The most wonderful thing about being creative is that there is no such thing as getting it wrong!
Whether painting, drawing, cooking, photography or anything else you might be into, the very act of losing yourself in a creative medium can allow you the opportunity to express your individuality, whilst adding the possibility of reducing stress and anxiety at the same time.
The permissive nature of being creative allows us to access personal expression, freedom and enjoyment, these are all things that help us unlock our passions and hobbies. The great news is that hobbies can take any form and they really can help, especially in times of heightened stress. Hobbies help by giving us a creative outlet to keep boredom, loneliness and unhelpful thoughts at bay.
In whatever form you choose, creativity is fundamentally linked to the concept of mindfulness.
Creativity inspires you to be present in the here and now, so whilst your attention is focused on drawing that latest comic book creation, searching for focus through the lens of a camera, or just feeling the sticky texture of kneading fresh dough with your fingers, you’re actually being mindful and utilising your senses to help reduce stress, and perhaps even decreasing your blood pressure at the same time.
For those people that feel they aren’t creative at all, can’t cook or sew and wouldn’t even know a Tate Modern masterpiece from a 3-year old’s crayon sketch, re-focusing on the experience of creativity rather than the outcome can be really helpful.
It doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be as quick and cheap as a colourful tub of playdough.
10 minutes and a little bit of silliness, that’s really all it takes to start exploring your creative side and be mindful in the process. So here is a simple question, when was the last time you played with Playdough?...
If you like this kind of content, why not click that heart button and take yourself over to our other blog "Wellbeing and Mindfulness: The Importance of relaxing" to see more like this!