It’s been a long January in the US, as everyone is well aware.
As I work on my small business behind the scenes after scanning headlines, I’ve been feeling a sense of dread, anxiety and unease. In these types of moments in the world, I find myself asking - why does creativity matter now?
Let me start with: This is not a super comfortable question to ask myself as a working artist, but the answer I got was more interesting and curious than originally expected.
Over the last month, I’ve been conducting my own experiment on my anxiety levels and if I did or didn’t create something with my hands that day *regardless of the results*.
There were days when all I would do was over-consume social media and screens. Those days, my anxiety levels were quite high, I was scatterbrained, ungrounded, nervous… I have a feeling you know your version of this.
On these days, I am not fully taking care of my needs - not eating well, not socializing well, not sleeping well. You know the whole deal. It’s a hot mess.
Then, one weekend, that shifted.
One Sunday, I spent an afternoon in studio painting and I felt so relaxed that I ran back to studio to paint whenever I could throughout the next week. I would squeeze in moments in between groceries and hiking with my partner and pup on the weekend. I would go for a few hours in the evening after I ran errands all day. Those days, even when it was just an hour or so, I would sleep so soundly at night, feeling satisfied and accomplished - *regardless of the results*.
My self-confidence that week was different. My anxiety was different. My open-mindedness was different. All in ways that I liked. I felt grounded as I moved through spaces that sometimes feel overwhelming. I felt like a different person because I was incorporating creating into my world.
On the days where I spent just 30 minutes or more creating anything, my body felt more relaxed.
I’m talking anything with the body - painting, doodling, coloring, putting together a tufting frame, journaling, singing and dancing in the kitchen, building a fire, yoga, sewing, crocheting, creatively cooking… the list goes on.
Now, let’s talk about the past week… I have been making a lot of time for computers and my phone but not as much time for painting or creating.
Guess what happened? All together now: Anxiety!
I’ve started taking walks again more consistently and it’s helpful and also, that creating hits somewhere different. I need some time making. The walking doesn’t fully get to the feeling I am after, though still important.
All I keep thinking is - Damn. I need to get myself back in studio to make something.
So, we’ve gotten here to the end of this one month experiment (that I honestly didn’t know I was even participating in until the painting week). What I’ve found is that I operate in a way that feels really good to me when I make time to work with my hands in a creative way. (Once again for the folks in the back, regardless of the results!)
And what I mean by this is that I’m learning to regulate my nervous system through creativity. (mind blown).
I have been drawing for as long as I can remember and maybe this is why? Whoa. Very cool. This would make sense being a person with a highly sensitive nervous system.
So back to why does creativity matter right now?
Well, at this moment, I see it like this: I can’t act in a way that feels grounded, confident and action focused when I have a dis-regulated nervous system. And this is one of those moments when I want to have clarity in this wild world, so I can act in a way that’s in accordance with my highest self and values.
So, I’m going to keep doodling and coloring and making things and I really hope you do too. We all need grounded nervous systems more than ever.
I’m also super curious - why does creativity matter to you right now? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
Stay regulated, curious and creative, folks.
Sending Big Love to every single one of you,
Mackenzie