Self-Care Day is on the 24th of July and represents how there's always time in the day to look after ourselves... 24/7 😄There is often a cliché of self care being bath bombs, face masks, or a well-deserved nap. But there’s another way you can nurture your mental health and overall wellness — being creative!
What makes creativity special?
Creativity encourages us to be in the moment
Mindfulness involves being present without judging yourself or what’s happening around you. If traditional mindfulness exercises like meditation are tough for you, being creative is a great alternative. Creativity allows you to slow down and get into a ‘flow’ state, where you’re just paying attention to what’s in front of you and being with yourself.
Creativity allows for self-expression and release
Creativity not only allows self-reflection, but also allows you to express your internal world. Arts and music can be a healthy outlet for processing and letting go of difficult feelings.
Creativity helps you manage stress
Studies show that creativity can help with anxiety, stress and negative mood. Being creative can release the feel-good hormone dopamine, which is why it feels so rewarding!
Creativity is fun
Being creative is not only good for developing skills that you may not know you have, but it’s something you can look forward to 🎨
How can I use creativity for self-care?
There are lots of different ways to be creative, and not all of them have to be costly. You might want to print off some free colouring in sheets, or pick up a journal to do some daily sketches or writing. You can also look up tutorials for free online.
It’s easy to get frustrated with whether you’re ‘good’ at being creative or not. When it comes to self-care, the process is what’s important. Developing your skills and finding time for yourself and what you enjoy is a huge achievement, whether or not you end up with a finished project.
And one final note: self-care is not something that you only do when things become overwhelming. It’s important to have it as part of your everyday life to keep you feeling well when things get tough ❤️
What’s your favourite creative self-care activity?
