Being creative is something that every person can relate to. From an early age, people are inherently creative. This is because we need that creativity to explore, understand, and learn. However, as we age, our creativity tends to drop. On the plus side, our creativity never leaves us, even as seniors. In fact, revitalizing it is quite easy.
January is International Creativity Month. We wanted to present seniors with some great ideas to ignite the creative sides of their brains. After all, being creative is not only fun to do, but it’s also been shown to help stave off dementia.
Creative Art
When you first think of creativity, does the word “art” come to mind? It’s highly likely that it does. This is because at a young age we explore the world of art. Whether it’s coloring, painting, or even building sandcastles at the beach, humans love art. We love to create it, view it, critique it, buy it, and display it.
Art can be a lot of things. However, to start, we’d recommend something simple, relaxing, and stress-free. We’re talking about adult coloring, of course! Adult coloring has been all the rage in recent years, and for good reason. Imagine the coloring books of your childhood, but then add much more detail. That’s adult coloring books. Why are they all the rage? For one, the variety of different styles and difficulties are vast. Secondly, it’s been shown to reduce stress and induce a level of calm over the person doing the coloring. So grab some colored pencils and an adult coloring book, and get creative!
Creative Music
We don’t mean listening to music (even though that’s a great thing), we’re talking about making music. You don’t know how to play an instrument? That’s alright. In fact, learning an instrument is a very creative thing to do, and helps with brain strength. We recommend a cheap instrument to start, like an acoustic guitar or even a recorder. But, if actual instruments are too cumbersome or expensive, you can actually download musical instruments on your phone, in the form of apps. There are tons of apps that mimic musical instruments and are super easy to use and play. The apps can help you bring out your creativity with ease.
Writing
Writing is something that has been done for thousands of years. One does not need to be a master in order to write. All it takes is a basic understanding of the written word, a computer, or pen and paper, and some creativity.
The biggest question is, of course, what does one write about? Well, if you’re retired, then you likely have some spare time. This is a great time to write your memoirs. Write your entire life history. This is something that would be a cherished item for your family members. However, if memoirs aren’t your style, try some fiction. Create a world, characters, and a story, and get the words on the paper. Feeling writer’s block? Most writers when they have writer’s block will get up and walk around, listen to music, or cook something. These activities can help invigorate your creativity and bring the words back to your brain.
Conclusion
Creativity is such a fun thing to explore, especially in your senior years. Why? There’s more time, a willingness, and the reward is worth every moment. We hope that during International Creativity Month, you’ll find and explore your creative side. Be well.
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