There is a direct relationship between gratitude and creativity. Gratitude enhances our mood, lifts our spirits, and helps us cope with stress and anxiety. Actively cultivating gratitude increases happiness which in turn boosts productivity, and creativity.
Scientific studies have proven a link between happiness and creative problem solving. Experiencing positive emotions like gratitude, joy, and play, can help us remember peripheral details more vividly, and encourages thinking outside the box which leads to more creativity. Gratitude gives birth to great ideas, and is especially beneficial to artists and other creators.
“Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful, no matter what happened in my life.” ~Oprah Winfrey
Nevertheless, ForTheCreators.com points out, “It’s easy to fall into the trap of relentlessly focusing on what’s lacking while you chase your next goal but it’s important to come back to where you are and recognize what you’re thankful for right now. Instead of lamenting your lack of progress, time, materials, money, support or all the other things that you feel hold you back, be thankful for where you’re at, how far you’ve come and your unique and wonderful place in this point in time in your creative journey.”
But what is gratitude? Gratitude is an important ingredient to a happy life. It is the consistent act of being grateful, or thankful. Gratitude is powerful.
Years ago, I had a friend who was deeply depressed. One gloomy winter’s day, she sat and stared out her window and contemplated taking her own life. She could no longer think of one reason to live. Then in the middle of her misery, she happened to notice a lone yellow flower poking up through her snow-covered yard. Suddenly for just a moment, she felt gratitude for that beautiful little flower, and for the first sign of spring. From there she looked up and noticed the dark clouds were clearing, and she was grateful for the blue sky. Then she felt thankful for the cheery birds flitting by, and the new buds on the trees, and the neighbor children playing in the snow, and… Before she knew it, her heart was filled with gratitude and she no longer wished to end her life. This is the simplified version of her true story. But, the moral is the fact that gratitude save my friend’s life. Today she continues to be grateful, happy and creative.
Gratitude is a state of being. Cultivating gratitude and creativity is a daily practice, and not just saved for Thanksgiving day! Remember, gratitude leads to happiness, and well-being which puts us in a good place to do our creative work, and to run our businesses more fully.
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” ~William Arthur Ward
I love these thoughts from the ForTheCreators.com blog:
BE THANKFUL FOR WHERE YOU’RE AT:
Be thankful for the time you do have to create, however small
Be thankful for the opportunity you have been given to learn your craft
Be thankful for the friends and family who do show you unconditional support
Be thankful for the materials you have that allow you to be creative
Be thankful for the space you have to create in
Be thankful for how far you’ve come
…and I will add, Be thankful for YOU!
Happy Thanksgiving and happy creating! ~Lori 🙂
Lori- Great reminder that we have much to be grateful for. Especially on Thanksgiving, after the tragedies in Paris and elsewhere. Beyond health and family, art and creativity are gifts we must never take for granted! Happy Thanksgiving.
I’m very late in thanking you! I hope you are having a great year…