How to Spark Creativity and Find More Joy in Each Day

creativityWhen you feel creative, you feel more happiness in your life because you’re living more consciously and seeking beauty. Following are several ways to spark your innate creativity and live a more joy filled life.

Explore the world of art.

Sculpting, painting, drawing—all are creative pursuits, and all unlock your creative mind. The satisfaction of creating something new is fulfilling, and you’ll find joy every time you pick up a brush or pen. Experiment with colors, details, textures, and dimensions. You should feel free as air while you’re creating.

Even if no one else ever sees your work, you’ll know it’s there and that you did it.

Learn a musical instrument.

Much like creating art, creating music elevates your mood and happiness. Learn the instrument you really wanted to take up when you were in fifth grade and didn’t. As you go down the path of learning to play it, you become one with it and raise your joy factor significantly. You’ll feel happy and joyful every time you pick up the instrument and begin to play.

And no one ever said you had to play only songs that have already been written.

Work with your hands.

Whether you like woodworking, knitting, embroidery, or origami, create something. Anything. Use your hands to form what’s in your mind. The simple act of creating raises your level of joy, no matter what you create or how you do it.

Journal.

Putting your thoughts, hopes, dreams, and desires on paper creates a record of you—what better way to spend your time? When you journal, don’t hold back. Often, you can break through barriers in your life by simply writing them down. Once they are on paper, they have no hold over you anymore. The power of journaling is, in a word, amazing.

Write that book you’ve always contemplated.

Whether you want to share 101 ways to decorate your home or a new biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, it’s time to write that book you’ve thought about for years. It doesn’t matter if you prefer fiction or nonfiction—it’s the creation of the book, the words flowing on the paper or computer screen, that matter. If you choose, you can even publish your journal.

One major barrier for up-and-coming authors is now gone: you can self-publish now, both paperback and electronically, so you don’t need a publishing house or an editor. Your options are wide open; take advantage of them to create the newest book the world needs.

Do what your heart wants you to do. Start today.

We’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to contact us or leave a comment for us on Facebook!

Therapeutic Ways to Relieve Stress

meditationReducing stress is one of the most effective steps you can take to improve your health, and it can be one of the most challenging. Stress is a constant in our lives, but if you’re proactive about managing it, you’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel. This post will discuss three very effective ways to relieve stress and reduce health issues.

Yoga

Body postures of varying difficulty and controlled breathing exercises increase your physical flexibility, while meditation helps you focus on being peaceful and calm. This powerful mind / body combination makes yoga an extremely effective stress reliever. Yoga practitioners also enjoy increased strength and balance. Prominent medical facilities such as the Mayo Clinic recognize the role of yoga and meditation in health promotion and stress management.

In yoga, movements are precise and require concentration, which draws your attention away from your hectic life and quiets your mind, so you release tension and anxiety. In addition to reducing stress, yoga has been proven to help with insomnia, depression, and fatigue. Yoga also lowers blood pressure and is used as a weight loss aid.

Journaling

Often we hide thoughts and feelings that cause stress, and we do our best not to think about them. However, stress is like any other untreated wound in that it becomes larger and more damaging if we don’t take care of it. Journaling, which is simply writing down your thoughts, allows you to express those feelings and understand their effects on your health.

When you see those thoughts on paper—especially after the strong emotions connected to them have passed—they lose their power to upset you, and their hold on your mind is broken. The stress these thoughts caused dissipates as a result. When you look objectively at what is going through your mind, you can define what is causing your stress and take steps to remedy it. For many, the act of writing helps them process their feelings, and that alone helps their stress levels.

Meditation

A quick and easy way to reduce stress, meditation is one mental technique of focusing your attention away from stressful thoughts and situations, giving you a sense of balance and peace. In addition to stress relief, the Mayo Clinic has found that meditation helps with pain management, allergies, binge eating, and sleep problems.

When you meditate, you intentionally move your mind into a new state of relaxation that extends throughout your body. Stressful feelings and thoughts are released as you move into a deeper state of awareness. As you become more proficient in meditation, you control your conscious thoughts more easily and relax more quickly.

To learn yoga, journaling, or meditation, search for classes in your area. Look at the instructors’ websites, or call them, and decide who seems knowledgeable and approachable. Often instructors will offer a class or a visit for low or no cost. Don’t be afraid to try something new to reduce your stress.

For more helpful tips on health and wellness, Like us on Facebook.