OPINION: Creative pursuits can be a tool for recovery - Sophie Mei Lan

A ‘snow day’ feeling every day would have previously been something I would have longed for.

But when forced with an abundance of time at home, yet still with the same pressures of the outside world, it has been a challenge to be mindful and even build in rest.

While many see mindfulness, creativity or even sleep as added bonuses to the lives of those “airy fairy” types and not for serious professionals or as a valid therapy in the medical world, the scientific evidence tells us otherwise - and my experience in our hat trick of lockdowns has proven to me just how hard it is to meditate or even feel creative in painful times.

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Lockdown one was for me the most challenging one as a single mum, attempting to work, home school and keep us as all as healthy as possible alone at home in the unknown.

Unhealthy coping mechanisms briefly returned with hustling hard, caring for everyone else accept myself and neglecting my sleep. I was able to positively escape through writing, dance and exercise (my go-to therapy) at times but I was scared to stop, be still and face my darkest thoughts in times of loneliness.

Even yoga, which had previously helped me, seemed too slow and the thought of being still to breathe just spread fear through my veins, I couldn’t even trick my breathing app for a one minute of pause (as I tried to multitask through these long 60 seconds).

Yet, well versed at overcoming hurdles through past trauma and knowing how mindfulness and creativity can help us to heal, recover from certain illnesses and live a much more fulfilling and productive life, I gradually pushed myself out of my comfort zone by getting outdoors and then reintroducing mindfulness and yoga at home, regardless of our situation. It is harder to break a bad habit! The more I have practiced my creative pursuits, slowed down my pace and accepted the present, with regular manifestation practice, the more I have felt happier in my mind, more within my body and focused on my core values.

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One of the key reminders in my pandemic creativity journey has been presenting a video on how a digital reporter project held at the Mental Health Museum showcased the power of creative and digital media as a tool for recovery.

While creativity is often dubbed a soft and fluffy approach in some systems, the project proves and promotes a sustainable solution in patient-centred mental health treatment through digital creativity as a form of treatment.

And vice versa, If I want to tackle something with clarity such as writing an article for a client, I now do my mindfulness practice first because I know that laser focus is good for my health, it has improved the time I spend with loved ones and its boosts my output too.

If you still feel like you haven’t got time to be creative or mindful, like my programmed brain tricked me to believe, remember it’s a tough practice for busy people like us but we can use our ambitions to achieve in the difficult times too with mindfulness and creativity. This not only helps our mind and body, but it’s proven to help your productivity and help you to reach peak performance levels.

As for the yoga, I have even signed up to study online to be a Yoga and Face Yoga coach! Read more at mamamei.co.uk

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