforces competence, courage, and care
• There’s no judgment here—just kindness and creativity
• Many members say pottery is the first thing that made them feel good about themselves again

A study on art-based self-reconstruction found that tactile creative processes like pottery improve self-image and self-compassion by activating pride-based neural pathways—not just self-acceptance, but self-appreciation.

How Pottery Helps You Build a New Relationship With Yourself

Liking yourself can start with liking what you’ve made. Then noticing how you feel in the studio. Then laughing with someone who gets it. Pottery doesn’t demand that you love yourself. It just gives you space to feel a little better being you.

• Located in Draper—central to both Salt Lake and Utah Counties
• Membership includes weekly classes and a free bonus day for extra clay time
• No skill required—just a willingness to try
• Studio founder Dan Pearce attends classes regularly and believes self-worth is built through hands-on growth

“I hated myself for a long time. But somehow, after a few months of pottery, I started to feel… proud. I didn’t see that coming. And I’ll never forget it.” — R.M.

*You don’t have to love yourself to start. You just have to come create something. Liking yourself might follow.*

Conclusion

If you’ve been struggling to like yourself, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. Pottery helps. It starts small. A bowl. A cup. A breath. A class. And then one day, something shifts. Come see what changes when you put your hands in the clay.

This content was created in collaboration with Dan Pearce, owner of The Clay Hole—a professional potter with nearly 3 million followers across social media who regularly joins members in studio classes.

Join a Class and Like Yourself a Little More