As adults, we frequently run into issues of burnout, feeling stressed, or losing our creativity and artistic skills. Work, family, and other responsibilities, while important, can take away from our sense of accomplishment and our peace of mind. Thankfully, there are a number of different ways to reignite your creative side and expand your mind.
There’s an activity for every type of lifestyle, but most people would benefit from trying one or two of these tips and incorporating them into your daily life. Expanding our minds and searching for ways to clear our heads and reduce stress provides great mental, emotional, and even physical health benefits.
1. Take CBD
While not for everyone, there have been some initial studies that point towards low doses of CBD as a helpful way to reduce stress and increase creative thinking. And that doesn’t mean you have to move to a marijuana-legal state and become a regular at a Portland dispensary.
While the chemical THC is regulated, CBD products are much more accessible. Products like lotions, oils, gummies, vapors, salves, and creams can help you gain relaxation without having to deal with any state-regulated marijuana product.
2. Meditation
One of the most highly recommended mental health activities is meditation. Meditation involves clearing your mind from distractions and focusing on reflection and relaxation to help reduce stress and provide clarity.
Meditation has been growing in popularity over the years, and, as a result, there are many different tools available to help you learn. Apps, videos, books, and instructional classes can all help you understand the best ways to meditate and guide you through the process until you become a pro.
3. Reading
Reading is another activity that can be added to a daily routine that doesn’t require major lifestyle changes. You can try reading books in different categories than what you would initially reach for, and use those books as a starting point to expand your mind and explore new ideas.
Reading can also help you clear your mind from stressful activities and reignite your creative side. Sometimes, after reading a good book, you can feel more inspired, especially if the topic of what you are reading encourages you to try new things and think about the world in a different way.
4. Learn a New Hobby
Once we reach adulthood, we often lose interest in the many hobbies we had as children or the different activities we wanted to try. However, trying new things helps to expand your mind, improve your health, and increase your creativity.
You can learn on your own, or try taking a class. This also helps you meet people with similar interests and gain new friendships in addition to learning a new hobby. Art classes, lectures, team sports, and music are all examples of the types of hobbies you can pick up and use to feel more satisfied with your life.
5. Journal
Similar to meditation, journaling helps to clear your mind and can easily become a daily ritual to help you feel affirmed and reflect back on your day in a positive way. You can also use journaling to come up with new ideas, record important thoughts and observations, channel out your negative emotions, and create clarity in your mind.
Journaling is another practice that has many tools to support the habit. While an old-fashioned pen and paper is perfectly acceptable, there are also journaling apps for those who feel more comfortable on the computer. You can also find help with methods to begin, prompts, and daily formatting to help your journaling be successful.
6. Challenge Your Body
Mental health isn’t all just in the mind. In order to expand your mind and feel more creative, you need to remember that the body and the mind are connected. Challenging your body and trying to find ways to improve your physical health will help encourage mental and emotional health as well.
Joining a gym or trying an at-home routine is a great way to get started with some resources, but even simple walks and yoga can challenge your body and help you maintain healthy habits in your daily life. Trainers, groups, and plenty of other resources are available to help you find the right challenge for your body.
7. Travel
Nothing helps to expand your mind and worldview more than traveling. Getting away from your home and learning about new ways of life, cultures, and countries helps you become a more well-rounded person and a more empathetic human. Finding opportunities to travel can become one of the highlights of your year.
Even if long-distance traveling is out of budget or not your cup of tea, you can still take opportunities to travel short distances, like to neighboring towns and cities, or even to new areas in your local area. Is there a new coffee shop you have heard about, or a shopping district you haven’t managed to visit? Any type of travel that takes you outside your comfort zone helps your mind grow and lets your adventurous side take over.
