7 Benefits of Creating Your Own Art

WRITTIN BY ALIX ORTIZ

Creative experiences, like painting with watercolor, can be acts of self-love by giving yourself a safe environment to express yourself without judgement. Art is a space for freedom and celebration- to acknowledge and accept your truth and declare it unapologetically. It is too easy to stay stuck in the mundane, let cultural expectations dictate our beliefs and actions, or hide under past conditioning and repressed emotions. Creation through art is a positive way to move out of these places or to joyfully honor whatever your experience and emotions may be. With honesty and vulnerability, art is a visual representation of the self and humanity. It is the result of a beautiful process of uncovering our emotions, exploring who we truly are, discovering new possibilities, and committing to our truth and higher self. Below are 7 reasons why creating and expressing yourself through art is beneficial and why it should be integrated into your self-love ritual.

 

Creating Art...

1.  Changes our mood and enhances our well-being

Creating art has been proven to increase dopamine which lowers stress, anxiety and depression. Positive experiences that involve interactions with our senses is how dopamine is released. Art creation activates our brain in such a way that leaves us in a more blissful, content and happy state. Because your mind and body are free to create something beautiful, it can induce a dreamlike, flow state which helps to forget about any burdens, cleanse the mind and recharge. This process helps to push that restart button by approaching the world with a new, healthy perspective when it is time to get back to the grind. 

1. Helps us process emotions 

Sometimes trying to verbally express ourselves feels limited for a multitude of reasons-maybe we cannot find the words, do not feel like we can safely express ourselves to a person, or maybe we just do not feel comfortable in our own skin and feel trapped by what we are unable to express. In order to completely process emotions, acceptance and the ability to express them is required-and a way to do this is to visually translate who you are, your feelings, problems and ideas in order to recognize where you stand and how to move forward. It also validates our emotions and experiences to stand stronger in our affirmations. Art as an activity taps into a more subconscious ability to access the deepest part of our psychological and emotional self and let out all true emotions. 

1. Unblocks the sacral chakra

Art is a time to play! If you have recognized that your sacral chakra is blocked, creating your own art is a great way to direct new energy for realignment. Our sacral chakra determines our ability to be flexible and spontaneous, to let go of rigid expectations we may unknowingly put on ourselves. By having some fun with exploration, we are less strict with ourselves and allow energy of acceptance and possibility into our being.

1. Inspires new ideas

Because art exercises the right side of the brain, there are endless personal and professional benefits to creating your own art. When we exercise the right side of our brain, the “creativity muscles” start to strengthen because we are put in a position to think outside of the box, be innovative and play with thoughts and ideas we may not have otherwise allowed to manifest. Now, your brain has a new release of neurons and these ideas may inspire your professional life or give you the boldness to try something out of your comfort zone in your personal life. 

1. Strengthens self-trust, compassion, and intuition

Art is one of the best ways to experience and feel self compassion. By definition, creativity has no rules. There are no rights or wrongs -so no apologies! With an open ended art activity like using watercolors and a blank piece of paper, you are the master of your fate. It is an exercise to learn how to be a little kinder with yourself and to look at something you have made and say “This is beautiful- I am beautiful.” This is where the sacral chakra is at work. When our sacral chakra is aligned, we are more confident in our self-expression and exploration-reminding ourselves of the right to lean on our own wisdom and trust whatever it is we are gravitating towards.

1. Gives us higher self-esteem

Art is an activity that inspires and cultivates self-love through a mind body connection. Being In tune with the present and physical act of moving your body to create something limitlessly beautiful fosters self love connection. The dopamine released from the experience increases positive feelings that enhance self-esteem. When you create something new and uniquely your own, you will find that you are enthusiastic about your own identity!

1. Trauma Healing

Art Therapy is being used more and more in professional psychology fields to help clients, especially for those with PTSD. Reflecting on one’s own art helps to reframe perceptions of certain situations and release negative build up from past traumas emotions. Because art taps into subconscious emotions, the process helps to break past deeply rooted belief systems and reclaim affirmations of power over the self. By reexamining emotions in a safe place, the artist claims their own narrative and regains a sense of control that once felt lost. 

 

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