I wish I knew why ponies made me so happy...

[InkyMilk]

I really do. Sometimes I'll look over at my growing collection and just smile at them, pick one up, brush her hair a little and just grin. Or I'll listen to MLP:FIM songs on youtube and just sing to myself and feel all happy and cheerful. Or I'll doodle a pony and it just makes me happy to see her looking back at me.

But then sometimes, other times, I'll look at my collection and just think...why? And I suddenly feel really stupid. And it usually strikes me when I'm all excited to buy a new pony I've been searching for. I don't know if it's buyers remorse or sheer embarrassment or what, but I have this moment where I don't understand my own logic. Why do I need another plastic toy that looks just like all my other ones but different colors? Or I'll shut the music off, berating myself for listening to children's music. Or I'll stop drawing because I need to draw more mature things.

Haha, and then I feel bad because I DO love my ponies and then the whole cycle repeats.

[BrightIdea]

I know the feelings

Happiness can come from a lot of factors, and I think these are a few regarding ponies:
-colours
-tactile
-the feeling you are taking care of something (brushing, washing)
-planning and achieving goals
-that great feeling when you arrange and sort them

I think the feelings of self doubt arise for me when I think "who is going to enjoy this masterpiece other than me? What am I trying to achieve again? and "Is is worth it?"

Oh yeah, there is that super dorky realization feeling of "I am collecting kids toys"

[Rhubarbpie]

They have some kind of calming effect on me! No matter how much of a crappy day I have had at work (and its usually work that puts me in a bad mood  ), I can come home and just seeing them all makes me so much happier. If I am at work and my fella texts me to say a package has arrived, my day instantly improves knowing I have a new pony to love waiting for me at home 

[Sarah-Bee]

They calm me down too Rhubarbpie If I'm sad they cheer me up, if I'm cross they calm me down and if I'm happy they make me grin like a fool

I think for me, as well as what I just said, it's the feeling of magic that the G1s have and always have had for me, since I was a child.

Plus they so purdy

I don't actually get any of the negative feelings but I accepted who I am a long time ago and have no shame about anything I do. Everyone knows I collect MLP; literally everyone I know. I know some people think "wut?" but even those people I don't see making any real negative judgement because they see how happy it makes me. I'm full-on quirky in everything I do so it's also no real surprise to anyone.

I think the thing is finding acceptance within yourself: this is me, this is who I am, this is what I do. It makes me happy and that's that. You can spend your time and money on 'more mature' things as well as spending it on ponies if that makes you happy too, but it really doesn't matter if it makes you happy

Sarah xx

[DazzleKitty]

I am like you guys. Looking at my collection can put me in a really, really good mood. I feel a burst of pride looking at them. They are the product of waking up at the crack of down for countless mornings to dig through nasty flea markets and from many years of spending my hard-earned money on eBay. I feel as though I earned them. Sometimes when I get off work in the morning and I've had a pretty awful night, I go lay on my bed and just stare at my collection for a while. Helps improve my mood for sure. Plus looking at all my rare ones makes me feel all bubbly about owning them.

And I used to feel stupid for my collection. Sometimes I feel silly just laying in my room looking at them, but I no longer feel stupid for them making me so happy. They gave me something fun to look forward to in life, and thanks to them I found the Arena. They've gotten me into trying new things, like swaps, and I've made some good online buddies thanks to them. Many good things have come from these little plastic equines!

Don't feel stupid about what makes you happy! Why force yourself to conform to what others feel should make you happy? Lots of people would want to make you feel bad for collecting and spending so much on them, but I think that reflects more on them as a person than you. Because apparently their hobby is making people feel bad about themselves. I wouldn't want a hobby like that, would you?

[SeashellnBubbles]

I have so many other things to feel stupid about that childish pony collecting doesn't even rate! I don't generally give a fat rat's about what others think of me, and frankly, I make my own money and I'll spend it how I see fit. I recently talked to a golfer friend of mine and he told me how much he's spet on glof clubs and balls and teees and stuff, and I was like,  This seems to be NORMAL to these people and even something to brag about, "My putter cost 368 bucks" blah blah. Give me my 10 dollar ponies any day! Lol
In the end, it doesn't matter where your happiness originates from, as long as it happens! Why feel guilty for being happy? Most people never even know what true contentment is, but I find it in cleaning and brushing a new pony's hair, and so be it.

[Sakuyamon]

Who can resist feeling cheerful when seeing a brightly colored cutie smile at you?
It is no secret that colors can affect how you feel and the toys were made to make children happy so why wouldnt it work on adults too?
What is more interesting is how they can make us care about them as if they were actually living beings. Maybe there is something to the old believes that say that items can gain souls when we care for them?

[ravengusty]

Do people make negative comments about your collecting? Only my Dad and boyfriend and all of you guys know I collect. I just don't tend to say anything to anyone else about it. My best friend knows I collect MH dolls but she's very opinionated so I dont mention my ponies. I enjoy my collection and would rather not be judged for it.

I do occasionally get like you though and think what then hell am I doing. But then I pick up a pony and brush her hair and it reminds me of happy times and innocence, my early childhood when the only type of pain was physical (from falling over etc). As I got older there was a lot more emotional pain and I wish I'd had my ponies to deal with some of it. That's the beauty of My Little Pony, sit there brushing their mane and tails and its like brushing the bad stuff away.

Be happy with your collecting, and if you ever have a doubt pick one up and brush, cuddle, dress, re-arrange her/him. The negative feelings usually disappear.

FYI I watch the mlp movies (G1) on youtube and sing along so don't feel bad lol

[PandoraFox]

I can't always explain why ponies make me happy, or any of my toys really, and it can make me feel insecure.
But then I realize, that I also don't always get why people would want to collect things like tiny bits of sticky paper you put on envelopes. Yet plenty of people collect stamps, and that's considered perfectly alright without any extra questions asked in most cases. So why should I need 200 magical, logical reasons to justify why having these ponies makes me happy, before I am allowed to collect them?

Stamp collectors love stamps, so they collect them.
Ponies make me happy, therefore I collect them, that's enough justification.

[Lightning Twirl]

I love having my pony herd, they really cheer me up! =P I love brushing their manes when I get bored or stressed, its quite therapeutic! I love how many friends I have met since I started buying My Little Ponies off people here. I think they are so happy to know their ponies are in great care!  I enjoy spending my free time organizing them, brushing their manes, and inspecting them every often. I cant wait to display them! Having a closet shelf full of smiling rainbow-colored ponies makes me really happy! How can I look at Pinkie Pie and not smile!? Looking at how big my collection has gotten makes me feel kinda proud too. I remember exactly how I obtained every single one! Knowing I have other people's ponies safe and in good hands makes me happy too! =)

I am thankful for places like this forum which makes collecting these little cuties such a chill, relaxed hobby! With G1 still popular and even some G4's being re-released, there isnt that stressful rush and I can spend at my own pace! Theres such a great environment here that makes this hobby so positive I dont wanna stop keeping ponies! I love seeing people restoring the older gen ponies! It just shows how much care people put into them so future fans can have and appreciate them too! Ponies keep me busy, takes my mind off of negative things! I love pony news! =D Gets me all excited and worked up, I cant wait to start my day!

I do have other hobbies of course like playing all my zelda games, taking pictures of toys or animals, korean pokemon cards( not heavy into collecting, too competitive for me), and of course art but ponies keep me busy and have something fun to look forward to when I go into work!

[partypony566]

I know what you mean

Sometimes i think the same...... Like, why do I need these plastic ponies that do nothing...and I dont even play with them! I actually dont have time to clean them most of the time so I do wonder why I keep them.

But then, if I got rid of them....I would feel lost without them, there would be something missing. And its great to have a collection anyway! Everyone needs a hobby and this is ours!

[Kiwi]

I don't have much to add, I agree with everything that's been said Ponies are awesome.

I love walking into my pony room (heehee, still adjusting to the fact that I have one) and smelling that pony smell filling the air

[hathorcat]

I think the important thing to remember is that here at the Arena no one is going to judge or think you odd for collecting little pastel plastic ponies We are all just as crackers as one another. You can have days that you love your collection and days that you don't like your collection - no one expects anyone to always be happy and dancing under rainbows all the time. And as long as you still get more joy than upset out of your collection, as long as your collection does not make you angry or sad then I am sure your feelings are no different than most people occasionally have about different things in their life.

Personally I haven't run up against negative feelings for ponies and my collection in particular [other things in life yes I love some days and hate the next...my boss being one of those ]. I think if my collection upset me at all then perhaps I would need to re-evaluate collecting because for me the whole purpose in collecting and in ponies is for fun, to make me smile, to help me relax and if I ever look at them and question what I am doing, for my particular personality, then my life is stressful enough in other ways to know I dont want to start considering collecting as any kind of burden.

[Lightning Twirl]

But then, if I got rid of them....I would feel lost without them, there would be something missing. And its great to have a collection anyway! Everyone needs a hobby and this is ours!

I agree! I think id feel a little lost without mine too Ive really grown onto them, and I want to take good care of them! I really love this hobby, its very relaxing and all pony collections look beautiful! I dont care what people think about others collecting ponies, thats just what we do! Some people collect pretty stones, some people collect pieces of paper, we collect colorful ponies!

[Baby_Glory_2000]

I do occasionally get like you though and think what then hell am I doing. But then I pick up a pony and brush her hair and it reminds me of happy times and innocence, my early childhood when the only type of pain was physical (from falling over etc). As I got older there was a lot more emotional pain and I wish I'd had my ponies to deal with some of it. That's the beauty of My Little Pony, sit there brushing their mane and tails and its like brushing the bad stuff away.

^This^
I could not have put it any better. This is exactly what keeps me collecting. My ponies always represent happy memories and a time of innocence. It sounds odd, but as I grew they helped me to deal with emotional pain from other issues in my life that arose, just by remembering the easier days.
I've had those who poked fun at my collection, but I got to the point that I really don't care, I enjoy them and it's my money/time/ect.