6 Great Reasons to Pursue an Artistic Hobby
Do you enjoy creating art? Artistic hobbies offer many benefits for people of all ages. Whether or not you consider yourself a good artist doesn’t matter. Creating art comes with all kinds of therapeutic advantages that can help you relieve stress, practice mindfulness, increase your attention span, and promote a sense of confidence. In this article, Tina’s Fine Arts explores all of the wonderful ways art can promote good mental health!
Art Facilitates Healing
Many people who have struggled with their mental health have found relief in art. Artistic expression is a powerful tool for facilitating healing after a struggle with mental health. According to GeneSight, art therapy has been found to help people understand and cope with depression. Being creative can lift your mood when you’re in a slump, counteract the effects of stress, and allow you to explore your feelings in a healthy way.
Of course, creating art is no match for professional therapy. Don’t hesitate to talk to a therapist if you’re struggling with your mental health. A therapist will help you work through your emotions, including those that come out during your artistic practice. For those who are looking for affordable therapy that fits a busy schedule, counseling is also available online! All that’s required is a computer, smartphone, or tablet to connect with a therapist who specializes in your needs — all from the comfort of your home.
Art Encourages Mindfulness
The concept of mindfulness dates back thousands of years, but it’s quickly becoming a modern solution to countless mental health challenges. Mindfulness involves a focus on present awareness. When you are mindful, you’re aware of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations and able to reflect on these in a non-judgmental way. In fact, Verywell Mind reports that mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) can improve psychological stability, increase emotional awareness, improve attention span, and change brain patterns towards calmness and creativity.
Art Provides a Sense of Accomplishment
It always feels good to learn a new skill or finish a project. After spending a long time working away at a piece of art, completing it offers a feeling of accomplishment and pride. This has a direct impact on our sense of confidence and self-esteem. Art can help children, in particular, build a positive self-image and develop critical skills in self-reflection.
Art Nurtures Your Imagination
Art can have a strong influence on our imagination. We all feel like we’ve lost some of the imagination we had as kids, but art can help you recapture that sense of wonder. Creating art forces you to pull ideas from nothing and bring them to life in front of you, whether you find inspiration in a beautiful landscape or a gritty back alley. Art requires you to open your imagination to new ideas!
Art Creates a Sense of Belonging
It’s a natural human experience to feel a need to belong. If you’re looking for a sense of belonging, art might be your answer. The shared experience of creating art can help you feel connected to other artists all over the world! Whether you enjoy making art or simply appreciate it, pursuing an artistic hobby is a great way to meet new people and broaden your perspective.
Art is a Great Side Gig
For those of you who cannot pick up a new hobby without looking for ways to monetize it, here’s some good news. You can turn any form of art into a side business. You could sell paintings or sculptures, design greeting cards, or curate antiques. You could work as a tattoo artist, photographer, or graphic designer. You could even teach art to others! Regardless of what artistic styles or art forms capture your interest, you can have a lot of fun exploring the potential for art to become a profitable passion project.
If you’re looking for a new hobby, consider trying an artistic endeavor. Get creative and explore different art forms. And if you have kids, encourage them to join you! Exercising your creativity and creating art is a fantastic way to engage and soothe your mind when you need a refresh.
Guest post courtesy of Virginia Cooper at https://learnaliving.co/
Photo Reference: Daian Gan on Pexels
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Wishing you all the best,
Tina Adams Stoffel
