If you read my blog regularly you know that I believe in staying active physically and mentally. Now with the "order to stay home", this is the perfect time to learn something new and expand your brain cell connectivity for a healthier brain as we age.
It doesn't matter if you have never painted, written anything other than letters and grocery lists, sewn anything, or only speak English, you can learn something new.
Even if you start to learn something new and you find it difficult, don't give up. Stick to it. Everything is hard in the beginning, but as you progress everything gets easier.
The difficult thing for me is choosing what to learn. I have so many things that I want to learn, I have trouble choosing just one to focus on. I hope this is your problem, too.
Here are a few ways art and creativity help our mind and our souls:
A Harvard Women's Health Watch article, dated July 2017, states that anyone can benefit from creating art to control anger, stress, mental decline, depression, and other mental issues. You can read their fascinating article here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-healing-power-of-art
Art from the Streets posted an article, dated August 2017, that provides five ways art benefits mental health. The five benefits they highlight are: art relieves stress, encourages creative thinking, it boosts self esteem and a sense of accomplishment, it encourages brain activity, and it makes for a better quality of life in dementia patients. You can read their short but informative article here: https://artfromthestreets.org/blogs/news/five-great-mental-health-benefits-of-art
Medical News Today has an excellent article about how creative expression, whether it be painting, writing, dancing, playing music, or any creative activity, increases our immunity to diseases and illnesses. It has the potential to speed recovery and encourages healthy healing. The article can be found here, it's worth the read: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320947#Brain-boosting-effects
Now that we know the multitude of health benefits from creating, viewing, or participating in art, where do we begin?
Actually, you can begin right where you are at this very moment.
You can start by any of the following ways and in any other way you can think of:
Here is a brief list of links to sites, videos, podcasts, and vendors that offer a variety of courses or projects that can help you meet any goal you have for yourself. This is a short list, there are many, many more online if you just take time to search for them.
Check these out:
https://www.tipsyartist.com/tipsy-artist-kits The Tipsy Artist - My FAVORITE painting class. I have taken her courses many times and I love them. Anyone can do them and they are inexpensive.
https://thequiltshow.com/
The Quilt Show - A good place to take online classes to earn to quilt. Some are free, some are not. They have a lot of free things to do, like online quilt related jigsaw puzzles and quilt block matching games. You can browse the gallery and see award winning quilts. This site is full of stuff.
https://www.classcentral.com/course/winning-resumes -5477
Class Central - Offers a variety of free courses from resume writing to creative writing. If you want to learn to write better, check this site out for free courses. This link is to their free resume writing course, as an example.
http://audiria.com/index.ph p
Audiria - An excellent podcast and website to learn Spanish. I have used Learn Spanish Con Salsa podcast. This is a podcast only format and is also a good way to learn Spanish while walking. If you go to the APPSTORE (for iphones, ipads, macs, etc.) or to GOOGLE PLAY (Android devices), and search by name or subject matter, you will find these two podcasts and a lot of other ones for every language under the sun.
https://www.skillshare.com/browse/art
Skillshare – this site has tons of online classes that are free for 2 months. If after two months you want more, you can enroll in their Premium service for $15.00 per month, if you want to go month to month, or you can pay $99 per year (which is $8.25 per month). Go to their website at the link above and see what they offer.
https://www.coursera.org/learn/biohacking-your-brains-health?action=enroll
Biohacking Your Brain's Health – Coursera offers courses for free and also for a fee. You will need to enroll, but enrollment is free. Check out this course and also the other ones they offer.
These are a few of online resources for creative courses, classes, projects. Art kits, etc. Local stores such as Michael's and JoAnn's offer various craft and art kits that you can order online. Amazon is full of kits that you can order and do at home.
You can also check out art project books, craft books, sewing books, how-to art books, at your local library. These can be hard cover, paperback, or audio.
Regardless, if you're in a lockdown situation or life is back to normal, it is healthy for your mind and soul to do creative projects and create art.
Do you have a creative side? Do you spend time in doing creative projects? What benefits have you realized from the creative activities you participate in? Is your life better? Do you feel you are healthier?
XOXO
It doesn't matter if you have never painted, written anything other than letters and grocery lists, sewn anything, or only speak English, you can learn something new.
Even if you start to learn something new and you find it difficult, don't give up. Stick to it. Everything is hard in the beginning, but as you progress everything gets easier.
The difficult thing for me is choosing what to learn. I have so many things that I want to learn, I have trouble choosing just one to focus on. I hope this is your problem, too.
Here are a few ways art and creativity help our mind and our souls:
A Harvard Women's Health Watch article, dated July 2017, states that anyone can benefit from creating art to control anger, stress, mental decline, depression, and other mental issues. You can read their fascinating article here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-healing-power-of-art
Art from the Streets posted an article, dated August 2017, that provides five ways art benefits mental health. The five benefits they highlight are: art relieves stress, encourages creative thinking, it boosts self esteem and a sense of accomplishment, it encourages brain activity, and it makes for a better quality of life in dementia patients. You can read their short but informative article here: https://artfromthestreets.org/blogs/news/five-great-mental-health-benefits-of-art
Medical News Today has an excellent article about how creative expression, whether it be painting, writing, dancing, playing music, or any creative activity, increases our immunity to diseases and illnesses. It has the potential to speed recovery and encourages healthy healing. The article can be found here, it's worth the read: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320947#Brain-boosting-effects
Now that we know the multitude of health benefits from creating, viewing, or participating in art, where do we begin?
Actually, you can begin right where you are at this very moment.
You can start by any of the following ways and in any other way you can think of:
- Start a journal by writing your thoughts down.
- Listen to various types of music, include music you rarely listen to or have never listened to. Expand your taste in music.
- Start coloring in a coloring book. A child's coloring book or an adult coloring book, whatever you have available.
- Put on music and dance...all by yourself.
Here is a brief list of links to sites, videos, podcasts, and vendors that offer a variety of courses or projects that can help you meet any goal you have for yourself. This is a short list, there are many, many more online if you just take time to search for them.
Check these out:
https://www.tipsyartist.com/tipsy-artist-kits The Tipsy Artist - My FAVORITE painting class. I have taken her courses many times and I love them. Anyone can do them and they are inexpensive.
https://thequiltshow.com/
The Quilt Show - A good place to take online classes to earn to quilt. Some are free, some are not. They have a lot of free things to do, like online quilt related jigsaw puzzles and quilt block matching games. You can browse the gallery and see award winning quilts. This site is full of stuff.
https://www.classcentral.com/course/winning-resumes -5477
Class Central - Offers a variety of free courses from resume writing to creative writing. If you want to learn to write better, check this site out for free courses. This link is to their free resume writing course, as an example.
http://audiria.com/index.ph p
Audiria - An excellent podcast and website to learn Spanish. I have used Learn Spanish Con Salsa podcast. This is a podcast only format and is also a good way to learn Spanish while walking. If you go to the APPSTORE (for iphones, ipads, macs, etc.) or to GOOGLE PLAY (Android devices), and search by name or subject matter, you will find these two podcasts and a lot of other ones for every language under the sun.
https://www.skillshare.com/browse/art
Skillshare – this site has tons of online classes that are free for 2 months. If after two months you want more, you can enroll in their Premium service for $15.00 per month, if you want to go month to month, or you can pay $99 per year (which is $8.25 per month). Go to their website at the link above and see what they offer.
https://www.coursera.org/learn/biohacking-your-brains-health?action=enroll
Biohacking Your Brain's Health – Coursera offers courses for free and also for a fee. You will need to enroll, but enrollment is free. Check out this course and also the other ones they offer.
These are a few of online resources for creative courses, classes, projects. Art kits, etc. Local stores such as Michael's and JoAnn's offer various craft and art kits that you can order online. Amazon is full of kits that you can order and do at home.
You can also check out art project books, craft books, sewing books, how-to art books, at your local library. These can be hard cover, paperback, or audio.
Regardless, if you're in a lockdown situation or life is back to normal, it is healthy for your mind and soul to do creative projects and create art.
Do you have a creative side? Do you spend time in doing creative projects? What benefits have you realized from the creative activities you participate in? Is your life better? Do you feel you are healthier?
XOXO
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