E102 - Creativity is your winter energy
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Beth: [00:00:00] A lot of us struggle with the dark days of winter.
Hello, my creative friend. Welcome back to another episode of Create Today with Beth Buffington. Today we are going to talk about something that might actually change your winter. Now, a lot of us struggle with those short days and dark nights of winter, and at the same time, we also struggle with the responsibilities and the overwhelm that we might feel.
Come with the expectations during the holiday season. Two days from now, we're going to be looking at Thanksgiving, and this is when all of the holiday crush comes upon us. So here's something to think about. Imagine what it would be like to [00:01:00] not just survive the winter or the holiday season, but to truly thrive.
With more calm, more joy, and more emotional energy. Wouldn't that be nice? Today we will explore the hidden power of creativity and how it can lift your mood, reduce stress, and quiet, overwhelm and anxiety. And support your wellbeing during these dark nights of winter and through the hustle of the holiday season.
And this isn't wishful thinking. It is backed by science and it's good for you. It's easy to do. So unlike being locked in the basement on a treadmill or being restricted on a very strict diet.
This is something that you're going to enjoy and look forward to actually doing, [00:02:00] and there are simple and beautiful ways that you can bring this happiness into your life starting this week. So what are we waiting for? Let's get started. First I have to tell you a story about why I believe in this so much.
Back in the day, I had this job with a horrible 90 minute commute each way. And on top of that, the job that I was commuting to, while I loved the work and the people on my team, the deadlines were on fire like an inferno every week. And the owner of the company, well. They were a bit unpredictable and not in a good way.
So during the winter while I was commuting, I left for work in the dark and I drove home in the dark and there were no windows near my office, and it [00:03:00] seemed like it was just dark all the time. Have you ever had that feeling of, well, where's the sunshine?
that combination of being locked on a hamster wheel that no matter how hard I ran or how hard I worked, I just couldn't get where I was supposed to be. And that seasonal feeling that winter brought that heaviness from driving in the dark both ways. It created this emotional fog that I just couldn't shake.
And that sense of, Ugh, I just don't feel like myself. Well, that's where I was and my job was to manage people and not drag them down into the dark places where I felt like I was living.
I realized that I needed something, something grounding, something that would make me feel better again.
Well, one day [00:04:00] during lunch, I pulled out a sketchbook and I just doodled a bunch of silliness just for myself. It wasn't for a project, it was just for fun, and I had a good time. And here's the thing. It felt soothing and I calmed down a little bit, and when I went back to work after lunch, I just felt clearer in my head, so I enjoyed that so much that I started sketching for just a few minutes every day.
Sometimes it was during my first cup of coffee in the morning, sometimes at lunch or sometimes just before I went to bed, and it was just a few minutes. Nothing amazing. There is none of that work that I sold for licensing or is hanging in a gallery that I gave away as a present. None of it was perfect.
Nothing that I even [00:05:00] really wanted to share with anyone. This was just for me and I didn't know it then, but that tiny act of making art for just a little while every day. Was doing something really big inside my brain. You see even the smallest amount of consistent creativity that you look forward to and that you enjoy well, it affects the winter brain in a really good way.
And this can be any kind of creativity. I was sketching. I could have been knitting or journaling scrapbooking. I could have been doing pottery or baking. I could have been whittling wood. I could have been singing, I could have been dancing. The list, my friend is endless. If you think it's creative, it probably is.
Add it to the list. So let's unpack why creativityis so powerful for your wellbeing during [00:06:00] winter and the holidays, especially when you are stressed or you feel energy dipping, and
if you are experiencing drops in your mood, science shows us that creativity lowers stress. Studies show that even 20 minutes of creativity a day can lower cortisol, which is your primary stress hormone, Doing a creative activity, it shifts your brain out of that fight or flight mode into a calmer, more regulated state.
So when you say, I feel calmer after making something, that's not a coincidence. It's science. So winter routines, they can get heavy and feel very repetitive. Just like my commute. 90 minutes this way. Lots of work to [00:07:00] do. Many, many deadlines. 90 minute commute home. And when I got home, there was just time to eat some dinner and go to bed so that I could get up in the morning and do that whole thing over again.
If you're feeling that, that that is something that you need to address. Now, during the COVID shutdown, there was a fixed effects longitudinal analysis of nearly 4,000 US adults, and it found that increased engagement in creative leisure like crafts or even do-it-yourself projects.
That was associated with reductions in depressive symptoms, and it increases life satisfaction. Whew. We all want life satisfaction, my friend. now, this study showed a direct connection between creative engagement and lower depression and [00:08:00] anxiety in real world life disruption. I love that.
and creative expression also boosts emotional intelligence, and this is the ability to understand your own emotions and then know how to manage them in healthy ways.
And emotional intelligence also helps you recognize and respond to the emotions of others with empathy. In winter when it is easy to have low energy and feel moodier, creative self-expression helps you handle overwhelm, and those mood dips better and you are able to bounce back faster. Because having a creative pastime that you indulge in every day, it's not gonna take away all the problems that you're going to be experiencing this winter, and it isn't going to give you [00:09:00] nonstop energy 24 hours a day, but it's gonna help you overcome the overwhelm better, and it's going to help you bounce back faster and you're going to feel just a little bit happier.
Because you are allowing yourself to do something that you just look forward to every day. Now, creativity literally strengthens your brain and it can help heal your body. There's compelling evidence that engaging in a creative activity can reduce blood pressure, improve immune function, and promote relaxation.
When you combine emotional regulation, lowered stress, and more meaningful connection, creativity becomes a powerful tool to buffer the harshness of winter and or the overwhelm of the holiday hustle. So here's a question for you.
What are you creating this [00:10:00] winter? And if the answer is, uh, well, I, I should do something. Beth, I, I should get started before you begin your winter creative practice,
I want to offer five guidelines. And these are tips from my own experience, but they are also backed by research. And if you're someone who is already doing a creative practice, these might be something that you could listen to and decide, Hmm, I might be able to incorporate that into what I'm doing, and maybe my creativity will be even that much stronger.
So here's the first guideline. Let whatever you choose to do, allow yourself to be imperfect. Let it be imperfect. You are not doing this creativity to be judged by anyone, especially yourself. You are not creating it to hang in a gallery So [00:11:00] this is just for you.
And if it is a hot mess, well that means that you are working, you are experimenting, you are playing. And that's okay, my friend. I have so many sketches in my sketchbooks that look like maybe my 2-year-old grandson was drawing in my sketch pad. Yeah, but that's okay. What I do for my own interest is all for play.
It's all for me. It's all about experimenting and having fun, and if something amazing happens from this play, well that's an extra benefit. And go ahead and give that as a gift. Go ahead and sell that as a product. Go ahead and hang it in a gallery. That's okay, but don't make it your focus. Does that make sense?
Number two, match your winter energy. [00:12:00] Huh? What does this mean? Well, winter energy is lower and softer, so during the winter, give yourself permission to choose cozy over chaos and low effort creativity over something super strenuous. So think, um, just doodling or quiet journaling, maybe just, some fun collage maybe.
Uh, if you love to knit, knit and, or just get a coloring book and some markers or some crayons and just color. You don't necessarily have to learn something hard or attempt something you've never, never done before. That is super challenging. Find something comforting and cozy.
This is just gonna be something that, you know, you can sit down and just quietly do and let a few minutes just absorb themselves in whatever cozy, low [00:13:00] effort, creativity you feel like doing. Number three, build a rhythm, not pressure. So what I mean by this is that you don't wanna just do some creativity on a Tuesday and then let life get in the way and not do anything creative again until Sunday, and then maybe do something on Friday.
You want to be consistent, so schedule a time in your calendar. It doesn't have to be the same time every day, although that will help you stay in a rhythm, but do something daily, and when you schedule it in your calendar, you'll show up for it probably.
build a rhythm, but not pressure. So what does that mean? That means that you are going to allow yourself this time, and when you are doing it, you're just gonna have fun with [00:14:00] no judgment. But remember that it is easy to put your wellbeing on that back burner, so don't make it something that you do once.
Everything else is done on your to-do list. Make it part of your to-do list. Make it a priority on your to-do list. Then number four, I want you to start small and what I mean, by that is five minutes a day.
it has more emotional impact than two hours a month. And then you are building this pathway in the brain and pathways grow through repetition. That's a daily practice. So Don't look at the big picture.
Think small. Small is powerful. Small is sustainable. Small gets you through the season with more joy. So start small five [00:15:00] minutes a day, but do it every day.
and then once five minutes a day is easy, then maybe move up to 10 minutes because the more time you spend on your creativity, the more time your brain can absorb all the goodness that science says creativity will provide.
So move that time up to 10 minutes a day, and if you can grow your time to maybe 20 or 30 minutes each day, woo. Imagine what you'll be like if you are allowing yourself to be creative for a half an hour every day. And then number five. Let creativity help you process. Now what does this mean?
Well, this isn't an escape from your problems. You are not avoiding your troubles by being creative. You are not distracting yourself from more important things So this means you want to [00:16:00] let your creativity express your emotions. A picture is worth a thousand words and what science says is that when you allow your hands to get busy doing something repetitive, it gives your brain time in the background to process, and this is when you solve some problems that you're having in your life.
It's also that time where you can unravel overwhelm and anxiety and realize that, maybe it's okay not to stress on this so much. Doing something creative gives your brain time to process. It gives your brain time to settle down. Settle down. So let creativity help you process. You're gonna be amazed at how much emotional clarity and calm you will experience.
It's a lovely way to [00:17:00] reduce stress and overwhelm and provide some much needed happiness to your day. Now, let's, take just a moment to pause and hear a word from our sponsor. And today's sponsor is brought to you by Silva Sessions. Now if our topic of creative wellness is resonating with you today, consider the benefits you can gather from extra guidance and support as you navigate your way through winter, spring, summer and fall.
I'm inviting you to join me and my dear friend Lisa Murphy, who is a certified healthy aging coach, and come to Silva Sessions. Now this is a twice monthly creative wellness membership.
Inside Silva Sessions, we focus on growing and strengthening your wellbeing and creative resilience through the three Cs. [00:18:00] Now this is core care. Which is understanding the benefits of movement and rest and nourishment and creative care, which is exploring how creativity lowers stress and lifts your mood and community care.
Because being with other creatives, my friend, it is deeply healing and very supportive. If you're curious about understanding how creativity impacts your overall happiness and your health, and you are needing more joy and connection and creative energy this winter, come join us for Silva Sessions.
You'll feel better and brighter, I promise. Go to the show notes, my friend, and you're going to see a link that will take you straight to the sessions registration page or go to [00:19:00] www dot bdi create today and you'll see a link that will take you to S sessions.
Now you might be thinking, woo. Um, this all sounds really great, Beth, but I, I'm a little uncertain how to get started. so, you know, I love a good list and I love helping you out with things with a good list. So here are five gentle and easy ways to begin a creative practice. It actually supports your wellbeing this winter and will be easy to do every day.
Number one, build a cozy creativity corner. So this is really simple, and it doesn't mean that you have to reserve an entire room in your house. It doesn't mean that you have to suddenly redecorate.
All you have to do is pick a spot in [00:20:00] your home, maybe a chair with a table, uh, maybe it's a lap desk, and then make it yours. And, um, add a soft lamp or bring in a candle. Make sure you've got whatever you need, a sketchbook or a journal, whatever supplies you need. And then maybe have a warm blanket or a favorite mug.
Now I'm in my studio right now, I have a blanket that I keep on my lap almost all the time, and I always have my favorite mug somewhere close by. Isn't this one cute?
So having these favorite things, it helps you create that atmosphere of I'm going to be creative and it's going to be relaxing and cozy. Remember, we're matching our winter energy and we're allowing ourself to be a little slower and a little cozier than we would if maybe we were thinking
about creativity for a summer activity. [00:21:00] So this place is going to become your creative sanctuary where you can show up and just be not to perform or do amazing things or, or create for a deadline. This is just where you play. This is just where you have fun.
This is just where you relax with your creativity. And number two. Try a five minute daily ritual. so we've already talked about this, but it's worth repeating and this is something that you should be doing if you're just getting started. set a timer, start at five minutes each day and do something small.
Think about what you might want to do that you could do in five minutes. So you're not going to, um, you know, paint a mural in five minutes. You're not going to knit an entire sweater in five minutes. If you only have five minutes, think of something that will fit into that tiny [00:22:00] window. maybe you're just doodling, maybe you're just writing a gratitude list.
Maybe you are just making a collage and you're adding a little bit to it every day. Whatever it is, have those supplies at the ready. And then sit down, start your timer and just dive in, have some fun, and when the timer goes off, you'll go, whoa, that was easy and easy things. Well, that's when habits get built without overwhelm.
But when that timer goes off, if you're having fun spend a little more time on it. Make it. 20 minutes, make it a half an hour, but at least give yourself that small amount of time and set that timer for every day. Number three, mix movements with your making.
there can be times where it really helps to add a little movement to the [00:23:00] creativity that you're doing, especially if you're wanting to increase your energy for the day. So there are so many things you can do that will add creativity to movement. Here's just a few ideas that you can use. Think about walking.
Everyone, everyone should be walking anyway. Sometimes people have dogs that they need to walk. Um, some people are just walking for your. When you're going to do that, add a little creativity to it. So when you're out on your walk, instead of just like zoning out and not paying attention to anything, look for certain objects, maybe you are just going to look for things that are brown or green or circles, or you're gonna collect pine cones or you're going to look for rocks, or you're gonna look at cloud formations.
Then either collect those things or take photos with your phone of the things you see. And that is going to be a creative, fun, [00:24:00] treasure hunt for your brain. Or if you're inside, you can't get out right now. Dance, my friend, dance. We can all dance and we all feel good when we do it. And the best part of this is that you are doing this just for yourself, so you don't have to be a good dancer.
Turn on some music and just let your body move andYou know that old saying dance like no one's watching dance, like no one is watching and have fun. you'll find the creativity is in how you decide to move your body. And when you are combining music and dance with movement, you're gonna burn some calories my friend.
Set the timer for five minutes and you'll be surprised how much movement you can get in during your creative time. Sometimes movement is singing while you are doing [00:25:00] something. My friend, if you're singing in the shower, that is a creative act.
That is, um, singing. While you are cooking. Singing while you are in the car, So, movement plus creativity equals a deeply nourishing combination. Consider that for one of your creative activities. Highly recommended. Number four, use themed winter prompts.
So when in Rome, my friend right now, it is winter, so embrace it, my friend. Just embrace it. Consider using images in your creativity like snowflakes or pine cones or holiday themes. If you're doing visual arts and crafts, or if you're writing, write a letter to Santa.
You're never too old to write a letter to Santa or write a poem or a song about a winter experience that [00:26:00] you've either had or you remember for when you were a kid. When you use themes around the season that you're in, it helps your creativity connect with the experience you have of that season.
Focus on something that's going to help you get out of those winter doldrums, and you can do that and embrace the season at the same time.
Number five, reflect weekly in a creative journal. So at the end of the week, this is a really good time for you to just take stock in how well you did with your creativity throughout the week. So take a few minutes to write or doodle answers to these questions.
What surprised me this week? What brought me joy? What felt hard about this week? And what do I want to lean into [00:27:00] next? These reflections help you track your emotional journey, not just your creative output.
Remember, part of what you're doing here with your creativity isn't just, I'm gonna make stuff. How much can I make? No, it is processing the things inside your head and allowing your brain, your emotions, your energy to be on a positive uplift because of the creativity you're doing. having a moment where you reflect.
On the creativity that you've been doing will help you decide, should I keep doing the same creativity? Is it helping or should I try something new? Do I feel better when I'm moving and I'm being creative? This is where you're going to decide what to do for you next.[00:28:00]
So I hope today that you've realized that creativity is
a powerful tool that you can use as you figure out the best way for you to embrace winter and thrive through the holidays. And here is the takeaway that I want you to remember after we leave each other today. The long nights of winter and for many the holidays, well, they don't have to be something you just survive.
This time of year can be something that you can lean into and embrace. This can be a season of soft beauty, a seasoned of measured rest, a season where creativity becomes your anchor. And your compass, [00:29:00] my friend. Your creative spirit does not need to be burdened by these dark long nights. It can be illuminated by them.
Every mark you make, every word or song you write, every cookie you bake, every sweater you knit, every piece of wood, you whittle, every piece of creativity you enjoy. And enjoy consistently. All of that helps you stay grounded, helps you stay connected, and helps you stay emotionally awake. So what will you create this week, my friend?
I dare you to allow yourself just five minutes each day to enjoy. Your creativity. Give it a try. See [00:30:00] how it feels, but be consistent, and don't worry if it's imperfect or it's awkward or you don't feel like you're very good at whatever it is you're doing. Have fun. That's all you have to do. Perfection is not the goal.
Happiness is the goal. So just have fun and do it every day. Thank you so much for joining me today. I am so proud of you for showing up, for wanting to feel better, for wanting to understand how creativity can serve your heart. And if you've resonated with this creative message today, please keep coming back to me for more ideas and strategies.
For using your creativity to make you happier and healthier in heart, mind, body and soul. And stop for just a second think. Do you know someone in your life who would [00:31:00] find this podcast helpful for getting them through another dark winter or through the chaos of the holidays?
Please share this podcast with them.
Remember, creativity is easy. It's fun, and it only costs as much as the supplies you need to do your activity and to receive the healing benefits. It supplies to your brain and your wellbeing. It only takes. One small creative moment. Five minutes to do one doodle, one journal entry, a little bit of a collage, a few stitches on a quilt, a few markers and a coloring book, and you can feel your whole day shift for the better.
Day after day, moment after moment, this creative [00:32:00] goodness will add up and you will begin to feel more grounded. You will feel more patient, more calm, more yourself. So what are you waiting for? Get started today.
you'll know when you found your creative passion 'cause it'll spark your curiosity and you'll want to get back to it again and again. when you find that spark,
let it burn bright for you throughout the winter, your creativity is going to shine more peace, more calm, more creative joy into your winter days and into the hustle of the hectic holiday season, and no matter what activity you choose.
The most important thing is [00:33:00] to.
