Elevate Your Life: How The Arts Aid Mental Wellness

If you’re an artist and regularly create, you’re probably well aware of how beneficial the process can be to your emotional wellbeing.

You know that feeling I’m talking about.

That flow. That energy.

But if you’re new to creating, it may be helpful to walk through a few of (what I think) are some of the main benefits of connecting with your inner artist.

CREATIVITY

You don’t have to be an artist in order to create. Creativity, by definition, involves the use of one’s imagination or original ideas. Making art, whether it’s painting, writing poetry or choreographing a dance, is about tapping into your unique creative process; meaning, your own original ideas about what to create and how to create. It’s a kind of spiritual freedom not easily attainable in other areas of life. And trust me: when you access this freedom, it can feel euphoric.

BE IN THE PRESENT

Creating art gives us a unique opportunity to practice being mindfully in the present moment. Our focus shifts from the frustrations in our day to being dedicated to one single purpose - making art. When we’re able to be fully present on creating, we engage all of our “happy hormones;” you know those feel - good chemicals that live naturally in our bodies that allow us to feel pleasure, excitement and fulfillment. By tapping into the benefits of hormones like Dopamine, Serotonin and Endorphins, we can give ourselves a much needed healthy dose of happiness and hope.

AUTHENTIC SELF EXPRESSION

The beautiful thing about art is that it lets you be exactly who you are. There are no rules and no expectations. You can create whatever you want, however you want and no matter the finished piece, it’s exactly how it was supposed to be. You’re in charge. It’s your art; no one else’s. It’s an expression, even an extension, of your person. It can represent your hopes and dreams or be reflective of an experience from your past. Either way, your creations are a direct representation of YOU and no one else.

So tell me: what has your inner artist created recently?