If there was one good thing that came from Covid, I think it’s that it put a spotlight on mental health and how important it is to look after your mental wellbeing. While exercise, therapy, and medication are the more commonly known ways to treat your mental health, I’ve personally found that creative outlets are a powerful tool not only to boost my mental health, but also to supplement the healing in my grief journey.

And I’m not the only who thinks so – a lot of research has shown that creativity (whether it’s writing, painting, playing music, or making something with your hands) can be deeply therapeutic and has profound effects on our mental health. Here’s how having a creative outlet can support your mental wellbeing and why embracing creativity might be one of the best decisions you can make for your mental health:

Creativity Gives the Mind Somewhere to Go

When your brain feels overwhelmed, foggy, or anxious, creative outlets offer an escape. Not only can they reduce your stress and anxiety, but they also encourage your mind to focus on simply being in the present moment instead of looping through all those thoughts and worries. A lot of creative activities like painting, knitting, or crafting require close attention to detail, so when you’re fully absorbed in your activity, that state of mindfulness can slow the spiral and give your mind a break so you can recharge. Even something as small as colouring in with your kid can create a pause in the overwhelm and ground you.

Creativity Helps Us Process What We Can’t Always Say

Grief, trauma, and big feelings don’t always come with the right words. But painting them, writing about them, or even capturing them in a photograph can be a safe way to help those feelings take shape. You don’t need to show anyone; it’s for you – a sacred, silent release for your heart and mind. This release and transformation of feelings into something tangible can often lead to a sense of relief and help you heal. My writing and, like I mentioned in my blog post the other week, journalling has been one of those outlets for me. Some of the most raw and powerful things I’ve written may only ever stay in my notebook, but the main thing is that in releasing them, it helped me express and process where I was emotionally.

Paint-by-numbers kit from Paint Like Frida

Creativity Sparks Self-Esteem and Joy

Creating something can bring about a strong sense of accomplishment and pride. It’s not only when I finish a poem, but even when I get a couple of lines just right, I get this boost in my confidence and self-esteem that reminds me that I am capable and I am enough, even if it’s just in small, everyday sort of things. And sometimes, it even brings joy; a reminder that life can still hold beauty and value, even in the midst of sorrow.

Creativity Helps You Cope and Grow

When so much of life feels out of control, creativity allows us to take the wheel even if just for a little bit. Youdecide what colours to use. You choose what words go on the page. You get to design the layout. In small, tender ways, that control is healing, and with healing comes growth. Interestingly, research has also shown that creativity can activate and strengthen the neural pathways in your brain, which helps it to grow and adapt. This allows your brain to develop healthier thought patterns and improve its response to stress, so when you use a creative outlet regularly during emotional and mental distress, it can become a valuable coping mechanism. This in turn builds resilience and prepares you to handle future challenges and breakdowns a little easier.

So the next time your heart feels heavy or your mind feels overly cluttered, I want to encourage you to get creative. And if you’re like me and you think, “But I’m not a creative person”, I’d like to gently challenge that. Creativity isn’t a performance, it’s an expression. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be true to you. And you don’t need heaps of time or a fancy/expensive setup either. To help you get started, here are a few easy ways to let your creative juices flow, even when your energy is feeling low:

• Journalling– Pick up a pen and write a few lines about how you feel or what happened today.

• Crafting– Make something with your hands, eg scrapbooking, knitting, or even building something with playdough or LEGO.

• Art– Draw something, do some colouring in or even a paint-by-numbers kit.

• Photography– Grab your phone and start capturing beauty in the ordinary. Try translating how you feel into images, getting creative in how you connect your feelings to your images.

• Food– Cook something, change up your recipe or even your plating style, or (in memory of my caking business) decorate some cupcakes!