So, here’s the deal, these past couple of months I have been experiencing a lot of stress. That stress is a result of feeling a lot of pressure, not only from others but from myself as well. I know the pressure that I feel from others is not intentionally, if anything it’s completely indirect.
However, I have a natural tendency to just take care of others, and that very innate part of me has been creating a lot of pressure to be able to truthfully live up to that part of me. As a result of that, I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself to be able to follow through with the commitments that I have made, to not let others down, and to make sure that I am taking care of myself in the mist of it all.
Needless to say, these past couple of months have been hell for me but somehow, I’m still going.
All the stress and indirect pressure that I have been feeling lately has been a daily reminder of how important it is for us to have effective coping mechanisms. If you’re not aware of what coping mechanisms are, to put it simply they are effective stress relievers. The funny thing about this is that I have plenty of stress relievers, I just haven’t done such a great job at using them lately.
I think a big part of this is due to the fact that I work overnights and just don’t have much energy to accomplish all that I intend to accomplish in a day. Working overnights really takes a lot out of me and I honestly dislike it so much! I don’t like not being able to get in a good 30-minute workout in the morning, having to skip breakfast because I’d rather sleep, missing lunch because I’ve slept in way too late, and basically having to operate my whole entire day on what little energy I can muster out of pure exhaustion.
It sucks guys, it really does and if you have ever worked overnights, or even an overnight shift in your life, then you know what I’m talking about.
The one thing I dislike the most about working overnights, is that it drains me of my ability to be creative. I feel like day by day, little by little my creativity is slowing disappearing. I mean that creatively, mentally, and emotionally. I’ve been stuck in this mood where I want to be able to do all these amazing and creative things, but I just don’t have the energy to do it. So as a result of it I usually end up not doing it when I want to, but instead when I find the time to.
Life should not be like this. At least not for the very simple yet important things in our lives. We shouldn’t necessarily have to find the time to do things out of our lack of energy. I’ve been struggling with this a lot lately and have come to the decision that it’s time for this to change.
I need to give myself permission to live again. To not feel married to my job, and to not feel responsible for picking up any slack others may leave behind. Instead, I need to remind myself that it’s ok to put myself first. Its ok to make my life and the things in it that matter to me a priority once again.
Thankfully I have this amazing world of blogging, Pinterest, and acting to remind me of what really drives me in life. Creativity. Not just the creativity that I am able to create within myself, but the creativity that I am able share with others.
Not many people would think of this, or even view creativity in this matter, but when used in the right context under the appropriate situations, creativity can be the perfect stress reliever.
Here’s how.
You don’t get stuck on all the imperfect things in your life.
We all fall guilty of this. We tend to focus more on the things in our life that are going wrong, and less on the things in our life that are going right. Why? I don’t know. It’s just a part of human nature mixed with a little bit of learned behavior. Regardless of the fact, focusing on the negative or the imperfect all the time is completely exhausting.
When we tap into our creativity, or we allow ourselves to become engrossed in the creativity of others, we distract ourselves from all the things in our life that aren’t “right”. That distraction allows us to be able to take as step forward and re-evaluate our lives. Are the things we are constantly stressing over to trying to make perfect really worth the time and energy we are putting into it? Or are we just simply choosing to focus on them because it’s easier to see the imperfect parts of our lives than to see the parts that are exactly as they should be?
No matter what the reasoning may be, creativity allows us to look at life from a different perspective. It allows us to understand that life is a mystery, there are so many unpredictable twists and turns and we have to learn to be ok with that. Using creativity as a stress reliever in this matter really helps us not get stuck on the idea that life needs to be perfect.
You can bring all your thoughts and ideas to life.
The beautiful thing about being creative is that you can artistically express all your personal thoughts and ideas. A lot of the time it can be hard to verbally explain to people how we may be feeling, or what we may be thinking. In instances like this creativity can be the perfect outlet.
I read the other day about a young girl who copes with her schizophrenia by drawing her illusions. I think this is such a powerful way to not only spread awareness, but to relieve any stress she may experience as a result of having to constantly see these vivid illusions. They may just be art for us to choose to either appreciate or not, but for her they are a very real part of her life. She uses your creativity and her talent for art to not only express and share her illusions with the world, but to also relieve herself of any stress and pressure that may come as a result of it.
This is a perfect example of how creativity can be used as a stress reliever. You don’t necessarily have to have schizophrenia or a mental illness of any kind to be able to do something like this. All you need is a reason and a vision on how to artistically express and share that reasoning with others.
You learn to see the world in different shades.
In other words, you learn to see the world from different perspectives. It’s no secret that there are so many different cultures, religions, and people that make up this world. So naturally it should come as no surprise that art gets expressed differently dependent upon the individual. Which all within itself is such a beautiful thing.
The good thing about the differences in how art is express is that it can speak to others in different tones. A picture that was created and possibly meant to express sadness, may speak that sadness to some, but it may also express happiness to others. A picture that was created with the intention to express anger and frustration may do just that to some, and others may take away appreciation and gratitude.
There’s no right or wrong way to express art and to extract meaning from it. Art is fluid and is intended to speak to everyone differently. That’s what makes using creativity as a stress reliever so dependable, because you may be feeling one thing inside, but all you need is one connection to something real, something outside of yourself, something artistic in some way, shape, or form to let go of that stress.
You are able to experience it with others.
Creativity can be expressed in some many different ways, that you literally can find it anywhere. It doesn’t always have to be art, it can be a blog, a book, a movie, or even something as simple as doing personal DIY (do it yourself) activities. Regardless of how you identify and seek creativity, if you look close enough with an open mind you will always find it.
Which is why it’s so easy to experience it with others. When you go to the movies you are experiencing someone else’s vision come to life. 85% of the time (not based on facts) you are at the movies with a family member or a friend. You may spend the whole movie not talking to one another (kudos to you!), but the simple fact that you both are sharing a somewhat intimate space with one another is enough to label that experience as a shared one.
Even if you don’t attend the movies with a family member or a friend, you will still be inside the theatre with other people. That alone is yet another example of how you are indirectly sharing an artistic vision come to life with others. The point to take away here is that to use creativity as a stress reliever doesn’t mean that you have to go at it alone. Even if it’s not intentional, chances are you’ll end up sharing that experience with at least one other person.
It can be personal and meaningful at the same time.
When we set out to release any pent-up stress, pressure, or emotion that we are feeling, we are doing it with the intention of becoming centered again. Doing so can be personal and meaningful at the same time. If one way you creatively relieve your stress is by blogging, the personal meaning behind it could that be it’s your blog and your platform to be able to express yourself the best way you see fit. The meaningful message behind it could be that it’s a topic you feel is of importance and needs to be shared with at least one person.
It can be inspiring and motivating.
Relieving stress doesn’t always have to be a controlled thing. You don’t always need to use a stress ball, to draw out your feelings, or to write down your thoughts. It can be fun and honestly it should be fun. What better way to really let go of your stress than to make yourself smile and laugh while doing it! The best way to accomplish this is to find stress relievers that leave you feeling inspired and motivated enough to adopt this practice as often as possible. If running is that stress reliever for you, and every time you run you not only let go of your stress, but you feel inspired and motivated to take a run every morning before starting your day, then you have found a way to creatively relieve your stress.
It’s a great way to constantly check in with yourself.
Often times when we think of relieving stress we think of just putting ourselves back into a good headspace. While this is true it’s not the only reason we need stress relievers, especially creative ones. Using creativity as a stress reliever helps you check in with yourself. This may help you see where your priorities may or may not be, it may help you realize the things in life that really matter most to you, or it may even help you find meaning and understanding as to what you want your life to be. Whatever the case may be having that creative outlet is the perfect way to stay in tune with yourself.
There’s no limit to the possibilities.
Finally, just like there are a thousand ways you can relieve your stress, there are a thousand ways you can find a creative way to relieve it. Relieving your stress doesn’t always have to be something daunting or limiting. It can and should be something that literally sets out to alter your mood completely. You don’t want to go into a stress reliever activity feeling angry, and by the end of it that anger has just subsided. You want to go in with a specific emotion and a specific reason as to why you are doing it, with the intention of completely letting go of that previous emotion all together.
Using creativity as a stress reliever is not something for everyone. Some people will attach to this idea and process with no problem, fears, or worries. Other will struggle a little more with finding creative ways to let go. It’s not something to beat yourself up over, and it’s not something to feel ashamed about.
To use such a skill effectively you have to know the things that activate you. You have to be aware of yourself, your surroundings, and your likes and dislikes. You must know the things that intrigue you, the things that you will and will not commit to, even the things that you are and are not willing to try.
Knowing yourself first and foremost is the key to using creativity as the perfect stress reliever.
You will also learn a lot about yourself through the stress relieving process, such as what does and does not work for you. The things that you can and cannot remain consistent with, and the things that you actually enjoy doing. It’s such a beautiful and releasing process that I think everyone should try at least once, and if you like it, why not just stick with it!
After all, we’re all unique in our own way for a reason…
Until next time love bugs! <3
-Xo
Kimora