How to stay creative under stress!
Do you feel it's hard to be creative with the world in chaos? My brain gets freeze up whenever I am anxious. Which is terrible when being creative and making art is how an artist pays for toilet paper!
Over the years, I come up with some ideas on how to stay creative under stress. Figure it would be fun to share!
Ditch work and deadline *Temporary* - As a professional, our instinct is to force ourselves to push forward, even when we are not in the best shape. But this could be counterproductive. Take a break and recharge before jumping back and run full speed.
Self-pampering! Everyone has a different way to recenter yourself. Pause - Do what you like to stay calm and carry on!
Make art for your amusement. Ignore professional quality, make art for FUN. Allow yourself to be a kid, make a mess, and lose yourself in a silly project.
Vent your emotion through self-expression! Art does not need to be in the traditional definition of "Art." If baking makes you happy, bake, and try new recipes; if gardening makes you happy, plant some pretty flowers; if singing makes you happy, sing your heart out!
Rest and slow down - If you don't get a good night's sleep, take naps during the day.
Connect with love ones and friends. I know we are practicing social distancing right now, but a text, a call, or an email makes a big difference. We all need love and support.
Giving and sharing - find a creative way giving back to the communities, a cause, or a person that is important to you. When you create art from your heart, your creativity will flow naturally. It's fulfilling, and you are helping someone. It's beautiful!
Unplug from news and social media, have some quiet time hearing your thoughts.
It's impossible not feeling stress with what's going on right now. There would be days we just aren't feeling creative. That's ok. A healthy creative mind needs time off too.
What's your creative stress relief, please feel free to share in comments!
