I used to think creativity had to look like something serious: writing a novel, a side hustle, learning how to paint, the perfect 100‑day TikTok project. Until I realized that creativity doesn’t have to be productivity‑adjacent at all. It can be simple, small, alive, and deeply nourishing.

“Creativity doesn’t have to be productivity‑adjacent at all. It can be simple, small, alive, and deeply nourishing.”

Some things that nourish me? Writing one line of poetry a day. Making a mood board just for the way it feels. Collaging cutouts from magazines while a favorite album plays. Learning a random dance step because it makes my shoulders loosen and my muscles feel warm. These are intentional actions that matter to your wellbeing.

Think of it this way: Creativity is not just a skill. It’s a form of play — and play is, remarkably, a profound wellness practice. 🫧

Creativity helps your brain, literally

When we create, our brains don’t just entertain ideas; they change. Research in neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself and form new neural connections, shows that engaging in creative activities stimulates regions tied to emotional processing, problem‑solving, and adaptability. It enhances cognitive flexibility and emotional resilience, encouraging the brain to grow and adapt rather than stay in rigid patterns. That sounds pretty cool, right?

This means something as simple as doodling, knitting, playing with color, or crafting can be an act of mental self‑care. If it helps, think of creativity as a way to strengthen your brain.

Creativity reduces stress and supports emotional health

Across studies, creative participation — whether visual art, dance, or music — activates neural circuits involved in emotional regulation and stress reduction. In fact, research has found that engaging with creative arts consistently activates the medial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, brain regions implicated in emotional regulation strategies similar to those used in therapy. Other work shows that creative expression can lower subjective stress, improve attention, and support better emotional expression overall.

“Across studies, creative participation — whether visual art, dance, or music — activates neural circuits involved in emotional regulation and stress reduction.”

The American Psychological Association even highlights creative arts like movement, theater, and music as powerful ways to support mental health and recovery, noting that these forms of engagement provide ways to express feelings that words alone often can’t.

In other words, creative play doesn’t just feel good; it also works with your brain and nervous system in ways that promote calm, processing, and resilience.

Creativity strengthens your sense of wellbeing

The relationship between creativity and emotional well‑being is supported by empirical research. In a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found a bidirectional relationship between creativity and subjective well‑being. Participants who engaged in creativity‑priming tasks (think exercises designed to stimulate creative thinking), reported significantly higher subjective well‑being scores than those in control conditions, even when controlling for stress. This suggests that creative activity can actively boost well‑being, not just reflect it.

“The relationship between creativity and emotional well‑being is supported by empirical research.”

Another large‑scale study with more than 7,000 adults in England showed that regular engagement in arts and crafting predicted increases in happiness, life satisfaction, and a stronger sense that life is worthwhile. Note: This is even after accounting for other demographic factors as well.

These research findings are important because subjective well‑being is linked to physical health and longevity. Reviews of longitudinal studies show that higher well‑being is associated with better cardiovascular health, stronger immune function, and lower risk of mortality over time.

Play isn’t just for kids — adults need it, too

Play is often miscategorized as something meant only for children, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In adulthood, play becomes not only a source of joy but a powerful tool for supporting mental health, emotional regulation, and resilience. Research has shown that playful activities in adults can reduce cortisol, boost endorphins, and promote positive coping mechanisms in place of anxiety and rumination.

“In adulthood, play becomes not only a source of joy but a powerful tool for supporting mental health, emotional regulation, and resilience.”

One of the most well-known psychological benefits of creative play is the experience of flow, a state of full immersion and timeless engagement described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. During flow, we become deeply present: Hours pass in minutes, self-consciousness slips away, and we feel both calm and energized. Flow has been directly linked to greater happiness, reduced anxiety, and a stronger sense of meaning and purpose in daily life. In other words, adult play lightens the mood and it expands our capacity to live well.

Creativity as a practice

Part of the beauty of creative play is that it doesn’t demand output or monetization; it simply invites experience and curiosity. That’s a different energy than trying to be creative for productivity’s sake, public consumption, a side hustle, and so on. You don’t need to publish a poem or start a business with your collage skills. Remember, you’re doing this for you. (After all, isn’t that what really matters in the end?)

Creativity practiced as play means:

• You lose track of time instead of watching it
• You feel, instead of analyzing
• You experiment instead of judging
• You enjoy without a deadline

That shift from evaluation to play is deeply restorative. Now, let’s chat about how to do this.

How to bring creative play into your life (without pressure)

Here are ways to invite creative play into your routine that aren’t about output or productivity:

• One‑Line Daily Poetry: Write one line of poetry each day with no need to finish a poem. Let it be an emotional snapshot. If you end up in a flow state and end up with a full poem, that’s even sweeter, but not required.
• Mood Boards for Moods: Create a board that reflects how you feel today, not what you want to inspire. It’s about getting lost in curiosity. You can even apply this mindset to making music playlists for moods, too.
• Collage Sessions with Music: Pick a song you love and make cuts that visually respond to it.
• Movement Play: Learn a dance step or improvise a movement sequence just because your body feels it.
• Object Play: Sketch, sculpt, doodle, or build with clay with absolutely no plan or expectation.

Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way encouraged millions to tap into daily creative routines — including morning pages, a practice that revitalized my own approach to wellbeing and creativity — as ways to clear inner clutter and rediscover authentic expression. Rather than stressing performance, the practice teaches openness and self‑kindness which fits beautifully with a play‑as‑wellness philosophy.

Final thought: Play is a lifeline, not a luxury

Creative play is not frivolous. It’s a way of nurturing your nervous system, reorganizing your brain, and allowing space for new meaning and joy. In a culture that often equates worth with productivity, choosing to play feels radical. But the science shows it’s also restorative and healing.

“In a culture that often equates worth with productivity, choosing to play feels radical. But the science shows it’s also restorative and healing.”

So the next time you resist that urge to dance in your living room, to paint with your favorite colors, to write a single line of poetry, or to make a quirky collage just for fun, don’t hold yourself back. And remember this: Creativity isn’t something you do when you have time. It’s something your mind and soul need to thrive.

Stephanie Valente is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a copywriter and editor covering wellness, commerce, lifestyle — and more — for publications like Brooklyn Magazine. Based in Brooklyn, she’s often writing poetry, getting lost in a book, or hanging out with her dog.