Do you have a creative practice that you do every single day? One thing that I have come to know as truth is that having a creative practice keeps you healthy. Whether you’re a fan of painting, drawing, sculpting, playing the banjo, the spoons, or even creating new computer programs with that analytic mind of yours – creativity is part of what makes us happy, functioning humans. 

What is your creative practice? Do you have one?

I know, I know. Sometimes it’s super difficult to carve out time in the day for a creative practice. But honestly, it’s just like working out. I get the same high from working out my creative muscles as I do running in the park. When I work out my body, I feel better. The same goes for creativity.

In this post, How Writing Helped Me Heal, I shared how my journey through the toughest times in my life were transformed through my creative practice of writing. Well, to this day I am an avid writer. I LOVE it. But I have to say…when I neglect my creative practice and allow my writing to fall to the wayside, I also notice that my mental health will start to slide. So this is HUGE. I’ll get depressed and anxious, as if there’s a creative monster inside of me that’s just aching to get out. 

Creativity is the language of the emotions.

Are you making time for it? If you find it difficult to make time for it, you may want to do what I did years ago when I was bogged down with kids and work and extracurriculars…bring creativity INTO your every day routine. 

Although this may seem strange and not really related…trust me. I’ll bring it back around. Not too long ago I injured my ankle the night before going to tour Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Well, it’s been more than a month now and my ankle is still being a little cranky. It’s not as painful as it once was. I am simply tracking the progress that it’s at before it finally reaches 100% of flexibility, mobility, agility, stability, and strength. It’s getting there.

But here’s the thing…moving through life with this ankle injury has forced me to examine the way I move my body every day. It just doesn’t move like it did before. It’s fascinating to watch my ankle and to notice how the injury affected my entire system.

I mean…I’m noticing little things, like the way I breathe when I place pressure on my foot in certain ways. That my right hip juts out a little bit more than my left, causing hip pain. I’m not upset about it. I am just more aware of it. Noticing. Wondering how I can nourish my whole body (but especially my foot) by feeding it with loving care through creative movement.

And throughout this journey, you bet I’ve been journaling in my Morning Pages, writing down every thing I notice. It’s been a great place to reflect on my healing journey.

Something to get you started…

Sometimes dealing with emotions is scary and not at all easy. For this reason, Kim and I created a workbook that is intended to help you manage those more intense ones so that you can start to direct them toward more creative uses. Check out our free Love and Rage Workbook below.

Your creative practice challenge…

I want to challenge you to bring more creativity into whatever it is that you do every single day. Here are some tips:

• Think of a task you do every single day (like making coffee).
• Think of one thing you can do to enrich that mundane activity with some creative spice. Maybe throw a hat on.
• As you walk over to the coffee maker, experiment with making it with one hand tied behind your back. Anything to make you say, “Ah! That’s interesting! I never realized I DO that!”

It can be really revealing!

I’d love to hear from you! Tell me about your creative practice. Tell me about your creative practice, if you have one, and how it has made an impact on your life.

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