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Creative Comforts

Creativity has always been a peaceful, zen outlet for me.   In my youth I had many hobbies that included a variation of creative and physically healthy activities.  It wasn’t until I was older that I realized how much of a mental outlet creativity could be.  From helping people process negative emotions, to boosting your immune system and increasing your overall happiness, creative engagements are good for your mind, soul and body.

Due to the insane amount of thoughts that run through a person’s brain each day, approximately 60,000, the act of creating can actually help the brain focus and not become overwhelmed.  When you do something as simple as painting or gardening, your body releases dopamine which is a natural antidepressant; this reduces the negative effects of stress, anxiety and depression.  While journaling has been proven to help people process trauma, drawing and painting have been shown to help people express their feelings without the use of words.  

In addition to helping cope with emotional stress, creativity has been shown to increase the body’s immune system.  Music has been proven to stimulate the limbic systems of our brains.  This in turn helps to appropriately regulate stress, and the body’s immune system flourishes.  Music has also been shown to stimulate the amygdala and hypothalamus in the brain.  The amygdala responds in moments of stress, sending signals to the hypothalamus to help the brain “rest and digest” the information received.  These two areas deal with hormonal processes, inflammatory responses and mood regulation, all of which greatly affect your overall immunity.

Creativity allows us to be present in the moment.  A study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that their participants, who were charged with engaging daily in expressing themselves in an original way, engaging in artistic pursuits or coming up with new ideas, were flourishing.  The energy and enthusiasm among the participants skyrocketed in days following creative engagement.  The happiness experienced from positive personal growth was palpable.  The takeaway being, creativity can indeed make you happier and improve your overall well being.

Organic Krush - Creative Comforts - Image of a child painting
Photo by Dragos Gontariu on Unsplash
When I find myself super over done, buzzing with negative or nervous energy, I try to remember to reach out for something to make.  Whether an impromptu dance party is in order, a karaoke session, an attempt at a personal picasso, or just a venture into the garden, I find moving my body allows my mind to organize itself.  Self care looks like a lot of things; workouts, eating right, but also creative allowances.  Get out of your head and into some making.          

by Catie Zimmerman

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