Five Ways to Stimulate Your Creative Side

 

People who develop their creative side tend to feel more passionate about their pursuits, mainly because this type of pastime can have a calming effect on both the brain and the body.  With these activities, the changes we encounter can be less devastating and become more of a learning experience.

Specific topics or creative interests can help a person learn new or exciting strategies of creativity, some of which are:

  1. Writing – expressing our thoughts in words on paper is very soothing to our soul. And Journaling can be of solace to our families and friends when we are no longer around.
  2. Painting – many different types of painting can be beneficial. Toll painting, paint-by-number, pencil sketching, paint pouring, oil painting, portrait painting, and many others.
  3. Dancing – types of dancing include ballet, tap, jazz, ballroom, hip-hop, contemporary, folk dance, swing, and modern dance.
  4. Puzzles – many puzzles include crossword, word search, picture, number (such as Suduko), logic, and math puzzles.
  5. Stand-up Comedy - consists of one-liners, stories, observations, or shtick.

New hobbies can stimulate and increase our mental capacities by 13%.   And if we reach outside the comfort of our box to learn an unusual hobby, an example is, learning magic tricks and performance, we can maximize our enjoyment.

As a first-grader, I tried dancing.  After unsuccessful baton twirling, my mother suggested tap-dancing - how I liked that!  I was an extremely active child.  I was told I never crawled like other toddlers – I first scooted.  I would be on one hip and pull myself forward.  That motion was difficult, so I soon began maneuvering on all fours – similar to an animal.  I could cover more ground that way.  After getting my wheels, I was continually reminded not to run in the house.  I finally learned why.  At twelve years old, we had a screen door that was usually unlocked.  (You know where I’m going with this.)  I proceeded to run out the door, hit the locked screen door going full-on, and quickly bounced off it and landed on my bum.  That was the end of running in the house. (When I’m recalling these stories, please remember that I was in a different living environment two to three times per year.)

I loved the tap class.  I would come home and practice, practice, practice.  Mom, years later, said she regretted suggesting I try tap dancing as I was relentless in practice.  I remember the words to the song for the recital.  They were “Mammies little baby loves shorten, shorten, Mammies little baby loves shortening bread.”  Our costume included a white baker’s hat.

Learning a new skill or hobby can lift you out of the funk or depression that many of us have found ourselves in after the two years we have been quarantined in our homes for fear of COVID-19.  I’ve enrolled in many writing classes online that have instructed me on how to become a better writer, a blogger, and tips for writing my memoir.  Most sites allow you to go at your own pace. If you are interested, I’ve included two affiliate links which you can click on and check out.

I hope each and everyone has a fun, happy, Valentine’s Day!

All my best,

Julie

 

 

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3 Comments

  1. Got some painting supplies for Christmas. Need to try them out.

  2. Started 5D diamond painting right after Thanksgiving as well as making gnomes as gifts which I’m now selling on FB Marketplace. I’m in 4 book clubs 😳😳 and I’m able to listen while doing these two hobbies. Fun!

  3. I line dance – it’s fun plus I make new friends. Once I start a puzzle I have a hard time stopping until it’s completed but I need to try something new. I think it’s going to be making doll clothes for a couple of granddaughters. Thanks for your suggestions.