Creativity Lowers Anxiety
“You can’t be anxious and creative at the same time. Creativity pulls you out of fear.”
Dr Martha Beck, from Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose
The new neuroscience of the last thirty years has given us insights into how our brains and nervous system works. In the mid 90’s, researchers discovered neuroplasticity - that our brain develops new neural networks throughout life. That’s wonderful news!
Specific to our nervous system, you’ve heard me talk about how we can’t access compassion when we are in a survival response of fight/ flight/ freeze/ fawn. We need to be regulated to have access to our higher level brain development, wisdom, and to open our hearts to ourselves and others.
Our right hemisphere processes imagery, intuition, and wholeness. Creativity shifts us from threat-based problem-solving (left brain) to open-ended, embodied awareness (right brain). This shift reduces cortisol and increases alpha brain waves, associated with calm and flow states.
It turns out that creative expression activates the prefrontal cortex, increasing emotional regulation. Drawing, dancing, and improvising reduce fear activity in the brain. A benefit of neuroplasticity is that regular creative play builds new neural pathways for resilience and calm.
“When we move into curiosity and creativity, anxiety can’t coexist.” Martha Beck
Let’s play with Martha’s Creative Toggle approach.
Bring to mind something you’ve been ruminating about. Notice your body and breath as you think, then pause.
(You’ll need paper and pen/ pencils/ crayon for this)
Now using your non-dominant hand, doodle on your paper for a few minutes. Set that aside, and notice your body and breath.
Come back to ruminating and notice what is the same and different. Can you more easily stay in the present and witness your thoughts? Do you feel less anxious?
Catastrophic Thinking and Freedom
Bring up a worry and witness your mind going into catastrophic thinking. What is the worst thing that could happen? Let it develop and try to stay present as you witness these disturbing thoughts. Is your body tensing? Are you holding your breath?
Dance to music you enjoy, like Jon Batiste’s Freedom
What is your level of anxiety now?
Come back to catastrophic thinking. What is the worst thing that could happen? What is your experience now? Toggle back and forth if you like, between worrying, and dancing or doodling.
“Curiosity is the opposite of fear. Go there.” Martha Beck
Engaging in curiosity sparks dopamine, and creative flow lessens sympathetic nervous system arousal. When we develop creative rituals and enjoy them regularly, they buffer against chronic stress and anxiety over time.
Are you curious about these? What other ideas do you have?
5-Minute Sketch: No judgment, just movement and color.
Journal.
Curiosity Walk: Wander aimlessly and photograph anything beautiful or odd.
Play an instrument or sing. Put on some music and dance.
"What If" Writing Prompt: “What if I were free from fear for one hour?”
Shake Dancer, Fyre Jean Graveline
Join us for some fun this week in our Sunday free community class. Details and Zoom link here.