Even those who are not artistically inclined can still benefit from artistic creation. Studies that examine the effects of art on stress and mood don’t analyze the talent of the subjects or the quality of their creations—just the effects on how they feel afterward—and these effects are highly positive! So if you’re looking for a great way to relieve stress, you may want to try delving into an art activity anyway. Here are some great ideas to get you going. Also, the creation of something beautiful can be soothing and engulfing, as we know from research on gratifications. There are many ways you can engage in artistic activities to soothe your frazzled nerves, or just to deepen your inner peace and express yourself, and each has its own appeal, based on your personality and needs. Here are some of the more beneficial ways to go about coloring yourself into a place of peace. One study divided slightly stressed subjects into two groups and found that creating a picture (rather than simply looking at and sorting famous pieces of art) relieved anxiety and decreased negative mood. In this study, they chose between using charcoal pencils, oil pastels, or even regular colored pencils, and the drawings themselves weren’t evaluated, just the anxiety levels and mood of the people after they were done. So whether you are someone who already enjoys creating art but doesn’t make time for it, or you’re someone who doubts their own artistic ability, let go of results; create something that’s just for you in a drawing journal, a canvas, or whatever you have handy. One study found that creating mandalas minimized the symptoms of trauma in PTSD patients a month after patients engaged in this activity just three times. Creating a mandala allows you to process some of what you are feeling by including symbols that represent what you have been through in your life, triumphs that you have had, challenges you’ve faced, or anything else that is important to you without getting into the “story” of it, and potentially triggering rumination. The practice also allows you to root yourself in the moment as you create a piece of art, and can free you from concerns about whether the pictures look “good” or even realistic. Your mandala can look however you want it to look, and it can be rich with meaning or just a bunch of shapes and squiggles that look good to you. All you need to do is have fun. Another benefit of a class is that it cements the activity into your schedule; you don’t have to work as hard to find time for drawing because you already have time for it planned into your schedule. Also, if you are someone who worries about your artistic skill, this can help you to improve your abilities and make that less of a distraction. However, if an ongoing class is more of a commitment than you have time for, many communities have one-time workshops or evenings where participants enjoy a glass of wine with a standalone art class. Look into your options, and see what might work best for you. You can have a journal just for 5-minute doodles, and keep it somewhere handy. At night, you can draw quick pictures of hearts, flowers, or smiling faces for a minute or two instead of maintaining a journaling practice, or in addition to a gratitude journaling practice—just beautify the margins! The trick is to let your inner artist come out whenever you have time and to enjoy.
