Creativity is not only an exercise of the mind and emotions, but turns out to be physically good for you as well. Creating, or experiencing culture in any capacity has been found to reduce stress and depression, and improve people’s ability to be spontaneous.
In some cases, like writing, it can even help with medical conditions by actually impacting the cells in your body, according to the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine and Huffington Post. It increases brain connectivity and plasticity, and has been shown to make children better students in all subjects. It correlates with high IQ and attention levels as well, and increases empathy.
Art therapy has been shown to be extremely effective with people struggling with post-traumatic stress disorders, anxiety, and depression. This is because it not only helps people articulate their thoughts, emotions, and ideas and get them out of themselves, but it also has been shown to trigger dopamine in the same way as love. That is why some artists are completely obsessed with their work. They’re in love!
Add More Art to Life
Luckily, this kind of experience can be applied to any form of art, be it visual or conceptual art like painting, film-making, performance art, writing, music, photography, crafting, craftsmanship, design, or even something as simple as having a stimulating conversation. So, you don’t necessarily have to become Picasso overnight, or leave your day job. Simply taking some time to look at art can be enough to improve your mood as well. Visit a gallery, museum, or see a show.
Find a fantastic book. Improve your surroundings with an auction house like Barnebys.com. This online outlet for auctions connects all art, antique and collectibles from around the world, which makes it an excellent resource for seeking inspiration for your next DIY project or for simply surrounding yourself with more beauty. It also features a culture blog that can be an excellent resource. Since human relationships have been shown to be key in psychological and physical health, ones cemented in love of common interests are bound to be doubly healthy. So go experience something creative and fun regularly. Your whole self will thank you for it.
