I love being creative. There is just something about having a mental image of something pop into my head, and then working through the steps to bring it in to reality.
It doesn’t matter if it is a weaving project, baking bread, or my latest project, creating a designated bee yard. I just love taking a project from idea to done.
Creating does make a fun past time. It’s also a great way to give unique gifts or even make extra money. But did you know there are also some tremendous health benefits in being creative? There are.
Being creative is a great way to improve your cognitive function. Working with your hands helps not only with improving your memory, but also promotes deeper thinking to find solutions, and with our ability to focus.
You’ve heard about left brain/right brain, correct? The left side of your brain is all about motor skills, while the right side focuses on creativity. Did you know that when you get creative, these two sides of your brain meet and begin to work together – which in turn may make you a bit smarter.
There are any number of gurus out there who are willing to show us the way to ‘true’ happiness – for a price. You can save your money and just get creative instead. When you are creating a project, you probably are like me – you lose yourself in it, along with any sense of time. Did you know that being in that ‘zone’ helps to relieve stress? You may not drop a stitch, but you will certainly drop a load of anxiety and possibly even alleviate any depression you may be going through. That ‘zone’ releases dopamine in our brains, which is the natural feel-good drug our bodies produce. In turn, we are happier, and more content with life.
Creative activities also help to improve our physical health. First, when you are in that ‘zone’, your breathing begins to slow down. This helps lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and relieves muscle tension. You begin to relax. Considering stress is one of the leading causes of mental and physical health breakdowns, we should all be a bit more creative.
But on top of relaxing more, there are some creative endeavors that actually help you build muscle strength. Think about how a potter throws clay. Consider someone who builds with wood has to lift those heavy boards. And look at how a gardener has to dig deep, rake, hoe, weed, and bend. And that doesn’t even take into account if they are using stones or bricks to outline a new garden, move heavy pots around, or lift all those baskets of fresh vegetables.
Being creative also fills a deep-seated need within us. This need is finding a practical solution to an everyday issue – think of those who first created things like tools to make a job easier; baskets to carry things; clay vessels to transport water.
It can be a way to save money – consider repairing and repurposing a piece of furniture, building a chicken coop, or creating a new recipe to get out of the ‘same old meals’ rut.
And don’t let your age stop you. Creativity helps to develop hand-eye coordination in younger children, helps to build confidence, and even aids them in communication skills.
For the older generation, studies have shown that being creative may help with Dementia related issues, gives them a sense of purpose, and gives a boost of self-esteem.
Creativity is a great way to express ourselves and our personalities. Through color, design, medium, and more, we can share our unique perspective. It may also help others see what is important to you. And better yet, your own creativity may give others the inspiration they need to be creative themselves.
Being creative can also be fun. Think about the next time you have company over for dinner. Instead of just putting plates on the table, consider using a cookie cutter for napkin rings. Then, using a piece of paper and a ribbon, attach a fun quote, question, or quest for whomever sits at that place. This is a creative way to get the conversation started.
When it comes right down to it, I think Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love says it best: “A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life”.
Are you ready to stress less, and improve your health? Are you ready to have a bigger, happier, amplified, expanded, and more interesting life? Then it might just be time to get creative.
If you want to learn more about the topic at hand just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ .
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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting on the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.