The Role Of Creativity In Healing
@rebecca_leigh_photography
"Creativity is intelligence having fun." — Albert Einstein
We are all creators. Even if you've never picked up a paintbrush, played an instrument, or busted a move, every decision you have ever made has led you to design the life you are living. We are all a unique expression of our perspective on the world.
I believe that everything is energy and motion, e-motion. It’s all about how we want to feel. There is always duality in emotion; love and anger, hope and despair, joy and sadness—oftentimes, we find they are two sides of the same coin. A powerful lesson I'm grateful I discovered was that my creativity was often misunderstood as anxiety. Creativity can sometimes manifest as a flurry of thoughts, ideas, and impulses that feel overwhelming, leading us to interpret this intense energy as anxiety. This confusion arises because both creativity and anxiety can produce similar physical sensations, such as restlessness or racing thoughts. Have you noticed how most recommendations to treat anxiety are ways to channel that energy? Get out of your head and into your body or just get out of your head and into your heart.
Some of the hardest times for my mental health were when I lost my sense of direction. After completing a goal, season, or project, I would feel intense panic and worry about what to do next. Initially, this was about survival—I had to keep moving to ensure my safety. Once I found that security, it became about choice. Coming from a creative background, I was given the freedom to experiment. I have tried to create many things over the years—some successful, some not so much. Yet, during those in-between times, I could never just relax and wait for the next opportunity. It felt like I was constantly chasing something, but I would get a break once I took solace in creation.
"The act of creation is not a privilege of the few, but a birthright of every human being." — Unknown
I’ve always been ambitious, though I’m not entirely sure what for. Even if it’s as simple as making up a little dance or putting pen to paper, suddenly the world makes sense to me, and I make sense in the world. My own wild, vulnerable, passionate, sensitive, authentic expression as a performer and in everyday life also becomes a permission slip for others to embody their own divinity, making me aware that I am part of a larger ecosystem. Through self-discovery work, I found that my dharma aligns with the ‘Nurturer’ archetype. This realization led me down a new path of femininity. It highlighted the importance of creation, especially for women—who generally tend to be more anxious and in their heads. Without women, none of us would be here today, or ever; we carry a sacred energy to tend to life. I can't speak from a man's perspective, but I know for myself and for most women; if we don't have direction for our ambition, it'll manifest as anxiety, and probably drive us crazy.
Even women who do not want children often find themselves directing that same energy into other interests—loving pets, designing spaces, nurturing relationships, or starting businesses. So write your poems, create art, love your babies, invest in yourself, wear the clothes that make you feel groovy, and start that project you've been procrastinating. Follow your excitement and see how you feel. Even if it doesn’t make sense to you now, doesn’t it feel so right!?
Sending love,
Dani x
