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Does Creativity Make you Happier? Psychologists Explain How

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Not an artist, writer or singer? Doesn't matter. You don't have to be one to express your creative self. According to experts, even if everyone has a difference set of talents and skills, anyone can be creative. Just practice any form of art to make your soul grow.

This is a similar recommendation of psychologists in a recent study in New Zealand where they concluded that being engaged in creative activities can nurture positive emotions and psychological and overall well-being.

And according to creativity researcher Dr. Shelley Carson "Increases in positive mood broaden attention and allow us to see more possible solutions to creative problems."

This does not only hold true for people who work in the creative fields, because this can be applied even for people who immerse themselves for creative hobbies like sketching, writing or playing an instrument.

In a study published November 17 in the Journal of Positive Psychology, 658 participants were made to keep a diary for 13 days where they had to rate how creative they were during the day and describe how they feel or their overall mood. At the end of the experiment, the volunteers felt how being immersed in creativity have brought in a positive personal growth. They said that they actually felt more energized and enthusiastic.

"This finding suggests a particular kind of upward spiral for well-being and creativity," Dr. Tamlin Conner, a psychologist at New Zealand's University of Otago and the study's lead author, said in a press release. "Engaging in creative behavior leads to increases in well-being the next day, and this increased well-being is likely to facilitate creative activity on the same day."

Immersing in creative activities is also known to help reduce levels of stress and anxiety, and has been associated to improving mental and physical well-being.

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