When was the last time you did something creative?
I know you’re probably thinking, Creative? I don’t have time for that!
We can often feel that we’re too busy to take time out for creative pursuits
There’s work, housework, family commitments… the list of things we need to do is endless, right?
The problem is that when we just keep going with all of these things, without pausing to take a breath… that doesn’t allow for much mental sunshine in our lives!
Perhaps counterintuitively, when we stop and take a breath, do something “unproductive”… that’s often what allows us to return to our daily responsibilities with renewed energy.
Doing something creative can help to lower stress hormones like cortisol.
It can trigger the release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.
Studies have shown that even short periods of creativity or art making can lower our stress levels.
I’m not saying you now need to plan and execute the next Sistine Chapel!
Why not just treat yourself to a packet of felt-tipped pens and a colouring book?
Create a collage using pictures from a magazine that’s headed for the recycling
If you really want a treat, take yourself to one of those pottery cafes and paint yourself a piece of crockery or an ornament!
There are often lots of art classes and workshops available either in your local area or online.
And I’ll tell you the biggest life hack when it comes to this: it doesn’t need to be “good”
We often avoid doing anything “arty” because we don’t think we’re “good enough”
The fact is, if you’re doing something creative in order to improve your mental sunshine, it’s the act of doing it that’s important – not the final result!
Give yourself a break – what you create doesn’t need to be perfect!
It doesn’t even need to be recognisable as a specific “thing”
It doesn’t need to be exactly the right shape or colour
It doesn’t need to be put on display or even shown to anyone
And you don’t need to stay inside the lines!
You can make up your own rules, and have fun while you’re doing it!
Honestly, doing something creative can be like sending your brain on holiday for an hour or so.
It’s like taking a well-earned rest from the stresses of daily life
And then when you go back to your normal responsibilities… you might find you feel better able to cope with what life throws at you
Perhaps there’s a little more mental sunshine in your day!
Go on, I dare you…
Try it and let me know how you get on!