The Power of Creativity in Stressful Times and How to Cultivate It

During difficult times, creativity is especially critical, helping us to pivot and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Creativity helps us view problems anew and find innovative solutions—and it’s likely helped you negotiate everything from working remotely without much childcare to creating a helpful routine when your once reliable structure dissolved. Creativity helps us reconnect to ourselves as we explore and listen to our thoughts, feelings, and desires, and try to meet our needs. Creativity can also calm us. As Amy Maricle noted, “As an art therapist, I can say that when you’re feeling stressed, sad, or angry, there’s a lot of satisfaction in being able to express what you’re feeling in words, images, or shapes, and then slowly transform it through paint or collage.” Research has even found that creativity may help us live longer. According to the study’s author, Nicholas Turiano, this might be because creativity recruits different neural networks in the brain. He told Scientific American, “Individuals high in creativity maintain the integrity of their neural networks even into old age.” In short, creativity is packed with stress-relieving benefits. To reap these rewards, here’s a range of suggestions to cultivate your creativity on a regular basis.   Don’t rush to banish boredom. One of the quickest ways we squash creativity is to pull out our phones at the first sign of boredom—which we habitually do any time we’re waiting. Take for e...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Creativity General Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Stress Journaling Photo Collage stress reduction Source Type: blogs