5 Reasons why regular creativity is important.

The Joyful Creative

Welcome to the first episode!

Here I talk about the WHY? Why regular creativity is important, and some of the incredible benefits to mental health and wellbeing. If you’re struggling to prioritise regular creativity in your busy life, these points might just help you reframe that thinking so you can get more creative, enjoy the benefits and bring more joy into your life!

Here are the takeaways:

1. Creativity reduces stress and anxiety.

2. Creativity boosts mental health.

3. Creativity fosters a sense of accomplishment.

4. Creativity connects us with others.

5. Creativity keeps our minds sharp.

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TRANSCRIPT:

Well, hello and welcome to the first official episode of the joyful creative. I'm Deborah O'Toole and I'm passionate about creativity for wellbeing and making it a joyful priority in our busy lives. Today, we're starting with the why, why regular creativity is so important. I think creativity gets so underestimated as a form of wellbeing. People see it as a hobby or a nice thing to do when you (in quotes) have time. But I would argue, and this is from my own experience and observing it in the people around me that regular creativity is actually essential, just as it's accepted that daily exercise is beneficial to our health and wellbeing, so too should creative activities, if they bring you joy. I mean, nobody says “I went for a run today and that's all I have time for this month.” Or showering or brushing teeth. You know, they're activities that we know should be done regularly, if not daily, to be of benefit to us. So creativity, isn't just a fun pastime. It's a powerful tool for enhancing our wellbeing. So let's talk about some of the incredible benefits of engaging in regular creative activities.

So number one, it reduces stress and anxiety.

And this is such a big issue these days.People are overworked and burned out and just surviving. But when we immerse ourselves in a creative activity, our minds enter a state of flow. So, this is when we become fully absorbed in what we're doing. We tend to lose track of time and whatever stresses you might've been thinking about before, just seem to go away. Studies have shown that this state of flow can reduce stress and anxiety and leave us just feeling more relaxed and centered. And let's face it, just being surrounded by all your beautiful materials, the softness of your knitting yarn, the shiny viscousness of paints. The patterns on your scrapbooking paper, the feel of piano keys under your fingers. All these comforting sensory experiences can put you literally and figuratively in a happy place.

So number two. (And this is a little bit like number one, but) it boosts mental health.

So regular creative practice has been linked to improved mental health. Activities like painting, writing, or playing music can act as a form of self-expression. It allows us to process emotions and experiences in a healthy way. And this can lead us to greater self awareness and emotional resilience.

Number three. Creativity fosters a sense of accomplishment.

Completing a creative project, if you actually complete them, which I know a lot of creative people start projects and don't complete them. But when you do, no matter how small it's gives you a great sense of achievement and pride. And this can boost self-esteem and motivates us to tackle new challenges, both creatively and in other aspects of our lives. The fact that even if you simply managed to do something creative every day, or at least regularly, you’re keeping a commitment to yourself and to your own wellbeing, which is definitely an accomplishment in these stressful times.

Number four. Creativity connects us with others.

So sharing creative work can build connections with others, whether it's joining a local art class workshops, retreats, participating in writing groups, gardening club, community theatre, or community bands. Well, simply sharing your creation with friends and family or online on social media. It fosters community and helps us form relationships and starts conversations and discussions. And all of this is great for mental health and wellbeing.

And finally, number five. Creativity keeps our minds sharp.

So creativity is essentially problem solving. So while it feels relaxing, your brain is in a constant state of engagement on the task. For example, when you're choosing colors or placement, design elements, like scale composition, et cetera. Creative activities stimulate the brain, keeping our minds sharp and agile, it can improve cognitive functions, like memory, attention, and concentration. (Which if any of you a little bit like me and a little bit middle-aged you'll know how essential it is as we age to keep our minds going so that we can avoid that brain fog and forgetfulness that seems to come on)

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. I'm sure that there are other benefits to creativity. But if you've been struggling to prioritize regular creativity in your life, hopefully this episode will help you to reframe this thinking so that you can reap all of these benefits and bring more joy into your life. That's it for now, but in a future episode, I'll be giving some practical tips on how to make creativity, a regular habit. I hope you can join me then.

Bye. For now.