Can Art Improve Your Life?

‘The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.’

                                                       Pablo Picasso Artist

Do you enjoy going to art exhibitions, to the theatre and concerts, or simply reading a really well written book; or do you have a hobby like photography, painting, literature, playing an instrument, pottery or sewing. Or do you think that you to not have a creative streak and that the arts and crafts have nothing to offer? Whatever your situation, you may be surprised by some of the revelations in today’s post.

Why art contributes to our well-being

We humans appear to have an essential need for exploration and for following our personal creative impulses.^1,2 There is evidence that the early humans (Homo errectus) have already engaged in creative activities at least 200,000 years ago, well before modern humans (Homo sapiens) evolved.²

There is also growing evidence that the arts and creative activities have a very positive influence on our mental well-being and physical health.^3,4 This beneficial effect has been demonstrated for visual arts, music, literature, poetry, performing arts, as well as crafts and design, and includes the ‘passive’ appreciation of art as well as the active participation in a creative process.

There are many reasons why art has such a positive effect on us, including:^2-6

• Engaging in arts evokes positive emotions due to experiencing awe and appreciation of beauty, as well as evoking interest, fascination and curiosity, and sometimes even amusement and humour. We may also experience flow, a highly pleasurable feeling, which occurs when we are so deeply absorbed in an activity that we lose the sense of time and self-consciousness. There is strong evidence that experiencing the various forms of art (be it passively or actively) can reduce stress and physical pain.  
• Engaging in art can also be intellectually challenging, and helps us seeing new perspectives. Learning new skills, leaning or creating something, which is meaningful to us also gives us an opportunity for goal pursuit, to feel pride (for positive achievement), and it can give us a sense of increased self-esteem, quality of life and empowerment/sense of control. It can also give us a sense of expansion and growth, which makes us feel good (as we learnt in the last post).
• Art stimulates our imagination and reflection; it can encourage us to enter an inner dialog with ourselves and express emotions, which we find otherwise difficult to express. Deep and nuanced feelings may be communicated through metaphors and imagery rather than explicit words. Similarly, we may find it easier to access painful memories through art. In this way, art can help us to build an identity and can be a safe and healthy vehicle of expression and cathartic release. 
• Art is in itself a way of communication, but the connective potential goes even further: Through art we can connect to likeminded people, exchange views and enjoy experiences together, so that it helps to decrease feelings of social isolation, increase social cohesion and dialog. In a larger social context, art can give us a sense of (cultural) belonging.
• Engaging in arts keeps us active; some forms, such as dancing, can even be physically challenging and keep us fit.

So in summary, arts and creative crafts can improve our well-being by giving physical, psychological, spiritual and social support.

Individual differences

Although the evidence suggests that there are general benefits of artistic engagement as mentioned above, there are some individual differences. It has been shown that the personality trait of ‘Openness’ is strongly associated with engagement in artistic and cultural activities.^7,8 Openness can be broadly described as the ability to form creative mental associations. However, Openness can be further divided into ‘Openness for new experiences‘ (= increased perception, fantasy, appreciation of aesthetics and emotions) and ‘Intellect’ (= the ability for abstract and divergent thinking). It has been shown that it is predominantly the trait of Openness for new experiences which predicts successful engagement in artistic creative activities while Intellect has been shown to be associated with creative scientific achievement.⁸

It has also been shown that for people who score higher on Openness to experience (rather than Intellect), the sensation of novelty is particularly stimulating and leads to a sense of pleasure and interest.⁶

However, although these individual differences may cause a stronger or weaker intrinsic interest for creative activities, the benefits of arts and crafts can be enjoyed by anybody.

When and how can we use art to increase our well-being

Arts and creative crafts in the widest sense can be helpful in pretty much any situation.

When we are healthy, art can help us by simply increasing well-being, decreasing stress and preventing disease,^2-3 but the important role of art as a form of therapy has also been increasingly recognized.^2-5 The arts have been shown to be helpful in a variety of mental diseases from anxiety disorders and depression over post traumatic stress disorder to dementia. But there is also evidence that they can aid recovery from physical illness. For example, hospital discharge times and physical pain can both be reduced by music and visual arts, and singing can help with the management of chronic respiratory conditions. It has also been shown that art can be very valuable to people with terminal illness as it can also be a vehicle of spiritual legacy: Creating artwork is a way of communicating with others and sharing ideas even beyond the point of our death.

There is a huge diversity in the types of creative activities including literature/poetry and creative writing, theatre and drama, dance, music, visual arts and crafts, new media, architecture, design, film and combined arts; even gardening and creative cooking are by some considered to belong into the arts in the widest sense.²

Within each group there is again a huge choice. For example, music may be enjoyed in a concert or by listening to CDs or the radio, or we may sing (alone or in a choir) or play an instrument (again either alone or in a band or an orchestra). Visual arts may be enjoyed in galleries or museums, at our place of work or in our homes, or we may paint, draw, or sculpture. We can also take up courses such as textile arts, pottery/ceramics, painting, sculpturing, expressive dance, photography and filming or creative writing. 

How to release your inner artist

One of the big problems when we start getting involved in creative activity is excessive self-criticism and being overly focused on the outcome. So here are some tips on how to make your engagement in art an enjoyable activity so that you can ‘wash the dust off your soul’:

• Do not just assume that you have no talent. There is such a huge variety in the arts that there truly is a niche for everybody. Like with everything else in life, you will improve with time and practice.
• Whatever activity you choose, try to have an open mind and focus on the process, rather than the result. Don’t overthink your results and allow self-censoring particularly in the early stages. Experiment, explore and have fun. Go out to museums, galleries, the theatre, concerts, nature and meet people to find inspiration.
• Do not compare yourself with others- this is about you having a good time with your hobby, not a competition.
• Also, although other people are mostly very supportive of the artistic aspirations of others, you may encounter some fun-spoilers from time to time. Try not to listen to unconstructive external criticism. In a way, the nice thing about art that everybody can have their own opinion and beauty truly lies in the eye of the beholder. If you enjoy it, then it is good enough!
• If you are a complete novice, it can certainly help to take up a course. I have found that learning a new skill is often more about having a good teacher rather than about talent. Also, the creative process can be more dynamic in a group, as you can learn from each other and bounce ideas around.

The creative process is complex and of course it depends to a degree on the type of activity. Despite the vital role that creativity has played throughout human history (from scientific inventions through to artistic creation) there is still a lack of knowledge about how exactly creative thinking occurs.⁹

As mentioned in the previous post, creativity is associated with the cooperation and integration/effective communication of both hemispheres of the brain.^1,2 More specific brain-related factors, which have been suggested to contribute to creativity are variations in the composition of tissue in different brain areas (e.g. greater amount of grey matter in the prefrontal cortex), greater functional contribution of the right hemisphere (which is more closely associated with the processing of emotions, images and metaphors, and non-linear/divergent thinking), and alpha brain wave activity to name just a few.²

No matter what exactly happens in our brains, there are a few things, which have been shown to increase our creative potential, including: positive emotions, having unfocused thinking time and giving yourself room to play, diversifying and exposing ourselves to new experiences as well as mindfulness practices.^10-12  

Further information on the web

Here are a few further resources on the topic of art and creative thinking:

• The BBC website has a great webpage, supporting the notion that art is a journey that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of age, gender or ability: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z842xnb#zwkxtfr
• In his highly entertaining TED lecture, organizational psychologist Adam Grant examines the question what we can learn from creative and original thinkers. His research on the topic has shown some very interesting and amusing points about the creative process. https://www.ted.com/talks/adam_grant_the_surprising_habits_of_original_thinkers
• Brene Brown is best known for the TED talk about vulnerability, which has featured in this blog earlier in the year, but she has also given an interesting lecture about creativity and how to deal with critics, including the one inside yourself: http://99u.com/videos/20052/brene-brown-stop-focusing-on-your-critics

Preview:  I hope that this post has helped to demonstrate the importance of art in our lives, and that it may have inspired you to take up a new hobby. Next week we are going to discuss the very important but often overlooked skill of seeing the funny side of things- whether it is when we are learning a new skill or something goes wrong in our daily lives.

References and further reading:

1. Siegel D. Mindsight: Transform Your Brain with the New Science of Kindness. Oneworld Publications; Oxford, UK. 2011.

2. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing Inquiry Report (2017). Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing. Retrieved from: http://www.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/

3. Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project (2008). Final Project report. The Government Office for Science, London. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/292450/mental-capital-wellbeing-report.pdf

4. Robotham D, Morgan K, James K. Learning for Life: Adult learning, mental health and wellbeing. Mental Health Foundation. London. 2011. Retrieved from: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/learning-life-adult-learning-mental-health-and-wellbeing

5. Secker J, Spandler H, Hacking S, Kent L, Shenton J. Art for mental health’s sake. Mental Health Today. 2007;July/August:34-36.

6. Fayn K, MacCann C, Tillopoulos N, Silvia PJ. Aesthetic emotions and aesthetic people: Openness predicts sensitivity to novelty in the experiences of interest and pleasure. Frontiers in Psychology. 2015;6:1877.

7. Nettle D. Personality: What makes you the way you are. Oxford University Press; New York. 2007.

8. Kaufman SB, Quilty LC, Grazioplene RG, Hirsh JB, Gray JR, Peterson JB, DeYoung CG. Openness to experience and intellect differentially predict creative achievement in the arts and sciences. Journal of Personality. 2016;84(2):248-258.

9. Abraham A. Promises and perils of the neuroscience of creativity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2013;7:246.

10. Fredrickson BS, Cohn MA, Coffey KA, Pek J, Finkel SM. Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2008;95(5):1045-1062.

11. Seppälä E. The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success. Piatkus; London, UK. 2016.­­

12. Kabat-Zinn J: Full Catastrophe Living: How To Cope With Stress, Pain and Illness Using Mindfulness Meditation. Piatkus. 2013.

If you found this information helpful, please consider supporting the campaign under Just Giving. Of course it is also great if you choose to support another charity or do a practical good deed, but it would be nice if you could let me know that you have done this because you felt inspired by this campaign. Please also feel free to share this post and let me know if you have any constructive feedback- good or bad!

View and Save as PDF

Follow the Blog- http://followthegoodlifecampaign.blogspot.co.uk

Donations- https://www.justgiving.com/teams/thegoodlifecampaign

Donations are in aid of the International Rescue Committee and the World Veterinary Service

Expanding Your Personal Horizon: Why Opening Your Heart And Mind Increases Your Well-being

‘Whatever you do in life: Think higher and feel deeper.’

                                                           Elie Wiesel (journalist and writer)

Today’s post is about a well-known phenomenon that we are probably all familiar with: the positive effect we experience when we are learning, exploring and broadening our horizon. In other words, the benefits of personal growth and self-development, and the many ways we can achieve them.

Personal growth can be described as having a feeling of continued development, to be open to new experiences, having a sense of growing, expanding and realizing our potential. On the other hand, absence of growth may be experienced as a sense of stagnation, lack of improvement or expansion; we may also feel bored or disinterested in life, and unable to develop new attitudes and behaviours.¹

Why should we want to grow?

It has been shown that there is a strong, bidirectional relationship between mental well-being and life skills.^1-4,10-12 Having a sense of growth and expansion directly evokes positive emotions, which make us feel good; it increases our self-esteem and has a general positive effect on our well-being. Equally a higher level of well-being is associated with greater curiosity, flexible thinking and openness to learning. So learning, growth and well-being reinforce each other and can lead to an upward spiral.⁵

Broadening our attention and thinking allows us to form higher-level connections and have a wider range of perceptions or ideas (increased creativity).^5,6 These expanded outlooks help us to discover and build personal resources. Personal resources are equally important for our professional and private lives; they help us to take advantage of life’s opportunities and deal with challenges more effectively. Helpful personal resources include:^2,5

• Cognitive resources: e.g. the ability to focus our attention, creative thinking and problem solving
• Psychological resources: e.g. having a sense of mastery and control over our environment
• Emotional resources: e.g. perspective taking and being able to receive and give emotional support in order to build good interpersonal relationships
• Physical resources: e.g. good general health, increased immunity

So personal growth benefits our well-being in the short term (through positive emotions) as well as in the long run (through building personal resources, which increase our resilience).

Personal growth changes our brains

In previous posts we have come across the concept of neuroplasticity, which is the fact that the nerve cells in our brains constantly form new connections. Effectively, every new experience and everything we learn changes, builds and re-shapes our brain.^3,7,8 Of course many events just happen to us whether we want or not, but in order to harness the great potential of neuroplasticity to increase our personal resources, we need to be open and receptive for new ideas and experiences.

Neuroplasticity can have quite dramatic effects. For example, brain scans have demonstrated a significant growth of brain areas responsible for the control of the left hand in violinists, and the brain region involved in spatial memory in taxi drivers.⁷ It has also been shown that keeping active (including learning new skills, having responsibilities; social activities and interactions; physical activity) has a protective effect for developing signs of dementia. Older people who stay active build up a ‘cognitive reserve’, which preserves their brain function. Although their brain may show structural changes similar to patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease, stroke or Parkinson’s disease, they are less likely to show clinical signs associated with these conditions.⁹

There are many ways to grow

Of course personal growth may be achieved through many ways, but here are a few evidence-based suggestions on how to broaden our personal horizon, promote growth and/or become more receptive for new ideas. Please note that there is some degree of overlap between some of the categories. 

Cultivate curiosity^10,11
Curiosity (i.e. seeking novelty, exposing ourselves to changing situations and investigating new information and experiences) is not only an important component of well-being, but also essential for learning. By seeking exploration and novelty, we can focus on activities that feel meaningful to us, facilitate learning, competence and self-determination. By seeking new and challenging events, we stretch and expand our knowledge and skills.

Seek positive emotions^3,5,7

It has been shown that positive emotions directly broaden our outlook, giving us new insights and perspectives;  they make us more receptive and creative, and open us intellectually and emotionally, which encourages exploration, connection and experimental learning.  Positive emotions also promote neuroplasticity (see also below) and the building of personal resources.

Positive emotions include joy, gratitude, serenity/contentment, interest, hope, pride (for achieving something), amusement, inspiration, awe and love. Try to take notice and find opportunities to experience these emotions for example by interacting with other people, particularly those close to you; spending time in nature; visiting museums, art galleries, concerts and theatres; spending time with your favourite hobby and/or sport; performing small acts of kindness; remembering what makes you laugh and using humour.

Allow yourself time to play⁶

Having ‘playtime’ encourages us to engage in unfocused thinking and exploring avenues of thoughts and activities that we are normally not involved in (diversification- see below). It also evokes positive emotions, which are so important for our creativity and personal resource building, as explained above. Try to make some time in your day for unstructured activities, which allow idle thinking, such as listening to music, taking a walk, gardening or cleaning. Try to intermix tasks needing focus with these ‘de-focused’ activities.

Diversify^2,6-8,12

Nowadays we mostly strive towards a goal by devoting most of our time onto one area, but this tight focus on one topic/domain can limit our creativity and inventiveness. Diversification can be achieved in many ways, e.g. you can learn a new skill or rediscover an old interest; try activities you never tried before; diversify at work and take on new responsibilities; learn to fix things; learn a new language; start to play an instrument and develop an interest in music; engage in visual arts, literature/poetry or performing arts; take up a new sport; try to read books outside your normal area of interest; watch documentaries or shows on topics you do not know anything about; explore new ideas, theories and concepts; go outdoors; travel; meet new people.

We become creative when the left and right hemispheres of our brain work well together and integrate different networks. The left hemisphere is predominantly involved in linear and logical thinking, whereas the right hemisphere processes images and other non-verbal cues, and allows thinking in more divergent and holistic ways, seeing the bigger picture. So particularly engaging in activities which challenge both hemispheres can increase our creativity. More on this topic will follow in next week’s post.

Enhance the neuroplasticity of your brain⁷

It has been shown that neuroplasticity can be promoted and enhanced by several factors. One of them is emotional arousal, which is another reason why we should seek positive emotions, as mentioned above. Additionally, neuroplasticity is stimulated by:

• Focusing our attention
• Aerobic exercise
• Novelty

Particularly new experiences and ideas stimulate the formation of new connections; it has even been shown that novelty can promote growth of new nerve cells. So by actively seeking novelty, learning to focus our attention, making sure that we are physically active and experience positive emotions we can maximize the effect of neuroplasticity, strengthening new brain connections.

Live mindfully^3,12,13

Regular followers of this blog may have noticed that mindfulness gets mentioned a lot. And it is certainly true that it has many things to offer; in fact, it is probably one of the most important skills when trying to expand your horizon. Mindfulness can be described as a way of living where we pay attention to the present moment experiences with a curious, non-judgmental, accepting and open attitude. The open attitude refers to openness of the mind as well as openness of the heart.

Mindfulness can be practiced with various formal meditations. The effects of the meditations tend to ‘spill over’ into daily life beyond the time limits of the meditation itself. Additionally, we can exercise informal mindfulness practices, such as briefly focusing on our breathing during the day or focusing our attention to a specific situation or experience. In this way, mindfulness can be truly transforming and affecting our day-to-day lives in a positive way. Mindfulness can help us to achieve personal growth in several ways including:

• Mindfulness makes us more attentive to the moment, allowing us to see the beautiful, remark on the usual, savour the moment, and to be generally more aware of the world, our thoughts and feelings.
• Mindfulness can reduce our bias and approach situations with a more open and non-judgmental mind. It therefore allows us new insights and outlooks, and makes us more creative and receptive to new ideas.
• A certain type of meditation (loving-kindness meditation) can evoke positive emotions of warmth and compassion for oneself and others, and has been shown to contribute to growth by increasing personal resources.
• When practiced regularly, mindfulness can help us improving our ability to pay deliberate attention, and it improves our memory as well as decision-making. It can also make us more resilient, content and emotionally stable.

A great book on the topic

Talking about broadening our horizon, I have recently spent more time exploring mindfulness and have come across the excellent book Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who pioneered mindfulness by adapting and transforming Buddhist traditions into secular practices. This book provides comprehensive information about what mindfulness is and in which ways it may help us to grow.  

Truly amazing people- What can we learn from…:

This week’s amazing people are two veterinary surgeons who opened their hearts and minds:

Andrew Francis and Björn Rambags met incidentally on a business trip but soon discovered many mutual interests, and developed a close friendship over many years. With both friends having strong professional ambitions, they soon had the idea to develop a joined business project.

However, during a brainstorm on the Dutch island of Terschelling, Andrew and Björn discovered that most of their business ideas lacked a higher purpose or meaning. Continuing to contemplate on the project, they eventually realized that it was most important to them, that the business had a social impact and was able to help other people.

And so, unlikely as it sounds, Andrew and Björn developed the idea of a children’s book concept supporting children in need: Although neither of them had any experience in writing children’s stories, in publishing, illustrating or retail marketing, they wrote an illustrated bed-time story about two little bears called Lino & Luka. Then, they set up a partnership with the Childhood Trust, which is working to reduce child poverty, and the children’s hospices Chestnut Tree House and Naomi House & Jacksplace. For every sold Lino & Luka book, a child affected by poverty, chronic or terminal illness receives a copy for free.  

Andrew Francis and Björn Rambags show us that it is possible to branch out into different territories. By thinking higher and feeling deeper, we may be able to expand our world, allowing us to grow and –maybe – finding a way of helping others at the same time.

Andrew says about his experience: ‘The Lino & Luka project has made a huge difference to my well-being. We started with a simple aspiration. Wouldn’t it be great if the simple act of buying a book to read a bed-time story to a child that means the world to you could touch the life of a child in need, each and every time? I have been overwhelmed by the response to our story from little people and their parents. What’s more, the feedback we have received from our partner charities has been fantastic. I have learnt so much and met many hugely inspiring people during our journey so far and I feel that the Lino & Luka story is only just beginning.’

Andrew’s friend Björn also feels enriched by the diversification saying that: ‘Everyday, Lino & Luka contribute to my well-being, personal development and sense of purpose in three different ways. The book ‘Tea for two’ allows Andrew and me to make a direct, positive impact on the lives of children and their families, both under wonderful and sad circumstances. Secondly, our own little independent enterprise teaches me about literally every aspect of international business, from book publishing to product distribution, from collaboration with visual artist to partnering with charities, from trans-European taxation rules to retail marketing. Last but not least, our two little bears have enabled the continuation of the magic and flow which are tangible when Andrew and I get into one room and put our brains around, and shoulders under, yet another wild and sheer impossible idea to make this world a wee bit better. And having fun while at it!’

You can find out more about the Lino & Luka story at www.linoluka.com

Preview: Next week we will look more closely at harnessing our creativity and the question, in how far the arts can contribute to our well-being.

References and further reading:

1. Ryff C. Psychological well-being revisited: Advances in Science and Practice. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 2014;83(1):10-28.

2. Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project (2008). Final Project report. The Government Office for Science, London. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/292450/mental-capital-wellbeing-report.pdf

3. Fredrickson B. Positivity: Groundbreaking Research to Release Your Inner Optimist and Thrive. Oneworld Publications; Oxford, England. 2010.

4. Robotham D, Morgan K, James K. Learning for Life: Adult learning, mental health and wellbeing. Mental Health Foundation. London. 2011. Retrieved from: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/learning-life-adult-learning-mental-health-and-wellbeing

5. Fredrickson BS, Cohn MA, Coffey KA, Pek J, Finkel SM. Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2008;95(5):1045-1062.

6. Seppälä E. The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success. Piatkus; London, UK. 2016.­­

7. Siegel D. Mindsight: Transform Your Brain with the New Science of Kindness. Oneworld Publications; Oxford, UK. 2011.

8. Graham L. Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being. New World Library; Novato. 2013.

9. Eagleman D. The Brain: The story of you. Canongate Books Ltd; Edinburgh, UK. 2015.

10. Gallagher MW, Lopez SJ. Curiosity and well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology. 207;2(4):236-248.

11. Kashdan TB, Steger MF. Curiosity and pathways to well-being and meaning in life: Traits, states, and everyday behaviors. Motivation and Emotion. 2007; 31:159-173.

12. NEF (2008). Five ways to well-being: the evidence. Available on request through www.foresight.gov.uk

13. Kabat-Zinn J: Full Catastrophe Living: How To Cope With Stress, Pain and Illness Using Mindfulness Meditation. Piatkus. 2013.

View and Save as PDF

Follow the Blog- http://followthegoodlifecampaign.blogspot.co.uk

Donations- https://www.justgiving.com/teams/thegoodlifecampaign

Donations are in aid of the International Rescue Committee and the World Veterinary Service