Getting creative can improve your mental health, even if you don’t see yourself as a creative person. Research has shown that being creative can help you with your mental wellbeing. Here are some of the ways it can help:
It can distract you from your daily stress and worries
It can help to do something creative when you feel anxious or stressed by the day’s events. Even small amounts of crafting can help you to reduce your stress and anxiety levels. The positive effects of being creative can build up the more times you do it.
It gives your mind space to reflect
By focusing your attention on a creative activity, it can help you to stay in the present moment. This is also known as ‘mindfulness’. Mindfulness can help to distract you from your anxious thoughts. And from the stresses of your day. Many people believe that crafting helps to create a state of mindfulness.
It can boost your confidence and self-esteem
Research shows that learning new skills and being creative can improve your mental wellbeing. Learning a new skill can boost your confidence. It can make you feel happier when you practice something you enjoy. And also, when you see that you have made some progress in learning your new skill.
You don’t have to be an artist to get involved in something creative. Even if you don’t feel creativity is your strong point, the process of learning something new, putting it into action and producing something can generate a real sense of achievement and have a positive impact on your mood, regardless of your skill level.
Even just a single session of creativity provides us with emotional benefits so if you’ve been thinking of trying something new, it’s worth giving it a go. The great news is that there are so many different creative activities to get involved in, and the more creative pursuits we try, the more beneficial it is for regulating negative emotions!
Over on Clic, our free online community for everyone’s mental health, you’ll find lots more information on how to get started. Explore our ‘Getting Creative’ information page, which gives ideas for creative activities to try. Clic users have also been sharing their creative endeavours throughout lockdown on our forums, providing plenty of inspiration!
Create your account on Clic today to join our community and start your creative journey. It’s free to sign up, and you are welcome to join in as often or as little as you like.
We look forward to seeing you!