7 awesome ways creativity can help you release stress

Stress impacts us all in one way or another. Some events have a guaranteed stress tag attached to them! But often things that affect one person's stress levels may not affect another. Sometimes it's the smallest things that create the biggest stress inside of us. It often depends on what else is going on and how we manage our overall well-being that has the biggest impact.

I often hear from people that they don’t have time to fully embrace their creativity, but I would argue at what cost? Often creative pursuits sit at the bottom of the to-do list with good intentions and reasoning. But what if I told you that simple creative habits could replace some of the more vanilla, bland forms of what we are currently conditioned to believe is self-care?

In this article, I want to explore 7 key links between creativity and reduced stress.

1. Mindfulness and Presence:

Creative activities often require focus on the present moment, promoting mindfulness. By immersing yourself in the creative process you will become more aware of your thoughts, feelings and emotions, helping you disconnect from life’s current stressors.


2. Cathartic Expression:

Creativity provides an outlet for expressing emotions that may be difficult to articulate verbally. Through the physical doing process of art, music, writing or any creative activity that speaks to you, you will unintentionally use actions to slowly process emotions and regulate your stress levels. The chattering mind kind of takes a back seat as you immerse yourself in your creative project.

3. Changes in your brain:

Engaging in creative activities is known to trigger the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and reward. This can contribute to a positive mood and a sense of accomplishment, counteracting the negative effects of stress. It is also widely understood that positive experiences associated with creativity, can reshape the brain's neural pathways and enhance well-being. 

4. Flow State and Timelessness

Creativity often induces a state of "flow," where individuals become fully absorbed in the activity. During this state, a sense of timelessness and complete immersion can alleviate stress by redirecting attention away from stressors. This is a beautiful place to be but does take time to cultivate as part of your creative practice as it requires a significant amount of letting go and surrendering to the creative process.

5. Distracting from Stressors:

Creative pursuits can act as a distraction from daily stressors and concerns. This causes a temporary shift away from sources of stress, and mental fatigue providing relief and allowing you space and time to process difficult emotions and thoughts with positive energy.

6. Problem-Solving Skills:

Creative projects involve self-led exploration and play, which will have both expected and unexpected outcomes throughout the making process. This provides an opportunity to look at things in new ways, through different lenses. If you allow your curiosity to guide you, there is potential for discovery and empowerment as your belief system and fixed attitudes are allowed to expand and grow. 

7. Sense of Accomplishment:

Completing a creative project, whether big or small, will provide a sense of accomplishment. This feeling of achievement contributes to a positive self-image and and sense of self-worth that can counterbalance the negative effects of stress.  Just remember the more you create the more your vision will align with your capabilities and skills. The more you practice, the better you will get. So please be kind & gentle with yourself. We all start somewhere!

So there you have it! Lots of reasons to make your next creative project a priority!

What will you be making? Let me know. Send me a DM on Instagram @samhortonstudio or email me at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you.

Take care,

Sam x

Sam Horton is a professional artist, passionate about the links between art, creativity and well-being.

Learn more about Holistic art practices for well-being

Sam's Art Studio and Studio Shop are based in Australia on the Sunshine Coast.

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