Creativity is an authentic flow of thoughts, so deep, nurturing one’s expressive paradigm. Creative ideation is the art that contributes immensely to cognitive, wellbeing, flourishing behaviour, and building positive social relationships.
Let it be art, writing, or poetry; the flow of therapeutic approaches cultivates a sense of meaning and widens one’s imagination with a positive growth mindset approach. Khalil Gibran, stated: ‘Art arises when the secret vision of the artist and the manifestation of nature agree to find new shapes.’ The new shapes unfold a higher functioning level connecting one to the inner world deep mind and spirit. For instance, poetry therapy applying the receptive, expressive, and symbolic demonstration empowers the individual’s emotions and courage. The creative notions through metaphors, similes, personifications and other literary devices permits one to express the storytelling and elevate mind and spirit.
According to the study by Tamlin S. Conner, Colin G. DeYoung & Paul J. Silvia, individuals who spent time being more creative than usual one day felt higher levels of energy, enthusiasm and excitement the next day than the ones who don’t spend time with creativity endeavors. Creativity can be taught, nurtured, and boosting neurological basis.
In relation to Anna Abraham, author of The Neuroscience of Creativity, ‘your creation can’t just be new, it also must somehow be considered good.’ Any toddler can paint something that’s never been painted before, but that doesn’t make them the next Picasso. Moreover, one does not have to be a poet or have poetry experience. Considering the mindfulness practices and tapping into creativity within can stimulate into a well-being practice. For example, when I was a teenager, I did not tap into creative activities and when I did when I was older, it boosted one creative skill to another. Creative writing through poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and flash fiction enabled me to explore the innovative – neurological realms. It brought about calmness, boost of energy, and the imagination broke the barriers of limited beliefs. There is no limit to imagination and one can feel diving deeper and deeper creating what one did not feel one could do.
In contrast, art therapy is fulfilling that allows the artistic expression improve self-esteem, develop self-awareness, reduce stress, improve emotional intelligence through varied colours, and formations. Art therapy is acknowledged by varied places and incorporating drawing, sculpting, painting, and crafting supports in well-being.
I like integrating music with writing. The rhythm of instrumental music helps me in creative journaling where I express my thoughts, write affirmations, and add pointers for a short story or flash fiction. The psychotherapeutic flow of music empowers me further with expressing emotions, developing a plot, strengthens the cognitive, spirit, and social integration in storytelling. The relationship that builds and emerges becomes healthier to awareness and also apply it in creative writing. The stimulations of therapeutic interventions by varied music stirs up brain function to contribute to the inward notions to be expressed outward.
Creativity enables the flow to be fluid especially if you write free verse poems and you know that you are not limited by the rules.
Expressive Paradigm
creativity can be
considered an
elliptical lyrical approach
to express but it takes
a twist
to navigate
rewire your brain
to feel stress free
to connect inwards
to reflect towards the
inner mirror
to become a better leader
heal – thrive – grow
share – accept – forgive
relearn – rewrite – restore
a changed way to a better
meaningful – joyful – passionate
balance – empathetic
nondiscriminatory
sustainable life to
recreate what we think is not possible
but the realistic possibilities
are possible to manifest
for a better and creative opportunities
that are surely coming our ways
reminding ourselves of the grateful
possibilities we have surely
enjoyed and for more to
accept connecting us with the
expressive paradigm.
With the rise of e-commerce, the use of AI and Bots have made it possible to add value through creativity in digital business and the ability to provide creative activities for learners. The acknowledgement of applying creativity enables to increase the feeling of happiness – good through neurotransmitter, dopamine making one’s mood change. As a creative writing coach, when communicating with young students, the fleeting thoughts, ideas, and imaginative process leads to thinking out loud to thinking out of the box where learners would be happy and excited to share their input to a story plot and/or creating their own story. At times, it can become an unstoppable flow and to make necessary choices for the creative story becomes imperative.
According to Mary Rockwood Lane (Philips Lifeline, 2015) creative expression influences the autonomic nervous system, stabilizes heart rate and hormone levels, and stimulates the release of endorphins. Creative activities and active participation enhance social engagement in later years when it comes to mental health for seniors. Creative pursuits offer opportunities to make connections with like-minded people while concurrently limiting a tendency toward isolation, which could lead to loneliness and depression. Moreover, Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner (Philips Lifeline, 2015) suggests that each person has a unique combination of between seven and ten different types of intelligence. A person’s predominate type(s) of intelligence impacts their interests and what one pursues as different people will be attracted to different types of creative activities that resonate with them.
Whatever creativity one embraces and resonates with, it is vital and essential for connecting within the unlimited flow. The benefits of creativity in one’s life is magnificent and therapeutic at the same time.
Connect or reconnect to creative activities. It is invaluable. Start creating!
Bhavna Khemlani’s empowering journey entails being a university lecturer, poet, author, among other roles.
