All of us have creative impulses that we enjoy expressing. Maybe we can't play a musical instrument like a professional, or paint like an artist; but we can work at engaging our mind, honing our skills, and reaping the satisfaction that comes from creative achievement.
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In fact, engaging in a creative activity can actually help improve our mood when we're feeling down.
How Creativity Can Boost Your Mood
1. Creativity Helps Stave Off Boredom
Boredom can be a frustrating, unpleasant feeling. Fortunately, in most situations there are ways to reduce the boredom we feel—or eliminate it entirely! Engaging our creative side is one of the most effective ways to fight boredom.
Research indicates that a key factor in boredom is our level of psychological energy. In other words, if we have a lot of mental energy and want to use it, then it can be frustrating if there's no outlet for us.
That's where creativity comes into the picture. By focusing our attention on something creative (like drawing a sketch, or sewing a sweater) we can find a positive outlet for our energy, and feel happier as a result.
2. Creativity Improves Mental Health
Creativity has been linked to improved physical and mental health for many years. As an example, research indicates that keeping a regular journal can help a person to enjoy decreased anxiety, stress, and depression. Moreover, some studies show that creativity can even help to combat the effects of dementia.
Why does creativity provide such a boost to our mental health? For one thing, engaging in activities like gardening, sewing, or playing a musical instrument releases a chemical in the brain called dopamine. This is a natural antidepressant that "rewards" us for achieving a certain result, even in small craft projects. Obviously, the more we engage in creative activities, the more opportunities we'll have to achieve those results, and release dopamine within our brain.
3. Creativity Keeps Us Engaged
Engagement has been defined as "complete absorption in an activity." Many researchers have identified engagement as a key component of happiness; some even say that happiness is a byproduct of engagement.
Concentrating on an enjoyable, yet challenging activity is certainly an effective way to improve our mood. Creative exercises are one of the best ways to keep us engaged. For instance, drawing, painting, filling in a coloring book, and playing an instrument all require a certain level of concentration. Even repetitive tasks such as knitting can keep our mind occupied, and thereby enhance our well-being.
When we engage in creative acts, we find ourselves fully immersed in the task at hand. In turn, this contributes to our happiness and satisfaction.
At Sarasota Bay Club, we make sure that all of our residents have the opportunity to regularly express themselves through a variety of arts, crafts, and events. Located right on Sarasota Bay, we offer luxury amenities, breathtaking views, and easy access to everything that Sarasota has to offer.
If you'd like to learn more about the services we offer, including the creative activities available within our community, please reach out to us today to speak with a member of our team or to schedule your own private tour.
