Creativity and Health: Are they Related?

I am not your typical 'creative person'; that is, I am not good at art at all - and that is the honest truth.

When I was young, I struggled with creating pieces of art like all the other kids in my class. Until now, my drawings are not very....well, obvious. Sometimes, I wish I could draw better...

But then again, there are so many different ways we can be creative. First, though, let's start from the beginning: does creativity have anything to do with health? And if so, what does 'creative' actually entail?

This article does a pretty good job of describing how creative arts are related to positive health outcomes. (Interestingly, 'creative' here did not mean one specific thing, such as drawing). The result is that expressing our emotions or ideas through art is related to better health. Why?

I'll start with an example. Last week, I was so frustrated with the amount of work I had to do. I took a break to try to write out my thoughts into a poem...and I felt a little better. Later on that day, I took time to doodle on my phone using a new art app I got. Was it a good drawing? No, not at all. But it was fun. And I felt better after it.

What other ways can you express creativity? Some people are very talented, or enjoy, making music. Some like to sing and dance. Others like to draw, paint, cook, or sculpt. Other ways to be creative include making crafts, organizing things, redecorating, and so on. The point is that 'creativity' really does not mean only one or two activities. To be creative means to be able to think outside the box, to do something new, to create and produce something special - and to have fun doing so.

Expressing ourselves through creative arts can affect our mental health because it allows us to release tension and reduce stress. It takes us out of 'real time' and forces us to concentrate on making something special, new, beautiful, different, or expressive. It can help us express our emotions or thoughts when we cannot find the proper words to do so. It can also give us some time away from the hustle and bustle of life to simply slow down. And as we know very well, mental health affects physical health. The argument can then be made that if you take care of your mental health (and one way to do this is by taking the time to be creative!), you can enhance or protect/promote your physical health. Indeed, there are studies to show that creative arts are related to better health outcomes, including different measures of physical well-being (this is one example of a review of these findings).

So, take time to be creative! Reorganize a room, doodle a random drawing, write a funny poem, make a new recipe, sing a song, compose a sheet of music, make your own jewelry, design your own app - what it is, you'll feel better doing it! And remember not to assess your result or outcome against a standard or compare to others - you are being creative for YOUR well-being and comfort, and not to receive a grade. Have fun, be yourself, express your emotions, and engage (or even discover!) your talents! What will you do today to get some creativity into your life?