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The Hidden Power of Creativity: A Man's Path to Better Mental Health

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As men, you are often taught to focus on practical, measurable achievements. Spreadsheets, targets, results - these tend to dominate old-school ‘male roles’.

 

But there's a powerful tool for mental well-being that gets overlooked: creativity

Whether it's picking up a paintbrush, learning guitar, writing stories, or crafting with wood, creative activities offer men a vital escape from the pressure to perform and produce. It's not about being the next Picasso, Bob Dylan, or Tom Araya - it's about the process, not the product. 

But as grown adults - men and women alike - we often convince ourselves we shouldn't allow this creative flow.  We let go of our creative parts, and tame our wild!

 

When we engage in creative activities, our brains release dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter that helps calm stress and anxiety. This natural high isn't just enjoyable - it's therapeutic. Unlike the temporary escape of a few beers or mindless scrolling, creativity offers lasting benefits for our mental health.

 

For many men, creative pursuits provide a safe outlet for processing complex emotions. Can't find the words to express how you're feeling? Maybe that guitar riff can say it for you. 

 

Struggling with work stress? Building something with your hands can help you regain a sense of accomplishment.

 

This is why I love to deliver sessions in the woods. Nature is abundant with creativity, and we draw on examples of its freedom to celebrate and create as a means of fulfilling life and well-being. It can inspire us or even offer a vessel for creativity in the session.  

In the past, this has included building dens while we explore a coaching framework, creating a dam in the river as we meander through your problems and potential, or being a little bit silly and sticking googly eyes on a stick for no other reason than to amuse ourselves in the moment!

(Cue silly voices, because even serious coaching sessions, are a place for play!) 

 

Creativity also offers a rare space where perfectionism can take a back seat. Unlike our professional lives, where mistakes often are perceived to have heavy consequences, creative activities allow us to experiment, fail, learn, and grow without judgment. 

 

This freedom to "mess up" can be incredibly liberating for those who feel constant pressure to have all the answers. 

 

The freedom to do something creative for no other reason than for the experience itself can be beneficial. 

 

Perhaps most importantly, creativity connects us with ourselves. In a world where we're constantly responding to others' needs and expectations, creative time is purely personal. It's meditation in motion, allowing us to tune into our thoughts, process our experiences, and better understand ourselves. 

When you allow yourself to move aside the negative self-talk that discourages time for your own creative flare you nurture this in partnership. A whole new opportunity for expression and conversation opens up. As you connect to your creative parts, this permeates through into your life, and your experiences and connections become more creative and deepened as well.  

So whether it's sketching during lunch breaks, joining a local band, or turning that shed into a workshop, making space for creativity isn't just a hobby - it's an investment in your mental health. 

 

Your mind deserves that creative outlet.  

Your well-being is worth that time. 


What creative activity, hobby or mental space can you invite in for your wellness and connection this week?




Time for yourself, and your wild-creative freedom.


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