 |
| Image from Surrealistic Reality |
This image popped up on a social media feed today and I was reminded of how we can use the arts for self-regulation. The arts can encompass a wide range of activities - drawing, sketching, painting, sculpture, music, fabric arts, writing, singing, composing music even culinary arts.
For some people, it is restorative to create art while others are restored by listening to music, reading poetry, or viewing art.
One stumbling block for me was the idea that art had to produce something and the something I produced had to be 'good.' Instead of reducing stress, this mindset made art more stressful for me. As a kindergarten teacher, I was a firm believer in the importance of process over product. It was all about allowing students to explore different media and being expressive. So why wasn't I able to grant myself the same permission to focus on exploration instead of focusing on the final product?
There are a number of very creative, artistic people in my family who create beautiful art that they can display in their home or give as a gift. I had to stop comparing my artistic efforts to theirs, and turn off the voice in my head that said, "You're not good at art." Gradually I began to enjoy the process again. Now I like doodling in my bullet journal, putzing about with paint, writing poetry, and other creative endeavours for their own sake and not as a means to an end. Drawing, painting, and writing are tools I have added to my self-regulation toolbox.
Do you use the arts as a stress reducing strategy?
What arts do you like to use to reduce stress?
Do you enjoy the process and/or the product?
Some great responses to this post on the Self-Reg Parenting Facebook Group page:
ReplyDeleteAlisa Sivak It’s writing for me. The process. But I don’t do it enough - on a personal level, anyway. 😕
1
Tiff Goulet I enjoy journaling, and writing and sewing. I usually try to focus on the process and less on the product. I love going back and reading stuff especially when it is written out of expression.
However with sewing, I know I have an end goal- so there is a product in mind...but never follow a pattern. So it's kind of a creative, exploratory process.
Margret Sammom Awww, I see this different since Art (Arthur) is my daddys name.
😜
Former Architectural renderer its been years since Ive opened the door to releasing art. Ive pulled in to utilitarian forms (painting rooms, decorating , landscaping (aka yard work) and cooking.
Lisa Cranston I was in the same situation. Life was so busy with work and kids, and somehow the joy and stress relief I find with art (not your dad!) isn't the same when I'm painting a room. I do find cooking can be stress relieving if I have time to enjoy it rather than rushing to get a meal together. It wasn't until my kids were older and life had settled down a bit that I started writing, doodling and playing with art. Often it requires a chunk of uninterrupted time that I didn't have back then.
Kimberley Handley My son loves to paint figures. We do it every night as a family before bed. There’s so many great LOTR, War Hammer, and other figures guys can paint and still feel masculine.
Carolyn McCann Sewing, crocheting, carpentry, calligraphy.
I enjoyed this very much. I do also use art and I also taught, though in a preschool setting. My daughter and I both use art to relieve stress. In the summer we hike with a lunch and paints (her sometimes her sketch book) and then fine a quiet beautiful place ot have lunch and spend a few hours painting and drawing. It does wonders for the spirit. She loved it even as a preschooler. ~Lisa from lunaelan.com
ReplyDeleteArt is definitely a saviour and a friend. Drawing completely relaxes me! Really, any form of being creative relaxes me, whether I'm being craft or I'm writing a novel...it takes me away from reality for a while.
ReplyDelete(www.authormw.com)