Creative Health

I find that ideas are more likely to come to me in nature. I often seek vast, green spaces for walks and pretty, enclosed gardens to sit in. There is something about the fresh air and the lack of digital distractions that helps me relax and allows creativity to flow from my surroundings, through me and onto the page. When I need to spur my imagination, I can look up and take in the moving clouds, the delicate drops of rain in the grass, the diversity of colour in the leaves all around me. Then, I can just type it into my computer later, ensuring that the text is captivating and the words stimulating. It benefits both my mental health and creative health.

Winters in the North are difficult for me, as they are for many people, due to the lack of sun. I feel less creative, less calm and less at peace with myself. Creativity and nature play a big role in my wellbeing, but, unfortunately, most bright hours are spent at work. That does mean that my creative work tends to nosedive in the winter, which, definitely on occasion, has an impact on my creativity and mental health. I have become more aware of this with age, but it is still something I need to remind myself of – and sometimes, whether or not I have time to go outside is out of my control.

What does your creative process look like? Do you have any tips on how to deal with waning creativity in the winter?

I have also made a post with 8 practical, cosy ways to increase your creativity in the Winter.

Some nature-inspired story ideas:

Shaded by a leaning birch tree, a lone, vibrant fly amanita grows tall. Only, it is no longer a mushroom; it is a restaurant. A restaurant where a young, hopeful dragon works as a waiter to be able to pay for an upcoming flying tournament, kept secret from her mom. Nearby, a clear-water lake shimmers in the sun, boastful in its wealth of water lilies. On the edge of the dipping blade, a fairy stands with hands on hips while he inspects the delicate, fragrant petals, wondering whether he can concoct a mixture that will allow him to smell just as sweet.