Heal in Grief Using 41 Activities
Everyone will experience a loss in some form. Whether a job loss, life change, death of someone or something you care about. And following a loss most often comes grief. In these difficult times it is important to take care of yourself. One such way is using creativity. Here are 41 creative activities to help heal in grief.
How Creativity Helps When Coping With Grief
Many studies show that creativity has lots of benefits for our overall health and wellness. Creativity helps to enhance mood and improve mental wellness. In addition is helps to boost brain health. And creativity is a healthy way to quell anxiety and depression.
Creative Activity Helps to Process Emotions
Many art activities are so helpful they are often used in place of talk therapy. This type of therapy helps adults and children in difficult times. It help to express their feelings without having to replay all of their past issues. And it activates both sides of the brain which can helps to process feelings and emotions in a healthier way.
One of the key reasons for this is that when we are creative, the brain releases dopamine, which is the body’s natural anti-depressant. Getting lost in a creative project often gives a natural high, and so can help elevate mood and positive feelings.
The newest trend of adult coloring books to alleviate stress is a good example of how creativity boosts wellbeing.
41 Creative Activities Ideas To Heal When Moving Through Grief
To help you begin here are 41 ways to creative activities to heal in grief:
1. Learn to Bake or Cook
Cooking is a very creative process. It can help you to relax if suffer with stress or anxiety. You can take a class or get a recipe book or pull recipes from the web and get cooking!
2. Take A Creative Dance Class
Dancing is great physical exercise, so on top of the creative benefits you get a great workout too. If you are not into formal dancing then try creative dancing to get out of your head and back into the present.
3. Journaling
Journaling has lots if benefits especially in times of grief. If you struggle to express your feelings then writing a journal is one of the recommended creative activities to heal in grief.
4. Doodle Apps
Get doodling. Use a blank notepad of paper or try one these cool apps You Doodle or Doodle buddy to get your creative juices flowing.
5. Sing
Sing your favorite tunes on the way to work or in the shower. First, singing releases tension and stress. Learning lyrics improves brain function, Of course, the creative act of singing gives you all the benefits of creativity listed above.
5. Learn to Write
Writing is self-expression at its best, it greatly taps into your creative side and you don’t have to worry about anyone’s judgements since you can choose to keep it private and just for yourself.
Write, Poetry, a fairytale about you, rite anything you want. Just write.
6. Take A Drama Class
Acting is a great way to tap into your creative side. You can also get involved in your local theater.
7. Chalk Play
Get a box of colored chalk and go to town on your outdoor cement areas, the kids will show you how!
8. Visit Museums
Bring a sketchbook with you and recreate the art you see.
9. Create A Collage
Get a bunch of magazines or print pictures from the Internet and make collages – “My favorite things” “What I want to accomplish” This is me in 10 years, 5 years…” “Who Am I?” “My favorite people,” My best day.” The possibilities are endless.
10. Photography
You don’t have to spend thousands on cameras, just use your smartphone and start taking pictures of whatever you want. Take a different route home and take photographs of the new things you see along the way.
11. Recycle Sculpture
Collect some stuff from the recycle bin and create a sculpture from them.
12. Find Interest Near Home
Research interesting things near your home, go see them. Take pictures or draw them on a sketch pad.
13. Create Affirmation Cards
Get some blank index cards. Write your personal positive affirmations on them, and then color and decorate as you wish. You can use color pencils, crayons, markers, stickers…go the craft store and you will find all kinds of ideas.
14. Get Inspiration from the Craft Store
Get inspired at the craft store, tons of stuff there
15. Restore An Old Car
If you don’t have an old car, then you can join a local car hobbyist club and offer your time to participate in restoring a vintage car.
16. Upcycle Old Furniture
Using chalk pain you add refinish some old furniture and give it a new look. Add new handles or a design and give it your own look.
17. Learn a New Craft
There is an endless list of crafts you can take up.
- Ceramics
- Woodworking – build a chicken coup, make end tables or learn to carve small items.
- Sewing
- Knitting
- Scrapbooking
18. Draw
Grab a few pencils or pastel colors and doodle. Draw whatever comes to mind. Sketch something in the garden, draw an apple, or color your emotions on paper. Drawing is a good way to express grief and loss on paper.
19. Create Your Own Quotes
Dream up quotes that are personal to you. Think of your life mottos, your perfect day, your emotions, your relationships…etc.
20. Design Your Own Cards
Send them to friends and family as a way to say thanks for their support in your time of grief.
21. Paint
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Paint a rainbow, express your day in color or learn to paint by numbers.
22. Make Occasion Cards
Making your own greeting cards gives you the chance to put lots if creativity like stamping, calligraphy and designing in one place. Handmade greeting cards make thoughtful gift ideas, too. Create your own thank you cards, or anyone one when a uique occasions arise.
23. Learn to Crochet
Crocheting everything from blankets to beanie hats and ornaments is a creative and rewarding way to spend some free time. This is an ideal activity to keep you busy and if you want extra income consider selling your items at craft fairs or websites such as Etsy.
24. Take a Pottery Class
Pottery is commonly explained as a creative way to calm your mind while creating things that can bring you satisfaction when completed.
25. Calligraphy
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The art of calligraphy is to draw beautiful words using artistic pen strokes. All you need to get started is some calligraphy pens, paper, and a little bit of instruction.
26. Start a Blog
Create a blog about your experience that may be able to help others. Ways you used to cope with grief, loss and what helps. Maybe a blog about you. It can be published or you can keep it as a personal blog.
27. Needle Felting
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Needle felting crafts allows you to shape wool into a unique form. You can create stuffed animal figures using this creative technique.
28. Quilting
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The art of quilting is a popular hobby. To quilt, you will sew layers of fabric that make beautiful patterns to create blankets. You can use new fabric or tie in pieces of clothing that is a memory to who or what has meaning for you.
Today’s quilters may practice their art by hand, or they may quilt using a machine. Either way, the finished blankets are works of love.
29. Paper Quilling
30. Flower Pressing
If you enjoy flowers you can press and preserve them in a book, or include them in an arrangement.
31. Garden
32. Create Comic Strips
33. Re-decorate a Room in your home
34. Adult Coloring Books
35. Solve Puzzles
Available in all stages and sizes puzzles are a creative means to destress an overly busy mind.
36. Rug Hooking
37. Redesign Your Landscape
38. Learn an Instrument
39. Candle-making
Do you love the look and smell of a burning candle? You can learn to make them with candle making kits, using high-quality ingredients, can be a relaxing and creative hobby.
40. Learn a New Language
41. Make Homemade Ornaments
Endless possibilities… There are plenty of other creative activities you can partake in, the sky’s the limit, the most important thing is you find those you enjoy!
15 Ways Creativity Helps Your Wellbeing
The theory of cognition suggests that creativity is a basis for human life. Making creativity part of your wellness plan will yield you many benefits, and these are fun activities to boot.
Give a Sense of Joy
Flow is the state of being completely absorbed in an activity. This commonly occurs when you are doing creative projects, where you lose track of self and time. This state helps bring a sense of joy. Which in turn, will promote mind and emotional wellness and reduce stress.
Better Mental Health and Reduce Depression
Like meditation, creative activities help calm and focus the mind. In doing so, reductions in anxiety, stress and depression are often the result. Once again, that release of dopamine acts as a natural antidepressant.
Not to mention the mere enjoyment and gratification of engaging in creative activities that you enjoy help to improve your mood, and gives feelings of comfort, and joy, all of which is critical for improved life quality, wellbeing and sound mental and emotional health.
Improve Brain Health
Science has discovered that those who play musical instruments have improved connectivity between their left and right brains, and this helps improve cognitive function. Moreover, the brain features high levels of plasticity, this means the more you use it, the more it grows and develops. Learning is very good for your mind and involving yourself in creative acts helps expand your mind and supports brain health.
Reduces Stress
Getting lost in your favorite creative activity greatly alleviates stress. Not only do these activities create a process of “flow” but they are great distractors from life’s problems that include grief and loss.
Chronic stress is also very hard on the brain, and creative activities help alleviate such stress and also benefit your brain in other positive ways. You don’t even need to produce something in order to de-stress. The American Journal Of Public Health says that even just simply observing creative processes is a meditative process that helps reduce stress, so make time to go to a concert or a museum and bask in the creativity of others. Engulf yourself in the creative process, let your mind go.
Boost Mood
Beside using creative activities to heal in grief. Hobbies like painting, cooking or restoring an old car, are associated with happiness and joy, which helps create a better mood.
Additionally, when we “make something” we are involved in self-reflection and self-awareness. The Public Library of Science determined that creative endeavors can mold personality traits, something known as “psychological resilience” which help us handle external stressors.
Process Trauma
Creative writing has been in found in numerous studies to help those suffering from trauma to manage negative emotions in a productive way. Painting or drawing helps with expression of trauma and the experiences associated with it, this is especially useful when those suffering cannot put the trauma they experienced into words.
Reduce Distress And Negative Emotions
Life is full of distress. Enjoying creative activities will help you get away from all of that. Instead of being stuck in the pain and grief activities will help you to escape from the negative thoughts and get grounded while you move through grief. Dwelling in negative emotions causes extra stress, and can lead to anxiety and depression. When we are engaged in creative activities negativity slips away, as we focus on the positive task in front of us.
Foster Social Health
Having a healthy social life is required for overall health and wellness. Human connection is key in the prevention of mental and physical health conditions. And when it comes to healing from life changes, grief and or loss a social support system is is proven to help greatly.
Activities is a way for people to bond through things they have in common such as participating in interests and hobbies. Socializing within the setting of creative acts and hobbies helps boost happiness, social health and physical health too.
Boost Self-Esteem
Creative activities provide opportunities that give a sense of accomplishment. Which in turn can help to boosts your self-esteem. From crocheting your first scarf, to seeing a herb garden sprout or making a new recipe, all of these of which can give you a sense of pride.
Healthy self-esteem is crucial to your overall mental and emotional wellbeing. Grief and loss takes toll and self-esteem. Creative activities not only relax your mind, but they can give a sense of accomplishment giving your self esteem a much needed boost.
Improve Focus and Concentration
Any type of creative activity requires some focus and concentration and by engaging in these activities regularly you get to hone those skills and perfect them. Improved focus and concentration help you in all areas of your life, including personal and professional.
Boosts the Immunity
Creative activities such as journaling and listening to music have been found to improve the body’s immunity. While experts are not sure how, they do know that writing increases the body’s CD4+ lymphocyte count, which is key to immune system health.
Helps To Process Difficult Feelings
Not everyone is capable of processing their difficult feelings through talk. Creativity is therefore often utilized to help heal from grief, loss and healing through other life changes.
Keep these important considerations in mind:
- Find activities you enjoy
- You are not being graded, this is not work, just enjoy and let your creative juices flow
- Don’t worry about or be disappointed with what you cannot do, focus on what you want to do
- Permit yourself to be a beginner
- Step outside your comfort zone
- Don’t seek or expect perfection, take the pressure off, this is fun time
- Do it only for yourself, don’t worry about what others think
- Ease into creativity if it is something new to you
- Don’t judge yourself, just enjoy the process
Tapping Into Creativity to Heal From Grief
Some of us struggle with our creative side. Creativity is not necessarily a “born with” trait, it can be honed and perfected at any age. The “skill” of creativity can be learned and perfected as needed with the simple application of knowledge. Consider it a way to distract yourself from the monotony of life, an opportunity for your subconscious mind to process new data. And, remember it is supposed to be fun!
There are hundreds of creative activities that you can seek out as part of an overall wellness plan. Creative expression has no limits or requirements, this is FREE LIMITLESS activity.
Final Thoughts on Creative Activities to Heal in Grief
Creativity is a proven mind-body approach to better wellness of mind, emotions, body and spirit.
These simple wellness practices are easy to access and are readily available and with so much opportunity to be creative in the modern world, there is no reason not to take advantage of them.
Creative Activities to Heal in Grief
References:
At his TED talk in 2004 Csikszentmihalyi said, “When we are involved in creativity, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.”
