{"id":58456,"date":"2018-07-08T19:19:35","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T03:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=58456"},"modified":"2018-07-10T18:11:30","modified_gmt":"2018-07-11T02:11:30","slug":"4-ways-to-clear-your-mind-through-creativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/4-ways-to-clear-your-mind-through-creativity\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways to Clear your Mind through Creativity"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Meditation and yoga are great ways to relax and clear your mind, but sometimes you want to try something new and flex some different mental muscles. Here are 4 ways to clear your mind while getting creative at the same time:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Paint<\/span><\/h2>\n

I have absolutely no artistic talent, but I still find painting to be really relaxing. There\u2019s just something about spreading paint on a canvas that forces you to slow down. A similar feeling can probably come from drawing or sketching, but I think there\u2019s something about paint and it\u2019s semi-permanence. Once it\u2019s there, it\u2019s there. You can cover it up later, but there\u2019s no erase or undo button. Learning to literally let go of your mistakes in that way is oddly liberating. It\u2019s not about creating something beautiful, it\u2019s about the <\/span>process<\/span><\/a> of creating it. <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Journal<\/span><\/h2>\n

I originally picked up journaling<\/a> when I was 15 and having issues with depression. My number one symptom was spiraling, repetitive thoughts that wouldn\u2019t let me think about anything else. Not bad thoughts, necessarily, just thoughts about life and the universe that kept bouncing around in my head. I started a journal as a way to get those thoughts out of my head and onto paper so I could think about something else, and it really helped. Some people\u2019s diaries are in-depth chronicles of their daily lives, but I try to keep my journal less rigid. I try to just write about whatever I\u2019ve been thinking about lately, with a healthy dose of pasted-in ticket stubs, sketches, and lists. My suggestion to journaling newbies is to be authentic. Don\u2019t worry about how things sound or if what you\u2019re writing about is interesting. Just tell your truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Play an instrument<\/span><\/h2>\n

I play guitar, but whatever you like to noodle around with is great. The guitar is great because it can be soft and soothing or loud and cathartic, so no matter how you\u2019re feeling you get it out. There\u2019s something really calming about looking up the <\/span>tabs or chords<\/span><\/a> to a new song and slowly working my way up to playing it all the way through. Sometimes I\u2019ll write my own songs, or I\u2019ll just find a chord progression I like and play it on repeat. When I\u2019m done with a practice session, I get the same feeling as when I\u2019m finished with a meditation session; calm, clear, with everything a little bit brighter. Except maybe my fingers might hurt a little bit!<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Dance<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cDance like nobody\u2019s watching\u201d is one of those things that people say, but nobody ever does. Mostly because dancing tends to be a social activity and it\u2019s almost impossible to pretend that nobody\u2019s watching when there are people watching. I don\u2019t dance like nobody\u2019s watching. I dance <\/span>when <\/span><\/i>nobody\u2019s watching, which is entirely different. For non-dancers and the terminally self-conscious and un-graceful like myself, dancing alone is a really strange exercise in physical liberation. You don\u2019t realize how much of the time we humans spend trying to be as normal as possible until you actually try to be weird. I\u2019m not generally used to moving my hips, for instance. I don\u2019t really have hips, I have love handles that I usually do everything possible to <\/span>not <\/span><\/i>move. But dancing, wiggling, and moving muscles that I don\u2019t usually move at all is a strangely difficult process. It takes a lot of focus to clear your mind of all of your subconscious self-correcting. Don’t think about how goofy you look, just do it!<\/span><\/p>\n

These methods aren’t going to work for everybody, but I’m always happiest when I feel like I’ve been productive. Undertaking a creative activity, like writing or playing music, makes me feel accomplished and also relaxed. Next time you feel like you need to let go and clear your mind, give one of these activities a try!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meditation and yoga are great ways to relax and clear your mind, but sometimes you want to try something new and flex some different mental muscles. Here are 4 ways to clear your mind while getting creative at the same … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13283,"featured_media":58458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[45,33,6],"tags":[3903,4584,4650,4642,4654,4864,4629],"yoast_head":"\n4 Ways to Clear your Mind through Creativity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"4 ways to clear your mind while flexing your creative muscles! 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