Reignite Your Imagination

Integrating more creativity into your life is a great way to bring fun to your life, but did you know that it can also boost your mental health and emotional fulfilment? Being creative cultivates joy and curiosity, brings out your inner child, and has tremendous transformative powers to reinvigorate your health, heart and soul.

You don’t need to consider yourself an artist or a writer to benefit from exploring your creative side. You are more creative than you think, but as we get older and life gets busy, we rarely venture outside the confines of our routines and habits. We lose touch with play and new experiences, the very things that support healing from the stresses and messes of life.

Create space for creativity to blossom. Creativity is self-care, and this wellness practice can include a broad range of activities like crafting, knitting, singing in a group, writing poems, colouring, cooking, painting, learning music… just use your imagination like you did as a child. Find something joy-inspiring, playful and energizing.

Studies concur that participation in novel creative experiences has a variety of health gains, including increasing positive emotions and the immune system, and reducing stress. New neural brain connections are fostered when we express ourselves artistically, which further grows our creativity. Just like balanced nutrition, regular exercise and meditation are health-boosting, so too is creativity!

Find creative self-care at Ste Anne’s and feel the joy of making something with your hands. Our relaxing, hands-on workshops like Make Your Own Salt Soak in June and Garden Tour + Flower Arranging in July invite you to craft soothing, self-care treats that you can take home and enjoy. Craft a custom botanical salt soak using natural ingredients from our gardens and apothecary. Get your hands in the soil and grow your imagination with your own seasonal flower arrangement.

Our guided workshops provide wonderful ways to connect with nature, learn something new and reconnect with your inner child. Fun, new experiences trigger the release of endorphins, reducing cortisol levels and fostering relaxation – it provides enjoyment and a suspension of the sense of time.

Time will stand still in the healing embrace of our calm surroundings, happily lost in small acts of self-expression. Go for a nature walk with a sketchbook and pencil, immersed in the perfect palette of healing hues. Journal all those thoughts and feelings while relaxing by our babbling brook. Leave your cell phone behind and practise your photography skills with the point and shoot camera, and be in awe of all that nature offers – art is everywhere!

Nature nurtures your creative spirit and nourishes new ideas. Quiet, peaceful environments lift the fog and heighten your senses. You’ll notice more things around you, become more mindful, and find the mental clarity to be creative. Our brilliant natural landscapes are an endless source of creative inspiration, transforming your mental landscape, replenishing energy levels and cognitive reserves, like focus and concentration.

Don’t overthink it. Simply experiment – put that brush to canvas or pen to paper and see what unfolds, where your artistic expression takes you. Start small, like picking up a colouring book or taking an online drawing tutorial. Reconnect with a past creative hobby or add some creativity to things you already do, like cooking or gardening. Sign up for a pottery class or stained glass workshop. Take on a fun DIY home décor project.

Experiment gently until you find pursuits that feel natural and authentically express your inner spirit and buried talents. There are just so many good reasons to make creative habits part of your daily routine. Taking time to make something or do something just for you connects you back to yourself.

Here at Ste. Anne’s, simple and creative wellness practices provide a potent mind-body approach to releasing stress and boosting mental health. Embark on a journey of emotional healing, self-discovery and fulfilment. Come switch off, create something and be well.