Hello and happy Sunday!
As we transition into the energy of spring, I have been thinking about creating and how we feel when we create. Last September I got back in touch with a creative activity that had not been in my life for many years, and it has had a significant impact on my overall wellbeing. I know that it isn't new to be speaking about creativity and wellbeing, but the link between
the two are so profound for me, that I felt moved to mention it in my newsletter today.
It can often take a backseat in terms of our priorities but it can play an important role in our emotional health. I wonder how you feel about creativity. Do you currently engage in an activity that gives you that feeling of being in 'flow' and creating something? Or, like me, did you lose touch with something that made you feel this way in the past?
The Role of
Creativity in Wellbeing
Whatever the activity is that you do. Creativity is a way of processing the world around us. Engaging in creative activities can lead to experiencing a 'flow' state, where you are fully immersed in the task at hand. This state occurs when there is a perfect balance between challenge and ease—not too difficult, yet not too easy. It requires divergent thinking, which can take us to interesting places in our thoughts and feelings, allowing us to explore new
perspectives and ideas.
With the divergent thinking that we do when we are being creative, there can be so many avenues to explore. so many places to travel in our minds and in our practices. These new perspectives can then make us feel more expanded too.
I found this image online and even though it looks a little dated and reminds me of the 'Stand by me' movie, I like it. It reminds me of those moments where you spontaneously do something and others join
in. The spark of something tiny can grow into a song that comes from nowhere and is shared by all. This is the wonderful thing about doing something creative; you are making something exist that did not exist before you created it.
