The Art of Wellness: How Creativity Is Good for Your Health and Happiness

Each time my husband and I watch an episode of The Great British Bake Off I am immediately inclined to whip something up. Watching these talented chefs mix, stir and whisk their masterpieces into creation never ceases to inspire me. When I bake, I feel free but challenged and I often play around with recipes to see what would happen if I substituted one thing for another or add a rogue ingredient here and there. It is liberating and rewarding, and the result is almost always satisfying. It is the essence of creativity.

According to the organization Mental Health UK, “Essentially creative expression acts as a bridge to our inner world.” That made so much sense to me. In life, we are constantly editing ourselves. But when you are being creative, your inner self gets to let its hair down and take a road trip. 

Recently I have taken up resin craft. No, this isn’t a form of the dark arts, but of making things with epoxy resin. I am still in the coaster/cheese board stage but there are artists who make stunning coffee tables, large scale vases, art frames and more. I have decided to make gifts this year for the people I love, and resin coasters are currently all the rage (at least in my own head and in my own house).

I almost always have a craft going. Over the years I have dabbled in photography, needlepoint, painting (badly), coloring, and always writing and always baking. I find peace in art. And while I have never considered myself “artistic,” I do love being creative. 

Art therapy has been formally recognized for over 75 years, and has been a powerful ally in healing trauma, for those suffering with PTSD and in lowering depression, stress, and anxiety. Creating art can lower your cortisol, increase your feel-good hormones, and even form new neural pathways. Genius, right?

But what is art? Well, the answer is as diverse as the mediums themselves. One thing, though, remains constant; it is a form of expression. It is like speaking another language. We communicate differently through art. 

I have a friend who took up watercolor a few years ago and she is now extremely talented at it – but paints completely different subjects than she had ever gravitated to before. Another friend has perfected her sourdough bread to the point that her loaves are coveted by those fortunate enough to even smell them. The lovely man who manages The Riviera Towel Company downtown (Fabian) was showing me some beaded and painted embroidery he is working on. Another will do flowers for friends’ events, like their wedding! And she is very good at it.

I am always so interested and impressed by people’s crafts, so much more so than what they do for a living. A fantastic woman I serve on a board with makes handbags out of old saris. Just for fun. That is the key, isn’t it? Once we start monetizing our craft, it isn’t as much fun anymore, is it? We start looking at it as a revenue stream rather than as a healthy outlet.

Not everyone has the space or the budget for a hobby like oil painting, for example, but there are some low cost and low-maintenance ways to get crafty. Here are a few to get you started:

1. Buy an adult coloring book. They make so many different kinds you are bound to find one that resonates with you. And a good set of gel pens or
colored pencils if you don’t mind sharpening them a lot.

2. Journaling. Or writing a short story. Just let yourself write. Even if you just write “I don’t know what to write!” over and over again, the act of taking pen to paper frees up a different part of your brain. Let it loose!

3. Try an easy baking recipe if you are a beginner, or a more challenging one if you are a seasoned pro or anything in between. Baking is a magical form of alchemy. You mix a bunch of different ingredients and create a completely different form with them. And, it hopefully tastes pretty good, too.

4. Paint some rocks. Seriously. Go find some cool rocks, get an inexpensive set of paints at CVS and go to it.

5. Buy a small cross stitch kit, start small, and watch what you can create. You might be surprised at how soothing it can be. 

Good luck and happy crafting! And if you find yourself with a delivery of resin coasters anytime soon, it must mean that I love you.