One of the main reasons I make art is clear my head. After a long day at work the best way to clear my head is locking myself in my art room and focus on making a drawing or painting. I find it easier than ‘old school’ meditation where I have to sit still and I find it more wholesome than going to the pub. That feeling where you stop thinking about what you are making or how beautiful the end result will look but where your pencil takes the lead I believe is the ultimate mindfulness.
Being in the here and now.
Being mindful helps me shred stress, focus on what is important to me and create a general sense of being grounded.
It is not just drawing in a quiet room which is good for you though. The BBC recently carried out a study that shows that even a small amount of creative activity can improve your wellbeing.
The article states that being creative is good for you for three main reasons:
1. A distraction tool - using creativity to avoid stress.
2. A contemplation tool – using creativity to give us the mind space to reassess problems in our lives and make plans.
3. A means of self-development to face challenges by building up self-esteem and confidence.
Unsurprisingly, these three positive effects are experiences more when being creative in a setting of ‘face to face social interaction’ meaning that to experience full benefits one should be creative with others.
Art and Mindfulness
Being mindful is hard sometimes. So many things demand our attention all the time, it is only natural one would get distracted. So why not seek a little help and sign up to a creative workshop.
you can find the BBC article here
and the full research here
This is why Art and Mindfulness are so connected.
Let's enjoy that creative journey together.
Irene
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