The Mental Health Benefits of Creativity (Even if You’re ‘Not Artistic’)

When many of us hear the word creativity, we picture someone painting a landscape, writing a novel, or playing an instrument. But creativity is not just about being “artistic,” it’s about expressing, exploring, and engaging with the world in ways that feel meaningful to us.

In times of stress, uncertainty, or emotional heaviness, creative expression can offer a powerful outlet. You don’t need to be good at it. You just need to show up.

How Creativity Supports Mental Health

Research has shown that engaging in creative activities can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety

• Support emotional regulation

• Enhance problem-solving and perspective-taking

• Help process difficult emotions and trauma

• Foster a sense of identity, purpose, and self-worth

Even short moments of creativity can activate different parts of the brain and support nervous system regulation.

You Don't Need to Be "Talented"

You don’t need fancy supplies or training. Creativity can look like:

• Journaling your thoughts or dreams

• Cooking a new recipe and plating it with care

• Sewing, knitting, or crafting

• Dancing to your favorite song while doing dishes

• Taking photos of small moments on a walk

• Making playlists that match your mood

• Rearranging your space in a new way

• Gardening or arranging flowers

• Playing with poetry or silly rhymes

The goal isn’t to impress others, it’s to connect with yourself.

Creativity as Emotional Processing

When feelings are hard to name, creative expression can help make the invisible more visible. Sometimes our bodies know what we’re feeling before our minds do. Art, movement, and sound can offer gentle ways to release what’s stuck, especially when words are hard to find.

For example, you might:

• Doodle what anxiety feels like in your body

• Create a collage of images that bring you peace

• Scribble or paint with colors that match your mood

• Write a letter to a younger version of yourself

These acts don’t need to be shared or polished. The process is the point.

Getting Started: A Gentle Invitation

If you’re feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or flat—ask yourself:

• What creative activity did I enjoy as a kid?

• What am I curious to try, even if I feel unsure?

• What might it feel like to play, just for me?

Try setting a timer for 10 minutes and giving yourself full permission to explore—no judgment, no pressure.

Final Thought: Creativity is one of the oldest and most human ways of healing. You don’t need to wait until you feel better to begin. Sometimes, the beginning is what helps us feel better.