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FRESH PERSPECTIVES
CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND RESILIENCE BY NICOLETTE WILSON-CLARKE PSYCHOTHERAPIST, COACH TO CREATIVES, AND FOUNDER OF THE CREATIVE GENIUS WWW.THECREATIVEGENIUS.CO.UK CREATIVEGENIUSCOACH Nicolette Wilson-Clarke © Irma Arrowsmith
As we open our doors again and, for some of us, our hearts, how can we gracefully step back from COVID-19, return to work and adapt to a new way of being? These questions are based on the inner resource of resilience which in psychology is the ability to bounce back from adversity and positively adapt to change. In positive psychology there are 24 character traits and creativity is one of them. When we participate in creative activities we encourage positive emotions and produce alpha waves in the brain associated with relaxation and mindfulness. The result is our ability to be open to new ideas, try new things and look at experiences from different perspectives. When we creatively express through dance, art, writing or music we tap into a part of ourselves that can cultivate a positive attitude, emotionally regulate, develop a growth mindset that sees failures as learning opportunities and cultivate feelings of optimism. This optimism has been shown in research to reduce the impact of stress on the mind and body during a crisis. So even when our body is going
into fight or flight mode, it is possible to move away from what’s obvious and re-imagine our surroundings with powerful “aha” moments. Developing a creative mindset can be as simple as creatively expressing through movement or as challenging as experimenting, failing and then reflecting. Other supportive practices can be combining random ideas to make connections, asking questions, eating well, getting enough sleep, following morals, living by values and remembering to focus on what can be controlled. As we exit the pandemic, let us remember that creative expression is a part of who we are as humans. For us to adapt, grow and bounce back we will need to nurture and nourish our creative side in the same way that we are encouraged to honour our emotional self. By doing so, we can learn to better tackle future problems, adapt to change and manage new experiences with greater insight. How will you build your daily resilience through your birthright of creative expression?
