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The positive effect of making space for our creative imagination

In our fast-paced world, where productivity and efficiency often take center stage, it can feel indulgent to dedicate time to imagination and creativity. Yet, making space for a creative imagination is not just a luxury; it’s an essential ingredient for personal growth, problem-solving, and overall well-being. From sparking innovation to fostering mental health, the benefits of nurturing creativity extend far beyond the artistic realm. Here’s why creating room for your imagination can positively transform your life.

1. Boosts Problem-Solving Skills

Creative imagination enables you to think beyond conventional solutions and approach challenges with a fresh perspective. Whether it’s a work-related issue or a personal dilemma, imaginative thinking encourages you to explore “what if” scenarios, uncover hidden opportunities, and devise innovative solutions. For example, many groundbreaking inventions—from the lightbulb to the smartphone—stemmed from someone’s ability to imagine possibilities that didn’t yet exist.

Takeaway: A creative mind is more adaptable and equipped to navigate life’s complexities.

2. Enhances Emotional Resilience

Engaging in imaginative activities—like painting, writing, or daydreaming—acts as a safe space to process emotions and explore alternative perspectives. It can help you work through stress, anxiety, or sadness by providing a mental escape or by framing challenges in a new light. Moreover, imagination allows you to envision positive outcomes, fostering hope and resilience even in difficult times.

Takeaway: Creativity is a natural outlet for emotional expression and healing.

3. Fuels Innovation and Success

History is rich with examples of creativity driving success in unexpected ways. Think of leaders like Steve Jobs, who emphasized the importance of combining technology and the arts, or authors like J.K. Rowling, who turned imaginative storytelling into a cultural phenomenon. By giving yourself permission to dream big, you can uncover ideas that propel your career or personal projects forward.

Takeaway: Creativity is a key driver of innovation and achievement.

4. Strengthens Relationships

Creativity can also play a vital role in building and maintaining relationships. Whether through collaborative projects, sharing imaginative ideas, or simply injecting humor and playfulness into interactions, imagination fosters connection. It helps you understand others’ perspectives, enhances empathy, and encourages more meaningful conversations.

Takeaway: A creative approach to relationships can deepen bonds and improve communication.

5. Promotes Lifelong Learning

Creative imagination is closely linked to curiosity, which drives a desire to learn and explore. When you engage your imagination, you’re more likely to seek out new experiences, acquire new skills, and challenge your current understanding of the world. This mindset not only keeps life exciting but also contributes to personal growth and adaptability.

Takeaway: A curious, imaginative mind stays vibrant and open to new opportunities.

6. Improves Mental Well-Being

Imaginative activities such as writing, drawing, or even daydreaming can serve as a form of mindfulness, helping you detach from everyday stressors. Engaging in these practices stimulates the brain’s reward center, releasing dopamine and improving mood. Additionally, immersing yourself in creative projects can lead to a state of “flow,” where time seems to stand still, and you feel fully present and content.

Takeaway: Creativity nurtures mental health by reducing stress and increasing happiness.

7. Expands Your Perspective

Imagination allows you to step into someone else’s shoes, explore alternate realities, and consider new possibilities. This broadens your worldview and helps you become more open-minded and accepting of differences. By imagining the world through a different lens, you cultivate empathy and gain insights that enrich your life.

Takeaway: A creative mind fosters understanding and inclusivity.

How to Make Space for Creativity

Incorporating creativity into your daily life doesn’t require grand gestures. Here are some simple strategies:

  • Schedule Downtime: Carve out time to let your mind wander without distractions.
  • Try Something New: Experiment with creative hobbies like painting, writing, or gardening.
  • Embrace Play: Engage in activities that feel fun and lighthearted, like playing games or improvising.
  • Reflect and Imagine: Spend time journaling or visualizing your dreams and goals.
  • Limit Screen Time: Create mental space by unplugging from digital devices.

Final Thoughts

Making space for a creative imagination isn’t just about self-expression; it’s about enriching every aspect of your life. From improved problem-solving and emotional resilience to stronger relationships and mental well-being, the benefits are profound. In a world that often prioritizes efficiency over creativity, taking the time to nurture your imagination is a powerful act of self-care and growth. So, let your mind wander—you never know where it might lead.

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How to get out of the rut of feeling stuck

Sometimes we can get to this stage of stagnation or a continuous cycle of behaviour. Whether this happens through difficult circumstances or just the state of mind we are in. Furthermore, it could be due to mental health.

Whatever the case there is hope. There are to major things we can do or use to get back to balance of feeling neutral or ourselves again. Of course not all remedies work as it may be neurological. However, we will look into these two major things that I have used and learnt when dealing with my own struggles and navigating my states of low mood or mild depression.

The two things are movement and stillness. Basically using the opposites to get back to balance or feeling new. This push and pull is powerful. The body needs movement to unblock stagnant energy in the body and then it needs rest, sleep and loads of moments of stillness. E.g meditation or periods of non movement, non doing. When these two are being used correctly you get a thing called flow, zone or natural states. The thing they call regulated nervous system. A healthy body and mind.

The body needs both movement and stillness. It requires you to find your own rhythm as well. Therefore there are things you need to discover about yourself which is also important but exciting.

When you find these things. No matter what you go through you will be able to get through. Again we can’t rush this our body lets us know, we just have to keep going or keep resting enough to find the right balance. The hard part is knowing what decision to take that will benefit your body and mind when it’s exhausted or overthinking etc. At times we feel we can’t move and then there are days we are on the go. The key here is knowing when to put your body and mind first regardless. Self care is paramount to anything. If we don’t put ourselves first. This is the only period where we can prolong its resetting or getting back to normal heathy states of feeling and consciousness.

It’s ok though, this practice or experience can take years to master or maybe not, it all depends on the person and where they are, but it’s worth it even if it feels like it takes forever. We cannot rush it but we can keep making progress. It’s something that is not taught in school but I think more soft skills are being taught now which is good.

So, movement of any kind that your body likes and stillness whenever you can do it, is critical in developing emotional fitness. Nevertheless, seeking support and help, having a network and being open also helps immensely. Everything starts with us.

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What are Movement meditations and how do they help?

Movement meditations are something that we already know, they can be tai chi, yoga, even doing something therapeutic such as ironing, to cleaning the house. Meditation is just a name, meditation is actually what you make it. It is not the common ideal picture we have of sitting in an upright position, such as transcendence meditation, which I’ll go into later.

Transcendence, meditation, is the effortless meditation, which I actually do, which is effortless, and relaxed where you are not of the mind and of thoughts and completely immersed in your body and the present moment. This type of meditation is not for everyone. Some people may have an active mind, or have anxiety, or for many reasons, have an active mind which makes it difficult to do transcendence meditation. But that’s okay, because you have movement meditation.

Walking meditation, is one of them, It’s, where you are grounded in that present moment without talking, and just taking in the scenery, or the forest, or the park, this is still a meditation, this is enabling you to be mindful.

Some people ask how can walking be a meditation, as mentioned before meditation is a category, it is a word, but meditation can come in many different forms, and the good thing about it is that there are meditations for everyone.

The other forms of moving meditations, are tai chi, yoga, and that therapeutic ironing that we love to do, well for some of us. Qi Gong, is one of them also dancing, whatever brings you into that present moment whether you’re being mindful, or it takes your thinking away is still a meditation. Therefore, depending on what is needed for you at that present moment in your life, will determine what meditation is needed. As mentioned before, if the mind is active, that’s okay movement meditation is also there as a tool for you.

Depending on what movement meditation you are doing and if you want to go into a more still, relaxed meditation, movement meditation could be the prerequisite or the foundation to going into a deeper level of meditation. so you could start off with movement meditation, which is more active, and then maybe using music as a meditation as there are various forms of music that can take you into different states and then finally this could lead into the transcendence meditation, which is just you and your being.

So you could do mindful meditation, which helps you be more present, and bring your thoughts into this moment, and into what’s actually happening in your body and life, or you could use meditation for concentration to help you feel less distracted, you could use guided meditation to help assist you in your meditation, as well as using observation meditation to take you outside of yourself and concentrate and observe your thoughts and feelings in that way.

Movement meditation, overall is a great start to lead you onto any other meditation, depending on what you need, but just using movement meditation is enough to help you

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How the arts make a positive impact in our lives

My creativity didn’t start until my early 20s, the art that really made a significant impact in my life which is Music.

My mum had a stack of records which I would play for hours on end, and also then we had the cassette tapes which broke every two minutes, but you had the patience to put it back together because you couldn’t live without Music.

Music gave breath and substance to life, it told stories, processed emotions, and painted pictures, entertained and gave hope and deeper understanding about human relationships. Furthermore, when we started going to clubs as a teenager, I really saw how powerful Music was.

If you think about it, music brings communities, and people together, other than the other arts, such as drama, but Music is monumental, not saying it’s more important. It’s just more contagious and prevalent in our every day lives compared to the other arts. Luckily, I was fortunate to meet very musical people and run a Music publishing business for 10 years before I got into health and well-being as a career.

But in this blog I wanted to explain how music helped me create. I built my own Studio and Music was the foundation and sole significant reason why my healing was easier to go through as a young person.

I was going through a lot mentally and emotionally at that time, and Music was not only my way out. It was my way in. It did so much more than I can explain, and anyone that is moved by the arts, will understand this,

So from saying that, now I have established Soundwell which is a music and wellness platform, which is online that helps people to tap into their creative side, even if they have no previous experience. It’s not just for those that want to use music to aid wellbeing , but for those that just want to have fun, cause that’s what music is as well. It’s pleasing to hear it’s entertaining it’s exciting it’s moving it brings people together, but most of all it’s supportive and loving its courage. It brings wisdom, peace and happiness. It does so much things.

Another reason is that if you haven’t tapped into the creative side, music is one way where you can start, but if you feel the other arts are interesting please do explore and try. Even if it’s for once a week, once you get into the zone its the best feeling ever.