Stress and creativity
Turns out, just like physical exercise and a healthy diet, creativity can boost wellbeing in quite a few ways. Creative pursuits are seen as a way of lowering anxiety and stress levels in the body. Any form of creative stimulation, regardless of skill level, engages the mind and ultimately distracts us from negative feelings. Hours may flash by as you lose yourself in something creative, finding inner calm and entering the present moment. This is ultimately good for your mental health. Unfortunately, the very word creativity has particular connotations that can spark feelings of discomfort for some of us, due to the mistaken belief that creativity is for the very few.
“Creativity is much broader and more universal than what people typically consider the “artistic” fields”. — Tom Kelley and David Kelley, Creative Confidence.
There is a misconception that creativity involves special activities or is exclusive to certain industries and job titles, when really it can be found in anything. New forms of creativity emerge everywhere. As Kelley points out, “creativity is possible in any activity that engages our intelligence”. We are all creative in our own ways. When we come up with new ideas, we exercise creativity. Take doctors for example, they may not be considered a typical “creative” but they display creativity when they diagnose a disease. Anyone can be creative outside the painters, musicians or sculptors and reap the benefits of it because creativity is inherent in us. Even the very action of creation can help you redirect and reduce stress by using negative feelings as catalysts to spark innovative ideas.
Since creativity can induce positive health effects, it is often used as a powerful therapeutic tool and for self-expression. Journaling and writing enables you to vent and express your emotions, while things like drawing or knitting can provide a safe space away from stress. When you create, you invoke your imagination. This focus on a creative task allows many of us to fall into a state of creative “flow”, a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, which refers to an “optimal experience” where we are so absorbed in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. We feel separated from our inner voice. This creative flow is similar to meditation and can also bring about changes in our body, such as slower heart rate and deeper breathing.
Taking up a new creative pastime of any kind can offer a sense of achievement and accomplishment. One that may aid communication, improve confidence, alleviate symptoms of depression, initiate mindfulness and uncover hidden meanings. When adult colouring books emerged as a mindfulness tactic, it became apparent just how valuable it is to spark creativity within ourselves at any age. These are activities in which the brain is engaged just enough, but not so much that the concentration is draining. We find pleasure in the process and so it becomes rewarding and therapeutic. That is a sustainable way for us to initiate and keep up the practice of creativity.
If you’re looking for new ways of using creativity for stress relief, check out our article on cultivating creativity.