Your weekly dose of mental sunshine...

Is the sun shining where you are today?

Or do we need to work a bit harder to create some internal sunshine?

This week’s dose of mental sunshine is about creativity...

A lot of people are convinced that they are not creative, and only certain people can be.

Let me tell you now - If you can imagine, then you are creative.

We all have a built-in creative mechanism.

Creativity is all about using your imagination.

And we all use this on a daily basis when we think (in both positive and negative ways)

Have you ever seen a five-year-old refuse the opportunity to pick up a box of pens and a pad of paper? Or the chance to do some painting, or to make something with lego?

Of course not - because they’re not self-conscious about the things they create!

Here’s the thing:

There’s a difference between being creative, something every human is capable of - and being good at a particular thing.

And you don’t need to be “good” at something to enjoy creating it!

Creating something can feel incredibly calming and can boost your mood.

Trying something new is good for brain health too.

You could grab some paper and draw or paint something;
You could start to write a poem a song of a book
You could create something out of clay
You could start taking photographs (and post them on our FB group :).

A pottery cafe is a great place to start;

You could enjoy an hour of being creative and come home with a new plate or mug to use!

It can feel incredibly relaxing to spend that time focusing on creating something new, even if it’s only 30 minutes.

And it’s a great boost for the ego when you find that you’ve created something new at the end of it!

Creativity in nature - A sea of gorgeous Foxgloves adding colour to the forest floor.

Taking time out to be creative can also help you solve problems.

It works like this

You think clearly about your problem
You think (imagine) about all the possible solutions
You temporarily forget about the problem while you go and be creative. This lets your mind subconsciously work on the best solution.
You take action based on the solution (which will come when you are least expecting it)

Try it - it does work...

Do something new and creative this week and let me know how you get on!

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