7 Benefits of a Creative Practice
Pattern: Stargazer tote from Blue Calla designs, 2018 Bag of the Month Club bag; handmade by me in 2024, as a stash-buster project. Another benefit of a creative hobby :)
On my last post I said that “Creativity is Passion in Action” and I truly believe that.
Think of something you are most passionate about — it doesn’t matter what it might be. How easy is it to think of that thing, of how many different ways you can enjoy it?
For someone else, their passion may be baking; taking simple ingredients like flour, eggs, and sugar and making a myriad of different desserts, cakes, cookies, and pies. Sharing with their loved ones and watching the smiles on their faces as they enjoy a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Or maybe they love sewing, making different crafts that they can give away to those in need or sell at a craft fair, or on Etsy.
Regardless of which creative outlet(s) you practice, all of them have positive benefits for us.
Here are just a few of the benefits of a creative practice or hobby:
Improve mood and reduce stress
Whenever I am stressed out or get a little on the cranky side, it’s time to get creative. I pick up a crochet or knitting project (there’s always one in progress), start sketching, or pick up my pen and paper to start writing. While it may not solve all the stresses of the world, it is a great outlet, and soon my shoulders are inching further from my ears.
Improve hand-eye coordination, attention, and focus
Both learning a musical instrument and pottery are great examples of this. It’s very difficult to throw a bowl on the pottery wheel if your attention is elsewhere; one small move and SPLAT! Messy pile of clay (go ahead, ask me how I know). Eventually, with a LOT of practice, your hands will move on their own, like when you see seasoned potters at work, or hear an orchestra seamlessly move through difficult pieces of music.
Improve memory, language, and communication skills
Learning music is like learning a new language; learning to read crochet or knit patterns are much the same. You need to translate dots on a line or abbreviations in a sentence into a new word or meaning, and that grows new neural pathways in our brains. We learn to communicate a little differently, with a little more patience when we don’t quite understand something.
Increase confidence, self-esteem, and social skills
For a confirmed introvert, pottery classes were a great place for me to step out of my comfort zone, learn a new skill with others, and eventually share my knowledge with newer beginners. If you’ve ever seen someone complete a task they never thought they could do, with that look of joy at their accomplishment beaming from their face — well, there’s just nothing better.
Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
Ah, anxiety, my old nemesis. What would I do if creativity wasn’t around to keep you at bay? Or is my anxiety prompted when I’ve been neglecting my creative side? I suppose that’s a bit of a “chicken and the egg” question. At any rate, when I am feeling very anxious, I take my time to pray, then do something creative. Keeping my hands and mind busy making something was the best way for me to escape anxiety before I had faith, and still helps me now.
Increase mindfulness
I admit, I have a difficult time with mindfulness. My mind is perpetually in “SQUIRREL!” mode, and I am rarely able to slow it down to pay attention to one thing at a time. And then enter a crochet or knitting pattern, or instructions for a quilt. Instinctively my mind starts shutting out distractions as the pattern becomes my focus, almost like a mantra: “chain three, single crochet in first stitch, double-crochet to end of row, turn. Repeat” Of course, that would look like “ch3, sc in 1st, dc to end of row, turn.”
Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Ever tried to figure out why a bowl cracked in the kiln, or what caused a handle to come off? Or tried to figure out why the pattern you crocheted shifted two rows down? You have to analyze the steps you’ve taken and consider what your next steps are. In pottery, it’s either into the reclaim bin or to the seconds shelf if it’s been fired in the kiln. For the crochet pattern, is the error fixable? it’s only two rows, do you “frog” (rip it out) back to where the error was made, or can you adapt from where you are? Creativity definitely exercises those problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Those benefits all sound positive to me. Increased mindfulness is something I still work towards, even with so many creative outlets. Too often I forget to spend time on them, so writing this is a good reminder to set aside creative time in my schedule.
Other than writing, the thing I am most passionate about is taking raw materials and turning them into something functional, beautiful, or beautifully functional. It doesn’t matter what medium it is, I love making things from scratch. I’m not as passionate about baking as I am about sewing, crocheting, painting, or quilting, so I don’t spend time baking. Regardless, I want to share that passion for making things with others (yes, even baking), so that they can feel that joy, too.
People shouldn’t feel afraid about trying a new craft, art, or skill.
Think of the joy we have, whether in making something new and sharing it with other people, or sharing how to make something with friends. Wouldn’t you like to learn a skill that you can share with the next generation in your family? Or the next generation growing up in the world? All this while reaping the benefits of better communication, and hand-eye coordination.
What if we spent half the time on creative practices and hobbies as we spend on social media, video games, or watching TV? How would you feel to have the benefits listed above in your life? Less stress, more mindfulness, more problem-solving skills, better communication?
What if we gave ourselves the gift of time and experiences with each other? What if we were all able to share our passions with the world?
Wouldn’t we all be more joyful?
Why don’t we give it a try and see where creativity takes us?
Let me know which creative pursuit you decide to try. I can’t wait to hear about you starting your adventure!