6 Ways to Engage Your Senses for Creativity & Well-being

Jul 10

Bird's eye view photo of an open notebook decorated with stickers, stamps, flowers, and gift tags. A messy paint palette is posed just above the notebook and a bunch of dried roses are set on top of it. The colors are muted and soft.

My daughter sings more when she’s stressed. She’s always loved to sing, and now that she’s back in our house after graduating college, I hear her voice all the time. I can tell when she’s stressed because she sings more, soothing herself with music. My mom likes to paint, and I enjoy crafting with paper, making cards, and painting. When I let myself craft and create, I find it healing.

Creativity is a potent force in our well-being, allowing us to access our unconscious mind. It also helps us regulate our nervous systems, flooding our systems with dopamine. Creativity, without a goal or a product in mind, can help you know yourself more deeply.

Here are 6 ways to use your senses to enhance your creativity and wellness:

#1: Sight

Seek Beauty

Let your eyes feast on inspiring and beautiful visuals that spark your creativity. Surround yourself with natural beauty and update your indoor spaces with vibrant colors and art you love.

Here are some ways to bring beauty to indoor spaces:

Use Feng Shui principles to decrease clutter and increase energy flow
Try out Dopamine Decor to make your heart and your inner child happy
Bring natural beauty indoors with plants and beautiful stones

Visualize

Practice visualization techniques to spark your passion and generate ideas for your goals and future. Whether you create a vision board or use your favorite markers and notebook, you can unlock new ideas by engaging your right brain. Eliminate digital distractions and let yourself flow.

#2: Sound

Listen to Music

Sound is a powerful and underused tool for healing. Imagine that you’re a filmmaker creating the soundtrack for your life. Listen to music that enhances your mood and creativity, such as instrumental or natural sounds. Experiment with playlists and artists to find something that your brain loves.

Enjoy singing? Do that too! Singing helps tone the vagus nerve, which plays a critical role in our nervous system's “rest and digest” cycles. For anyone who “can’t sing,” don’t worry–your vagus nerve doesn’t care how good you are.

Be Mindful

Practice mindfulness and meditate to focus on the sounds around you and quiet your mind. Close your eyes and identify the sounds that are the furthest away from you. Gradually bring your attention closer until you focus on the sounds closest to your body.

#3: Touch

Engage in Tactile Activities

Step away from your phone and computer and get physical. Practice a craft without any preconceived notions or plans. If this is hard for you, set a timer for 5 minutes and let yourself draw, paint, or sculpt until the time is up. Increase the time gradually to expand your capacity to operate without a plan.

Here are a few things to try:

Get a blank sheet of paper and draw whatever comes to mind without judgment
Find some playdough, follow your instincts, and have some fun
Doodle with your eyes closed, then try to make an image out of your doodle

Practice Abhyanga

Practice self-massage to release tension in your body and stimulate your senses. Abhyanga is a self-massage with oil, a powerful practice in Ayurveda that calms the nervous system. This practice is traditionally done in the morning, starting at the head and going all the way down to the feet and toes. But that's not always practical in modern life, so do it when you can.

I often suggest a shorter version for your bedtime routine: massage the feet with some warm oil. Take three to five minutes to give your soles some love and attention. Your feet carry you throughout the world all day, every day, and your feet connect you to the earth. When you're doing any self-massage with oil, do it with gratitude and compassion for your body.

#4: Taste

Put Your Taste Buds to the Test

Experiment with new and creative recipes that incorporate a variety of flavors and textures. Update a favorite recipe with a new ingredient or topping to mix things up. You can also flavor your water with fruits that are in season. I recommend drinking a glass of warm water with lemon or lime first thing in the morning.

Be Mindful

Savor your meals and snacks mindfully, paying attention to the taste, texture, and aroma of each bite. This is especially important in Ayurveda. In Ayurveda, we say that when, where, and how you eat are just as important as what you eat. Make each meal matter by setting your table, putting away technology, and being present to each bite.

#5: Smell

Follow Your Nose

Breathe in natural scents to open your senses. Find natural scents to shake up your energy and keep you moving. Here are a few of my favorite ways to engage smell:

Open your windows or take a walk to breathe in fresh air
Use natural cleaners in your home to remove dust and stagnation
Buy flowers or candles that uplift your senses

Aromatherapy

Use essential oils in a diffuser to stimulate your mood and creativity. Try peppermint or lavender for boosting creativity, or any scent that you love.

#6: Movement

Physical Movement

Exercise matters, of course, but movement can be creative too! Look to the kids in your life for inspiration and get your body moving. Physical activity releases endorphins, one of the happy hormones that help us feel good.

Here are some creative ways to get moving:

Play an outdoor game like Spikeball or tag
Take a break from your desk with a 5-minute dance party
Try a new yoga practice

Breathwork

Practice pranayama, or breathwork, to regulate your breathing and calm your mind. You can increase your energy with just your breath. Plus, it’s free and always available to you.

I hope you find these resources helpful the next time you feel stuck! Engaging your creative mind can move your energy and help you know yourself better.

Be well,

Dr. Avanti