If you’re stuck on a negative feeling, make something: a poem, a pie, a blog. Creativity pulls your brain into a happy place.—Martha Beck, Daily Coach Tips
Do you know our brain, left to its own devices, will default towards negativity? It is always on the alert for danger, ever watchful and protective for our survival. So, instead of engaging with that fear, simply shift your focus to the preferred positive. This is easier said than done. When there is a perceived threat, it requires an intentional practice to neutralize this fear, much less move towards your happy place. But creativity can be a fun tool to assist this shift towards feeling positive.
Creativity draws on usage of the whole brain, not just the limbic system, from which the fear gets the first say. It takes you into a zone that first distracts you from the fear, and then neutralizes, or should I dare say, tricks the fearing self so you can expand and operate beyond the fear that first emerged. You can learn to mitigate your negativity with a creative response, much like you’ve learned to take a deep breath when you feel stressed. You may already be doing this remedy without knowing it. Do you whistle while you work? Do you hum or sing to lift your spirits? Do you feel better when you bring flowers into your home? Or make yourself a wonderful meal? Do you tease your child when he’s grumpy? All of these are simple creative directives for a negative pull.
And we all have our favorite ones. Since I love language, I could either check out and read a book (which avoids rather than shifts the energy), or recite a poem I’ve memorized or even better, write a quick haiku or poem. (Did you notice my blog title rhymes?) I can soothe myself listening to music and/or sing/whistle/hum some of my favorite tunes. I have a sketch book handy, and draw a quick sketch of what catches my eye, for it usually helps me focus on the beauty right in front of me. Sometimes I dance to a tune, or laugh out loud at a memory that is funny……..you get the idea. So take a few moments to identify what creative responses you’ll use to shift to your happy place. And just like your draw on your innate breath when stressed, you’ll soon be drawing on your innate creativity to positively live.
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