Your mental health and creativity are intrinsically tied together. When you’re not taking care of your mental health, it’s hard to tap into the new levels of creativity that can help you be more productive or innovative in your career or personal life. Likewise, having the right mindset can be key to unlocking your potential as an artist or writer, or even just helping you navigate your day-to-day life with more ease and confidence. Here are three ways you can use your mental health to tap into new levels of creativity to achieve more in every aspect of your life.
As someone who suffers from anxiety, I know that it can be difficult for those with mental health issues to find a way to tap into creativity. One reason for this is the fact that many people with mental health issues are too busy dealing with their condition and do not have enough time to do other things. But there are ways you can use your mental health to tap into new levels of creativity. In today’s blog post, I’m going to talk about how we can use our mental health as an outlet for creativity.
I’ll explore some ideas on how you can do this including Making art, drawing or coloring; writing or journaling; and participating in a creative hobby like knitting or sewing.
Creativity is often associated with being messed up in the head. And while it’s true that creativity can lead to mental health issues, it can also be a key part of recovery. Studies show that people with more creative abilities are more likely to overcome depression, anxiety, and addiction. The link between creativity and mental health is so strong that there’s been some research done on using creativity as a treatment for mental illness. Researchers found that after only 10 days, participants’ depressive symptoms decreased by 18%. Participants also reported feeling more optimistic about their future. The key takeaway? Creative pursuits help you see your situation differently. They put you outside of yourself to see the world through a new lens- one where anything is possible! To do this, we recommend starting small: if you don’t know what kind of creative pursuit is right for you, try experimenting with different things until something clicks. Drawing or painting might help channel emotions, acting might take out aggression, and writing could be therapeutic for a number of reasons. It all depends on what type of outlet suits your needs best!
If you’re finding it hard to harness your creativity, there are a few steps you can take that might help. First, make sure you’re taking care of your mental health and focusing on what’s important. Second, try getting outside more often by spending time in nature or going for a walk. Third, find creative outlets that work for you! There are plenty of ways to tap into creativity that doesn’t involve sitting down at the computer. Explore different avenues and see what sticks best for you. Start with things like knitting, drawing, painting, and cooking… and go from there. And finally, set some ground rules for yourself. Let’s say you love photography but hate drawing: don’t do both. Make a decision about which is better suited to your talents and passions – then give yourself permission not to do the other one. It may be tempting to force creativity when you’ve never done anything artistic before (or vice versa), but it will be much more rewarding when you find something you enjoy. It also makes sense to explore different creative pathways every now and then so as not to get burnt out on any one thing. For example, if you’re really into drawing lately, try doing a little bit of writing while listening to music.
It’s important for anyone in the creative field to take care of themselves and their mental health. It can be easy to think your work won’t suffer if you don’t spend time on yourself, but that’s not true. The more you’re able to tap into your creativity, the more you’ll have available when it comes time to work on something new. This can mean stepping away from your work or taking some time for yourself each day or week. *Mental health is just as important as physical health. *Creative people need regular breaks and breaks from creative work just like everyone else does. That doesn’t mean you’re a failure; it means that you want to enjoy what you do. If you are feeling depressed or anxious about your work, then stop and make sure that this isn’t the case before working any further.
In fact, many famous creatives struggled with mental illness. Vincent Van Gogh self-mutilated his ear, then painted Starry Night on his bedroom wall in its place. English poet Emily Dickinson never published her work during her lifetime but lived a very isolated life behind closed doors in her father’s home. Sylvia Plath battled depression and was noted for her dark poetry that dwelled on themes like death and suicide.
Creativity is the most important thing for any business. Whether it’s simply a new way to approach a problem or an innovative product idea, creativity is key. But when you’re in a bad mental state, that creativity can dry up and disappear. Luckily, there are things you can do to tap into your creative potential no matter how good or bad your mental health might be.
Here are five ways that have worked for me:
- Spend time with friends and family who make me laugh. This will take my mind off the stressor and help me see things from a different perspective, plus laughter has been shown to boost both mood and creativity!
- Write down my thoughts in bullet points or short sentences instead of trying to find solutions right away. Writing helps me organize my thoughts and think more clearly, which often leads to insights about what I should do next.
- Keep a journal by my bedside so I can write down whatever comes to mind as soon as it happens so I don’t forget anything. Sometimes I go back through these entries months later and am surprised at what was on my mind at the time—it feels like reading somebody else’s diary!
- Let myself daydream. My brain needs breaks just like my body does, but I often push them out because I need to be productive.
- Be gentle with yourself when making mistakes. It’s hard to admit, but even those of us with high levels of creativity sometimes get stuck. That’s okay! It means that now I know where to look for the solution and what not to do next time. And if all else fails, there are plenty of people out there who want to help me brainstorm.
