5 ways creativity can boost mental health

Kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from unstructured playtime and space to fuel their imagination, writes Dr Happy.

Listening to music, appreciating art, colouring in and arranging flowers can decrease anxiety and help you feel calm and happy.

Writing, drawing, crafting and reading poetry can all help lower stress, relax your muscles, reduce indigestion and inflammation and increase self-esteem and productivity.

Basically, creative pursuits can help us focus our attention, similar to the way meditating does.

Here are some ways we can use creativity to boost our mental health:

1. Think of all the different ways you can find joy.

2. Imagine your best possible life and what you can do to make it a reality.

3. Draw or paint or describe your unpleasant emotions in a way that makes them seem manageable.

4. Constantly work to find new and fun ways to catch up with friends, support them and have them support you.

5. Be the most you that you can possibly be; create ways to highlight your individuality and to live authentically.

Dr Tim Sharp, aka Dr Happy, is the chief happiness officer at batyr and founder of The Happiness Institute. This story originally appeared on batyr's website.