IS BEING CREATIVE GOOD FOR OUR GENERAL WELL-BEING?

IS BEING CREATIVE GOOD FOR OUR GENERAL WELL BEING?

This was something I became curious about. As a visual artist I am a creative. It is my passion and my happy place. I have been a painter, a designer and at times a teacher for decades.

My entire life, from a very young age I have been fascinated with color, especially as it relates to me and how it influences the energy I feel in my body.

One thing I began to notice in the last 5 or so years is just how much color-hues and their vibrations could affect my moods.

Whether I was making art or viewing it at galleries or museums it could shift my mood and therefore my emotions.

This was intriguing, so when I become curious about something that has an effect on me or resonates with me, well I begin to dive in.

There's lots of research and its ongoing about the effect of color and the vibration and frequencies each let off and the effects on us.

When ever we go through challenges, pain, or any type of discomfort in life we can find ways, (that are not destructive) to calm and cope. I had to learn this myself through out my own life. I used to numb, with my daily wine habit, to not feel any of this. I hate confrontation and dark feelings.

We all know we can't go through life avoiding either, so when I decided I didn't want alcohol to be my go to any longer, I realized I could create and paint and get lost in the moment.

I found that while going through any difficult situation if I painted, sketched or did anything with my hands and mind, the act alone was allowing me to express and release heavy emotions.

Color influences the mind, body and emotions. We can begin to notice how some color effects us on an energy level. How they make us feel emotionally and physically.

There have been some important observations about the psychology of color and its effects on us. I use color and art often through out the day to lift my mood, energize me, and simply make me feel great. Color is so therapeutic.

FIVE WAYS ART CAN HEAL

1. Trauma affects the brain's speech centers and can limit the effectiveness of talk based therapies. Art allows us to express in nonverbal ways with drawing and painting.

2. Art is layered with complexity even simple art. The more you look at it, more ideas reveal themselves.

3. Research shows how art can help you calm distracting, negative unhelpful thoughts and gets our hands and body working, as opposed to just the mind.

4. Art works to shine the light out of darkness. It allows us to experience connections to the imagination....the space where everything is okay for a little while.

5. Making art lowers stress and anxiety letting the mind stop for a while and forces the noise and chaos to move around us.

I think the answer to the question at hand would be YES!

Being creative is good for our general well being.