The Role of Self-care in Creative Expression: Nurturing Your Artistic Side
We know that self-care is essential to anyone, of any profession or industry. Here, we’re going to talk about how it's especially important for creatives, whether you’re a part of a creative field or simply just enjoy tapping into your artistic side.
First and foremost, without self-care, which in this context means time for yourself, art would hardly be created. Art, in whatever form, stems from real-life experiences, which for the most part occurs when you take time for yourself. People can only handle so many songs about work (although Work From Home by Fifth Harmony and Work by Rihanna are still bangers). In Miley Cyrus’ new “Backyard Sessions” special for her new single Used To Be Young, she talks about how she needs to live real life for herself in order to create storytelling music, which touring can often inhibit. The same thing can be said for anyone, no matter what specifics.
Furthermore, self-care provides methods to reduce stress and anxiety. Although sometimes the best art is a result of anxiety (we are not endorsing, just observing), it’s crucial for your own well-being to build contentment in your life and subsequently creative expression. My form of creative expression is often in writing. I have an Instagram account specifically for it, writing quite ridiculous stories for French Bulldogs I pass by on the streets (if you dig deep enough you can find it). However, I’m not always in the mood to do it, even if my French Bulldog photo album builds up like an overfilled hamper. If I’m stressed, overwhelmed, and busy, more than likely I’m not going to post on the account, even though it makes me feel happy, proud, and productive. Thus, my account thrives when I give myself time to relax and practice self-care to mitigate my stress.
In addition, self-care builds self-confidence (crazy, right?). Caring for yourself can help boost your self-esteem mentally and physically. When you feel more confident, you may be more open to artistically expressing yourself freely and publicly. When you don’t practice self-care, if your confidence is low, you’re more likely to hide your creative expression. Imagine if your favorite singer felt too embarrassed to release their music because of their low self-esteem, you would never know how much you’d be missing out on– I am thankful everyday that I live in a world where Fine Line by Harry Styles exists.
It’s also important to remember that self-care helps restore energy. Even if you’re mentally wanting to create, without the energy for it it’s not going to happen. Taking time for yourself and your wellness is like your personal phone charger. Without it, work and other responsibilities would drain us out of all battery life, with no healthy energy to do anything else really. It’s important to create boundaries and compartments for different aspects of your life and allow yourself time for self-care and creative expression. Another creative outlet I’ve had is decorating my new room. Although I have responsibilities to perform, I don’t allow it to take away time from working on it (it’s looking quite good as well). After writing this, I’ll be listening to music and hanging up all my posters!
Again, self-care is the key to enhancing creative and artistic expression. Without it, I bet a lot of art would be extremely dull (again, I’m not talking about you Work From Home). At the Berry Collective, we prioritize all the important facets of a person’s life, especially self-care and creativity!
-Lila
