| You are the creative type. How many four year olds have you met who couldn’t sing, dance or paint? You were a child once too. If you could do these things then, you can do them now.
You don’t have to be an artist, composer or designer to exercise creativity. Every day gives us plenty of opportunities to improve our lives through the act of creation: putting together a “menu” for dinner, deciding what to wear in the mornings, choosing the curtains for the living room.. every day we can decide whether to do things haphazardly or to do them creatively.
Children and creative work are what bring joy into our lives. Likewise, a joyful spirit makes it easier for us to relate to them. Entertaining children is a very challenging task, which requires plenty of imagination and playfulness. If you are raising young ones, they are your works of art. If you do not have the opportunity to be around children, take on a creative art or nurture your own “inner child”.
There are many sources of stress in our lives. When we were little, we instinctively knew how to let out the tension that was generated as a consequence of it. As we grew up, we learned to repress our reactions in order to fit into society. We all need to come up with adequate ways to “let off steam” in order to live joyous, happy lives. Do the things you did in kindergarten: draw, paint, play, sing, dance, scream, laugh, cry... Here are some tips for doing so without attracting much attention: Sing in the shower or in the car; if shy, dance when there’s nobody home; go running; jump up and down when receiving good news; have a private tantrum when frustrated; cry when disappointed; laugh from the belly and not just from the throat or the rib cage.
Worrying about the future is directly related to a lack of joy in our lives. No matter what area of life you are worried about, be it your marriage, your health, your business, pollution, politics, etc., this always indicates a lack of joy.
Is there anything you do, at least on a weekly basis, just for fun?
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