Did you know that creating art is a fantastic way to reduce stress? Regardless of your experience or artistic talent one study published in the “Journal of the American Art Therapy Association” has found that just 45 minutes of creative activity can successfully reduce your stress.
According to some experts devoting a few minutes on a regular basis to a hobby like creating art can decrease your stress levels because it is a form of “me -time” which also helps to shift our focus from everyday problems and create something beautiful at the same time calming the busy mind.
Some psychologists explain that similar to meditation when we are deeply absorbed in doing some creative activity, our stress levels are decreasing and we are experiencing an inner peace and calmness.
Creating art can take your mind off of whatever is upsetting you, at least for a short period of time and we all need that from time to time.
One of the expert’s advice is to keep a sketchbook, and that is considered to be one of the easiest ways to relieve stress.
If you do not know where to start, you may for example draw what you feel. When you are under stress most likely what you do feel will be somehow related to it. And you may even unintentionally draw some abstract representation of what is stressing you and this approach may even help you to express emotions that may be difficult for you to put into words.
Or other approach is to try to keep a notebook and pen next to your bed and as soon as you wake up, try to draw the first images that come to your mind, in other words make a habit to draw a dream journal.
A dream journal can help you destress but also it may show you which parts of your life need extra attention.
Another form of journaling which is also creative, and stress relieving is to keep a gratitude journal. In this case all you need to do is to focus on things you are grateful for and too draw them in your own way. It doesn’t need to be beautiful because the only person who will ever see it is you. So, relax grab your pen and draw whatever comes to our mind when you count your blessings. For example, you can draw places that evoke happy memories or even faces of people in your life for which presence you are grateful for.
Choose your colouring book for adults, grab your crayons and start colouring. This can be the best solution for those who don’t feel very artistic, and will still provide and excellent relive from stress and promote feeling of calmness.