Be creative and live a richer, happier, healthier life.

For me, creativity is a key component to living a life of joy.

I believe creativity is important, not just to you or me, but to the world at large: without it we would have no architecture, no art, no music, no literature, no technology, and no entertainment. Furthermore, creativity has been shown to lead to higher levels of happiness, fitness, and health. I’ve experienced it firsthand, and feel I lead a richer, more fulfilling life when I’m practicing creativity on a regular, if not daily, basis.

Defining creativity.

So, what do I mean by creativity? Creativity can be defined as the capacity to produce something which was not there before. It can take many different forms, but it always requires an original thought or interpretation of an idea. The power of creativity comes from its unique ability to improve physical and mental health by stimulating both creativity centers in the brain as well as boosting our immune system.

The benefits of creativity

Developing your creativity can have a wide range of benefits, including improving your mind’s ability to think abstractly, improving concentration and mood, reducing stress, and even helping with mental illnesses such as depression and bipolar disorder.

You can also benefit from creativity in terms of your physical health. Playing a musical instrument, for example, has been linked to improved memory function as well as the reduction of the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

In a study conducted by the University of Queensland in Australia, being creative was found to have restorative properties that can even reduce pain sensitivity. Further, the act of creating can lead to more mindful meditation practices, which can improve cognitive abilities such as memory and concentration.

Creative outlets can also change people’s perception of themselves — they feel calmer, more capable, and skilled as a result of their practice, which leads to an increase in self-esteem. As creative pursuits foster self-expression and individuality, we tend to express our thoughts and feelings openly and without fear of judgment and prejudice, which can lead to a sense of belonging and wellbeing. Being creative also encourages people to be more open minded about life in general, which can contribute to the progress of society as a whole.

Creative pursuits and activities.

A variety of pursuits and activities can stimulate creativity and contribute to happiness. Painting, drawing, photography, writing, coding, music, dancing, crafting, solving creative problems, inventing products or new ways are just a few of the activities that can contribute to happiness.

Being creative just makes us feel good.

In fact, creative expression makes us feel good because the rush of hormones in our brains (endorphins) produces the same levels of pleasure and satisfaction as physical activity.

In summary.

There are so many benefits to adding creative activities as a regular practice in your life. And guess what — you may not believe it just yet, but you are creative. You just are. You just need to embrace that creativity. So maybe you pick a hobby, or pursue a passion, or increase your focus on something you already do and love and just do more of it! It will help you live a more vibrant, fulfilling, healthy and happy life. With all those benefits, it would be smart to start sooner rather than later! Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear all about it!