A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Public Health suggests a strong connection between art and public health. Implementing creativity in your everyday life can only help you be happier and healthier. Human beings are born creative, but we seem to forget about it as we are changing our toys for gadgets. That does not mean we ever lose our creativity, we just need to remember.
By being creative every day we will become better in solving problems, connecting with our community, being more productive, etc. How can you find time to be creative, when most of the days you must be practical? Here are some simple ways to incorporate creativity into your everyday life.
Write
When was the last time you wrote a page in your journal? Probably sometime in high school. Well, you know, writing a journal is not just a “teenage thing.” If you end each day just with writing about what happened to you and what were your highs and lows of the day, you will sleep like a baby.
Or you can take 20 minutes in the morning to kickstart your day with some thoughts that are running through your mind. Just sit and write down whatever comes to mind. It will probably be weird the first time, but later on you will grow accustomed to it. This is also a good way to deal with stressful situations.
Take Pictures
Photography is by far one of the most creative things you can do. You do not have to go fully professional and buy a DSLR camera. A small point and shoot camera will be enough to capture whatever inspires you.
Carry it with you always and when you see something you like, simply point and shoot. You can even find a specific area that inspires you – nature, architecture, portraits, etc. Some people find sunrise pictures their favorite ones, while others will enjoy photographing flowers, people, and other things depending on their interests.
Learn a Skill
People learn as long as they are alive. Mastering a new skill can help you reduce stress and become confident. With all of the available instructions on the web today, you can easily start sewing, making your own jewelry, making vintage decoupage items, or knitting. You can even sign up for some course. It can be anything, from cooking to learning a new language, as long as it challenges your mind and causes your personality to thrive.
Study the Arts
Find an artist you love and try to see/read all of his/her works. Instead of watching TV before you go to bed, you can read a chapter of a good book or watch some good movie. Also, you can start visiting galleries and really enjoy the art as it is. Visiting a movie theater, from time to time, will give you a whole different experience when you are watching a movie, and opting for a theater play instead, will even amplify that.
Try to incorporate music into your everyday activities – when you are cleaning around the house, taking a bath, cooking lunch – just push play.
Take an Artist Date
In her best-selling book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron recommends dating yourself. Yes, you have heard it correctly. An artist date is somewhat like solo expedition where a person is alone with her thoughts in some activity. So, choose one day a week to take yourself on a date. It can be anything from watching a ballet play to taking a simple walk in the park. This will help you clear your mind, get rid of the frustrating and unnecessary thoughts, and make room for new ones – positive and creative.
By incorporating creativity into your everyday life, you are not only making your days more interesting, but you are finding the much-needed balance between your mind and this hasty world as well.
What do you do to be creative? Let’s talk creativity in the comments.