It’s #WorldMentalHealthDay today and in the true spirit of the day, we have decide to explore how creativity can help sufferers of a variety of mental health issues.
It can be scary and lonely when suffering from a mental health disorder and sometimes it is hard to see a light at the end of it.
Creativity, however, can help lighten these overwhelming feelings of negativity. It helps by focusing your mind on something positive and by creating something bright and beautiful.
Although mental health is an extremely complex and varied topic, these 3 self-help activities are brilliant at allowing you to take a few minutes out of your day to relax and create.
1. Positive Origami Heart
Once you’ve got the hang of folding these origami hearts, you won’t be able to stop!
Our step-by-step guide shows you how to fold your square pieces of colour paper into a lovely heart. It’s really simple and very effective in switching your mind off from any stresses and allowing yourself to concentrate on folding precisely.
Follow our guide below to make as many hearts as you like:
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| A step-by-step guide to Positive Origami Hands. |
Once you’ve made a few hearts, it’s time to think of your positive words. These could be something good about yourself or something you aspire to be.
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| Our ‘resilient’ Origami Heart. |
Then, stick thread onto the back of half of the hearts, like in the photo below:
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| Attaching the thread to our Origami Heart. |
Next, put glue or double-sided sticky tape on the other half of the hearts and stick them to the back of the hearts that you have attached the thread to. This makes a 3D heart and allows you to cover the back (the behind the scenes of your creation).
Now, it’s time to hang them up. We chose to hand ours on this fancy light but wherever you decide, the hearts will be there to remind you of the positive words you chose to write inside them.
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| Our Origami Heart hanging up. |
2. Aspiration Hands
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| Creating our ‘future’ hand. |
This is a simple yet effective exercise.
First, draw around your hands (or hand) on an A4 piece of paper. We will call your left hand your past hand and your right hand your future hand.
It’s important for you to understand your own past so draw, write and be as creative as you want when expressing your past on your pasthand.
Now, it’s time for your future hand. This is where you can draw things that you aspire to have in your future. These can be anything from personality traits to life goals. It’s a chance for you to think positively and set goals of what you could achieve.
It may be a good idea to pin your ‘hands’ up on the fridge (or somewhere you visit regularly) to remind you what positive things you want in your future and what negative things you want to leave behind.
3. Baking
Baking is a great way to boost your creativity and create something great.
Whether you do this on your own or with other people, baking is nearly always a social activity because everyone comes together to eat the end produce!
As it’s October, we’ve picked an Autumnal inspired recipe for you to get your teeth into (literally).
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| Toffee Apple Cupcakes. |
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| Toffee Apple Cupcakes. |
To find out how to create these spiced goodies, follow this link for Toffee Apple Cupcakes.
#WorldMentalHealthDay is a brilliant way to get people talking about mental health. If you are struggling with mental health issues, are supporting someone who is or suspect somebody may need help, these are excellent websites to look at:
– Big White Wall
– It Gets Brighter
– Mind
– Student Minds
– Time to Change
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