In a world where chaos seems to reign it’s easy to get overwhelmed with doubt, stress, and uncertainty. So many people I know (including me) spend every moment held down with worry or anxiety. It almost feels impossible to do anything but worry some days.

Mr. Bennett offers a solution to this challenge in the form of creativity. The idea here is that when we are creating, when we are doing, when we are in action then we no longer can focus on the worry that otherwise controls our minds. I know the thought going through your mind right now because it’s also echoing in mine. “Be creative? I’m not creative.” Yes you are! Being creative isn’t about painting the Sistine Chapel or sculpting David. Creativity can be coloring with crayons, writing down a positive memory, or finding some joke to tell people.

Creativity looks different for us all because we are unique individuals who function differently. Much like your worries aren’t the same as those around you, the creativity you use to break the cycle of worry will also be different. The key is to find what does work for you and run with it! For me, I do paint by number. It’s challenging and creative without the pressure of having to come up with the design.

So what is your creative? You know your worries and while you can’t control what may be causing them, you can fight against the worries themselves. Go bake some cookies! Throw on music and dance! Write your own jokes! Creativity can look like anything and it’s the greatest weapon against worry! Go create! And show us what you’ve done to overcome your worry and email us here.

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is the Arizona Outpatient Support Services Manager at RI International and the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer. Her goals are to make a connection with everyone that she can while building community, spreading hope, and sparking change. She believes that while life may not be easy, it is never lived alone.