Be creative, be well

“HOW ARE you doing today?”

It seems that since the pandemic, this simple question has morphed into an interrogation into mental health and quality of life.

Common wisdom says that a healthy sense of well-being develops when we help others, focus on self-care and find our purpose.

But what if we do not even know how to achieve a more mindful approach to living? In light of an increase in the challenges we face, I thought I would share some creative ways to discover more peace.

This week was another busy and stressful one. We felt helpless as details emerged about the horrifying life of the children in Valsayn. We celebrated Aché Abrahams, Miss World Caribbean, even as we debated again the relevance of the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam. The UN commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day reminded us to be inclusive. And, as European countries retained their top ranking for happiness, the data told the story that in the Caribbean, the older we get, the less happy we are.

As we age, self-care and a peaceful mental state become more important. TT and the Caribbean are no different to the rest of the world where the elderly feel increasingly isolated and that their usefulness to society has diminished. These feelings grow in intensity as their peers or significant others become ill or transition.

For the generations born in the 1940s and 50s, while they may be comfortable with mobile phones and other devices, they do not socialise with technology in the way that other generations do. For them, personal contact remains paramount.

This year, the World Happiness Report focused on feelings of happiness across different age groups. It was found that while both men and women experience negative thoughts, women “have more frequent negative emotions at all ages.”

I have seen how creative activities help reduce the impact of illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I must admit I was surprised to read that there is a growing body of research indicating that creative activities can positively affect Alzheimer’s. I think that for me this was an illness that was too big, too impossible. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia – the inability to think, remember or reason to the extent that daily life is affected. Dementia is caused by changes or damage to the brain, but, importantly, this is not considered to be a natural factor of ageing. While it is not always possible to stop intellectual decline, there are certain conditions which can be treated, ultimately slowing any deterioration in the brain. These include depression, vitamin deficiency or excessive use of alcohol.

So it makes sense that creativity and an enhanced sense of well-being are connected. In fact, this year the report on global happiness noted that “increasing well-being may be a promising non-pharmacological (non-drug) approach to dementia prevention.”

However, I think even before you begin to explore your creative side, you should work on mindful thinking. This is essentially training yourself to be less judgmental in your thoughts, being present as much as possible in your experiences – so not thinking about what happened or what you have to do – and remembering to breathe deeply.

When we are stressed, our breathing tends to become shallow; we sometimes even hold our breath. This restricts oxygen to the brain and may cause some of the damage mentioned earlier. Yoga and other forms of exercise are excellent for helping us to breathe better, lower blood pressure and calm our minds.

Other forms of creativity that you can do on your own include using recycled and other types of materials to make fashion items or practical pieces for your home. You can dance, listen to music or learn to play an instrument. Music therapists maintain that music “can calm neural activity in the brain.” Creative activities may therefore help to reduce anxiety levels as well.

If you have always wanted to be involved in the arts, volunteer with a creative organisation. Most cultural groups are underfunded and would welcome support for their community outreach.

In Finland and other countries that rank high on quality-of-life scales, there are systems and facilities to support work-life balance, family life and career fulfilment. We are some distance away from this reality, but it does not mean you should not take control of your own happiness.

For a better life, be creative. And always, be well.

Dara E Healy is a performance artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN