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Expressing yourself creatively

10 months ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Bump!

Expressing yourself creatively can be very therapeutic. What do you need to express? How you you like to express it creatively?

Ashley

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1022

Ah... creating is a large part of who I am. I've written much about that and how I get stuck, afraid, unproductive when depressed.

One thing that has helped remove some of the barriers is acknowledging that as an introvert... I really am not comfortable going public with my art. For now, honoring that fact, has taken the pressure off and I find it much easier to go forth and create in many different ways. Even even the darkness of depression, I set a minimum of 10 min a day to make something... even if it's just a major mess.

Just remembering about doing coming before motivation has really helped get me going. I can be unhappy with what I create, but I can't destroy it. I also have to get back up the next day to try again. Sometimes the mess looks better the next day or maybe not, but that's ok.

I guess I really am doing better in this area. I'm not me if I'm not making something.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Hi Pete,

Thank you for your honesty. As you know, it all depends on what lens you are looking through. How can you challenge this thinking? Recording your thoughts can be helpful stick to the site's tracking sheets and when you see congnitive distortions popping up challenge them.

Reread your post. What is one negative thoughts you can challenge in it?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 223

You're bang on there, Ashley. If I have any creative outlets, they are writing and making music (mainly guitar playing and songwriting), but when I'm depressed it is so hard to find the energy and motivation to do these things. I become acutely aware of any shortcomings in what I create and become discouraged and even more depressed. And bored. Sit staring at my guitar but can't be bothered to plug it in and play. I do keep a daily journal but that degenerates so easily into repetitive self-pitying rambling. Much like this post!

I'll be bigheaded here and admit that people have praised my writing and urged me to pursue publication, but I just don't really believe them and the praise itself becomes a source of stress, an expectation, a standard to live up to that robs the writing experience of its lightness and spontaniety. So I run a mile from the possibility of success and recognition.

It seems that even pleasant and relaxing activities can easily become just another knife to twist in myself.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Hi TB,

Often when depressed we don't have the motivation to do activities we once enjoyed. One of the important parts of this program is to continue to do pleasant activities despite the lack of motivation. Recording how you feel before and activity can help. Perhaps a little drawing is in order today?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2

i draw to be creative but i find when i feel down im less likely to pick up my pencil

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Hi Vincenza,

Thank you for your feedback. I think one possible way to deal with the obsessive part of yoga is to keep the daily practice resting 1 or 2 days a week while limiting the time with the study of yoga for 1 day a week.

Setting the goal is the first part. The difficulty arises while controling the impulses...

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1853

Hi eleveno,

Thanks for sharing what brings you peace. Yoga is a healthy way of expressing yourself. However, you make a good point in addressing that even a healthy habit or routine may cause more harm if it becomes an obsession/addiction. How can you incorporate yoga into your daily routine without it affecting other activities of your daily life (without it becoming an obsession)?

Vincenza, Health Educator

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Hi Ashley,

Good post. I express myself with yoga. There are several schools of yoga and I am following one in particular: ashtanga yoga. There isn't one school better than the other (I think this is similar to therapy), but different schools adapt better according to one's personality.

Anyway, there is a lot to learn in this school, and especially because I am learning it by myself mostly (the near teacher is 3 hours away from train or car). Because I enjoy so much this type of yoga I do it most days and even got obsessed about it. Actually I have a tendency to get obsessed and impulsive about things and thought about quitting yoga altogether because it became an addiction.

But then I thought that if I quit ashtanga yoga then I would get obsessed about other thing, and at least when practicing yoga I am in a healthy habit. The problem arrives with the time spending with the yoga study which is clearly too much. I decided to keep practicing yoga while at the same time learning to control the impulsive behavior (the study of the practice).

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Depression is often isolating and talking to a therapist or friend about how we feel can be difficult. For this reason, many have sought alternative ways to expressing themselves. Some have found solace in personal journals or distractions such as music or books. Others, have found peace by expressing themselves creatively by…

•   Sketching or Drawing
•   Watercolors or Painting
•   Composing a song
•   Participating in a play or theatre troupe
•   Drawing cartoons or animations on the computer
•   Writing poetry, short stories or scripts

How would you like to express yourself creatively or how are you already doing it?

Here to help :)

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