Are you constantly pursuing creative hobbies – perhaps painting or calligraphy – during periods of overwhelming emotion?
Well, you’re not alone! Through bold colors and dramatic brushstrokes, even Vincent Van Gogh’s apparent feelings of confusion, frustration, and contemplation have been evident in A Starry Night.
From planning out minor details of your artwork to doing the work, you can achieve mindfulness and even feel cheerful!
Stay Grounded
Mindfulness is the awareness of one’s feelings in the present moment. This moment-to-moment acceptance of experience allows us to name our emotions – anger, anxiety, happiness, love, and the like- that permit us to engage with distressing thoughts and sensations. In the words of Hanh (1976), “it is a miracle by which we master and restore ourselves.”
Creativity as a Mindful Practice
With the ongoing pandemic, many have endured sadness and anguish at home. And it is during such times people seek a creative outlet to keep in touch with their thoughts and release their sympathies.
Here are a few ways you can pursue a mindful practice at home through creativity:
Draw your heart out. Grab a pencil and paper and start drawing! You don’t have to know what to draw. Just think of how you feel in the moment. Do you feel happy? Maybe scribble flowers or hearts. Mark the paper with thick, ragged lines!
Gardening enthusiast. Spending time with nature brings peace and serenity. You get in touch with your senses when you stop to smell the flowers or admire the orchids. So, get hold of your pots and seeds, and start planting!
Cooking Mania. You’re not supposed to be the next Gordon Ramsay to play around the kitchen. Take the time to learn new recipes. Experiment with different spices. You will introduce yourself to a variety of flavors and aromas.
Home organization. Bring out your artsy side through colorful carpets, pastel-colored wall paint, and eye-catching home decor! You can never go wrong with a simple home re-organization.
Multilingual beginner. With the internet, learning Korean (or any other language) at home is made more accessible! You learn to appreciate the beauty of the language as you train your brain to create new phrases.
Music to my ears. Have an ear for music? Grab your dad’s old guitar and start piecing notes together! You don’t have to get the right chords of Adele’s “Someone Like You” right away. Just delight in the music you make!
Write it down. As another form of self-care, journaling allows us to stay present in the moment through consistent entries of thoughts and experiences. Through writing, we find a safe space to release our emotions.
Active by the minute. Build an exercise plan that you love. Stay consistent with your morning routine. Take a short walk outside with the dogs!
Old turned new. The saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Find pleasure in turning old metal scraps into brilliant home pieces. Create unique items from your brother’s tattered pair of pants or your mom’s shabby purple scarf. Find pleasure in turning old metal scraps into brilliant home pieces.
Art as a Form of Therapy
In reality, art is for anyone, no matter who you are. It was a way to understand emotions, cope with illness, and improve self-esteem.
It was about seeking refuge and balance amid discomfort and anxiety for many. Music, visual arts, and creative expression may improve aspects of physiological and psychological conditions, says Stuckey and Nobel in their study back in 2010.
So, are you ready to turn that old storage box into a flower pot? Or maybe work on that gardening project you’ve been putting on hold? Start your mindful journey today!
