“Finding Joy in the Journey through Creativity”
What are the benefits of engaging in a creative journey?
Before we dive into this question, let’s first take a step back and consider the concept of creativity itself. Creativity is the ability or power to create, the quality of bringing something into being, a way of using one’s imagination to bring to awareness what was previously hidden.
Creativity is not about talent. Each and every one of us has the potential to be creative and what we have to share is innately valuable. And creativity is a powerful means for self-expression, a channel through which to express thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a unique and personal way.
Engaging in creative activities offers many benefits, including:
Stress Reduction
Individuals who engage in creative activities can become fully immersed in the activity and subsequently lose track of time and external pressures. This state not only provides a break from stress but can increase positive emotions, reduce depressive symptoms and anxiety, improve the function of our immune systems, and enhance feelings of joy and fulfillment.
Increased Brain Function
Regularly engaging in creative activities can improve brain function in the areas of critical thinking, problem-solving, and in the processing and expressing of emotions. It can also enhance cognitive flexibility and mental agility.
Improved Mood
The process of creating something can generate a sense of pride and achievement as well as offer a distraction from distressing thoughts, leading to a boost in one’s emotional state.
Emotional Health Tool
Creativity offers a safe outlet and a way for individuals to convey feelings that may be difficult to verbalize and provides an outlet to process and release the resulting feelings and emotions.
Greater Attentiveness
The focused attention required for creative activities promotes a state of being fully present and immersed in the moment.
In addition to these benefits, engaging in a creative journey can also provide a way to express oneself, communicate with others, improve one’s outlook, and simply enjoy the act of creating for creativity’s sake.
How can you reap the benefits of creativity? By engaging in a creative journey! Choose a creative practice to explore and:
- Make the time and space to explore and engage. Commit to an intentional approach to your creative activities. Block out time on your calendar and set up an area with the necessary tools and supplies.
- Chart your course. Determine what activities you would like to engage in and what you hope to gain from the experience. Perhaps you want to reap one of the benefits shared above, or it might be as simple as just creating for creativity’s sake.
- Find joy in your creative journey. Keep in mind it’s not about the destination, but the journey itself. In other words, it’s about focusing on the process rather than the finished product or outcome.
Click here to explore some of our favorite creative practices.