By Dr Bibiana Chan
How engaging in creativity can help boost our mental health?
Have you ever had doubt whether you are creative at all? Before I came to Sydney to study, I was never given much ‘room’ to explore my creativity as a young student in Hong Kong! Having lived in Sydney for almost 30 years, I’m proud to call myself a creative person!
At a recent webinar on Creativity and Mental Health hosted by New Jersey Creative Theatre Group, I came across this definition of Creativity:
Now ask yourself,
‘Do I doodle during meetings? Do I snap photos with my smartphone? Come up with unique recipes? Sew or knit? Do crossword puzzles or fill in adult colouring books?
If your answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, then, you’re creative. When one engages in a creative activity, most likely you’re focused with optimal attention on that task. It’s sometimes called being in the zone. Dr Tamara Shella, the Art Therapy Program Manager at Cleveland Clinic talked about this in an article ‘How Art Can Help You Cope with the Pandemic?, she wrote:
‘‘When you’re creating art, whether it’s writing in a journal, singing or making a card, you’re getting into what’s called a ‘flow state.’ Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, one of the cofounders of positive psychology, coined the phrase flow state. It is a state of optimal attention. During this time, one is totally focused on the task at hand. That means you’re not worried about the time, bodily sensations or any other needs.”
This is often a euphoric state to be in, you are more mindful and relaxed. This allows the person to feel more positive and brings a sense of accomplishment. People who experience flow report higher levels of creativity, productivity, and happiness. It can stimulate our minds, embrace mindfulness and experience feelings of accomplishment or mastery. Another benefit of tapping into our creativity is that we can use it to come up with new ways to connect with the people who are important to us.
You can read more about this topic : How creativity positively impacts your health?
