How Art Feeds the Soul
Discover the many therapeutic benefits of art not only in the making of it, but also just being surrounded by beauty.
Beyond beauty and aesthetic appeal, art has a deep and transformative impact on our personal wellbeing. Indeed, studies have shown that engaging in creative pursuits like drawing, painting, and writing can boost mental health, cognitive skills, and overall life satisfaction. Even drinking in art with your eyes can boost the brain’s neuroplasticity!
The Benefits of Art in Your Life
Art is therapeutic—it has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve overall wellbeing. Studies have found that people who participate in creative activities have increased levels of happiness and relaxation. Many people find that art helps them express their emotions without having to put them into words or relive difficult experiences.
As author Bridget Watson Payne says in her book How Art Can Make You Happy
“Every fibre of your being—your senses, your intellect, your emotions, even your physical corpus—responds to works of art”.
In addition to providing emotional benefits, art also boosts problem-solving skills and encourages critical thinking. Making art requires complex decision-making processes such as choosing colors, shapes, sizes, textures, etc., which forces the brain to work hard while still staying in touch with our creative side. People who are more creative tend to be better at solving problems because they approach challenges from different angles than non-artists do.
Beyond its mental health benefits, art can also enrich our physical lives by inspiring us to live a healthier lifestyle. Studies have found that making art inspires us to take care of ourselves—we start paying attention to what we eat because we want fuel for the creativity within us; we practice self-care so that we can stay healthy enough for painting or sculpting; etc. In this way, art gives us a sense of purpose and drives us towards living healthier lives.
Your Mind & The Power of Art
Art has the power to evoke emotion and thought in ways that are rarely found elsewhere. When we create or view art, we open ourselves up to new possibilities—we get to experience different perspectives and stories that we may never have encountered before. That openness allows us to connect with the world around us in ways that go beyond traditional communication methods.
In addition to this emotional connection, researchers have discovered that engaging with art from a young age can help children develop cognitive skills such as problem solving and creative thinking. Studies have even shown that exposure to art can increase academic achievement in students of all ages.
I know when I was younger, art provided me with an opportunity to connect to myself and my imagination as well. I drew what I wanted to see, a better world, a happy place and always, one that included lots of horses!
Art As Therapy
Art has also been shown as an effective form of therapy using creative processes such as drawing, painting, sculpting, or collage-making to explore feelings and emotions. Creating tangible works of art provides individuals with insight into their inner selves and allows them to process thoughts in a safe environment without judgment or criticism from others – this can have profound effects on overall health and wellbeing. In fact creativity of any kind is the perfect antidote to depression.
Your Body & The Physical Benefits of Art
Believe it or not, there are also physical benefits associated with creating and consuming art! Researchers have found that engaging in artistic activities can reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and even increase life expectancy. This is because working on a project helps to reduce stress and increase focus as it requires you to be present in the moment, which encourages mindfulness and concentration. We become so immersed in what we're doing that everything else fades away into the background; we forget about all our troubles for a while and just enjoy ourselves!
Final Thoughts…
As research professor (and fearless, awkward, brave and kind leader) Brené Brown writes in her book THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION:
There’s no such thing as creative and non-creative people. There are only people who use their creativity and people who don’t. Unused creativity doesn’t just disappear. It lives within us until it’s expressed, neglected to death, or suffocated by resentment and fear.
The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.
If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. As long as we’re creating, we’re cultivating meaning.
Whether you are creating or simply observing art, there are many mental health benefits associated with this beautiful form of expression. At its core, being creative is about expressing yourself and connecting with others on a deeper level. The artistic process can help us relax while giving us an opportunity to explore our emotions in meaningful ways that nourish our souls. It’s clear that art has tremendous physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual benefits for those who engage with it regularly. From reducing stress levels and improving well being to inspiring healthy living habits—art should never be underestimated when it comes to nourishing our minds and bodies! So why not spend some time each day appreciating the beauty around you – both visible and invisible – by taking part in artistic activities? Your body and your mind will thank you!
Warmly,
Creativity connects you to peace and joy!