Three artful self-care exercises to get your creativity flowing
Three artful self care exercises to get your creativity flowingÂ
The Three artful self care exercises.
What comes to mind when you hear the term self-care?
Some find solace in long yoga classes or bubble baths, while others prefer a quick face wash or the simple act of brushing their teeth each morning. For me, self-care means embracing paints, pens, paper, and palettes. It’s about embracing messy hands and a heart full of dreams. Living a creative life and engaging in various forms of creative expression is my ultimate form of self-care.
Engaging in creative expression time and time again relaxes my spirit and reunites me with my authentic voice. It leads me on a journey to discover the beauty and sacredness within myself. Creative expression is a powerful practice that guides us to connect with our true essence.
If bubble baths and face masks don’t resonate with you or if you’re looking to expand and explore your self-care rituals, here are some of my favorite artsy self-care exercises to inspire and nurture your creative soul.
1. Create a Personal Mandala:
Keep it simple. Grab some nearby paper and something to make a mark with. Draw a circle. Take a moment to relax your shoulders and release your jaw. Fill in the circle in whatever way feels good. Words may want to fill the space or it might be images. Take a moment to breathe as you make your marks within the sacred circle. Your creative soul is always waiting for an opportunity to be heard.
Give the words and/or images a moment and permission to arrive then start making your marks. Consider how creating the simple circle as a framework on the page allows for this part of you to emerge.
Consider how offering yourself a simple framework in other aspects of life might allow the same to occur. If you want a deeper dive into personal mandalas check out my book Creating Personal Mandalas.
2. Mixed Media Mail:
Write a letter that you would never send on a canvas or panel. I like to use oil pastels or water soluble crayons. Write things that are hard to say but still need to be acknowledged. Smear the words, erase the words, alter the words. Paint over the words using only your fingers, let it be a tactile experience. The bigger the piece you work on the better, let the whole body get involved. Write and paint, layer and alter. Notice how the feelings in the original letter might wane or intensify. Keep with it and marvel at how your painting changes and notice how the stories you tell yourself about situations or things can evolve through this process.
3. From Observation to Abstraction:
Sit, observe, and document. Choose something physical in your surroundings and really tune in. Capture it through drawing; whether it’s a salt shaker or a cup you’re sipping from. Note its height, color, and texture. Then, simplify your representation. What’s most important to you? What story does it tell? Focus on a single detail that resonates with you, letting the rest fade away. Apply this practice to other aspects of life too, appreciating what you notice and realizing the less appealing becomes less significant.
Creative expression in any form is a powerful form of self-care. It relaxes our spirits and reunites us with our authentic voice allowing us to find the beautiful and sacred within.
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Sebastian D’souza is a leading expert in home and kitchen appliances, dedicated to transforming everyday living with high-quality, stylish, and innovative solutions. As the founder of De Studio Home, our passion for design and functionality, sustainability drives us to curate the best products for modern homes. Our commitment to excellence ensures that every customer enjoys a perfect balance of practicality and elegance in their living spaces.