Does Having a Creative Lifestyle Change Your Life for Good?

^{Photo by Steve Johnson}

In the journey of life, people walk down a path that is not like any other. Depending on a person’s circumstances and preferences in life, they can live a certain lifestyle that is truly only theirs. Whether it be luxurious or a creative lifestyle, everyone deserves to live their life on their own terms.

The word lifestyle is defined as a person’s way of living. More specifically, a lifestyle consists of the things that a person or a particular group of people do. In Margaret Carpenter Arnett art therapy book, readers of this literary work can find stories and drawings that all entail the same topic and goal: healing.

As you go through life, you will undoubtedly encounter many obstacles along the way. After all, challenges are a big part of life, and they can come in many forms. Most of the challenges you encounter will definitely be out of your control, and it will be painful.

Life will hurt you at times. What should you do by then? Here is the answer: you keep going. Easier said than done, but there is no other way, no shortcuts for this; keep on going until you feel better, stronger, and most of all healed.

If you have no idea where to begin, start by making time to reflect on yourself. Healing can only begin through forgiveness and self-awareness; give yourself grace as you go through the process of healing.

^{Photo by Andrea Piacquadio}

A person’s lifestyle

Check on your lifestyle: are you living every day in a way that is best for you? As mentioned before, lifestyles can vary from one person to another, but all in all, it should cater to a person’s needs and wants.

Your habits are a significant factor when it comes to lifestyle. A sustainable lifestyle means that you choose to live in a way that you like while also making sure that it is the kind of lifestyle that you can maintain in the long run. If you need a healthy outlet for any negative emotions, why don’t you try living a creative lifestyle?

Art, as mentioned by author Margaret Carpenter Arnett in her book “The Art Of The Inner Journey Symbol as Healing Agent,” truly can be healing. With that said, read below how having a creative lifestyle can change your life for good:

Art helps people believe in a more hopeful future.

As art provides us with an avenue to widen our imagination, it can also serve an evolutionary purpose. According to Kaimal, who wrote a theory on how making art helps people navigate problems that can possibly arise in the future, art can help people think about a better future both for themselves and the people they love.

Art activates the reward center of the human brain.

For most people, especially those who do not have the knack for making art, being creative can be nerve-wracking. From thoughts such as what kind of art they are going to make to what materials to the most crucial question of all: “What if what I make is horrible?” Here’s a secret that you should know: If you love doing something, you don’t have to be the best at it. What’s important is that you love what you do and it makes you happy because, at the end of the day, that’s what truly matters.

Art lowers a person’s stress levels.

Research in Art therapy is still ongoing, but there is already evidence that creating art can truly lower a person’s stress levels, along with feelings of anxiety. According to a study that can be found in a paper in 2016 in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, the researchers measured the cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults and found that 45 minutes of creating art has contributed to significant lowered cortisol levels.

Art lets you focus more deeply.

When making art, it is expected that a person induces what the scientific community calls “flow,” which is what happens when you get into the zone. According to Kaimal, it is “that sense of losing yourself, losing all awareness. You’re so in the moment and fully present that you forget all sense of time and space.”

With all these advantages, there is no question now that art can truly change your life! Not only just mere change but the kind of change that will make your life truly better. Art can help you heal from whatever it is that pains you and that is what makes it so beautiful.

So, for those who are seeking to heal in this world which seems to bring never-ending pain, engaging in art and letting your creativity flow may just be what you need. “The Art Of The Inner Journey: Symbol as Healing Agent” is a book that can be the self-help guide that you need, helping you take that first step towards healing in a creative process.