As a military spouse, mother of two children under 5, and community activist, I felt depleted of energy and time even before the word “coronavirus” became ever-present in our news cycle. And then COVID-19 hit. It’s no secret that the pandemic put even more pressure on so many of us already struggling with mental health, particularly mothers, and I began to feel overwhelmed by anxiety and depression. RELATED: The Mental Health Toll of Parenting During a Pandemic I benefited from therapy, but 50 minutes once a week wasn’t enough. The voice in my head — and also the internet, ha ha — said that a hobby could provide some needed distraction and help me regain my sense of autonomy. I loved the relief I felt when gardening, but it demanded patience I didn’t have. I needed something less passive. I began noticing waist beads, designs with centuries of spiritual significance in many African cultural traditions. On my birthday I embraced the cliché of “new year, new you” and jumped headfirst into creating my own beaded pieces for what I hoped would be my “yellow year,” a color symbolizing energy and joy. I won’t lie and say I anticipated I could solve all my issues with beads and wires. But I was optimistic that I could make something beautiful in the process. Beading and wiring helped me reflect on the importance of seeing a plan through before allowing my anxiety to stop me from trying. I liked that the beads weren’t just beautiful; they came in enough colors to reflect the complexities of the conflicting emotions I felt in a day. There was no need to run from sadness; I’d use it as inspiration. Mixing different shades of earthy and eccentric colors helped me ground myself despite the uncertainty I felt when anxiety would show up unexpectedly. The focus required to bend and shape wire over my tools and finger gave me a sense of control. When making my designs I trusted my judgment in ways I couldn’t in other circumstances. I learned it was okay to do things my way since I didn’t have the patience to follow online tutorials. The pieces I made were often inspired by something else but were ultimately one-of-a-kind freestyles. I got into the habit of working on a necklace or choker moments before online meetings or presentations. Knowing I’d produced something personally meaningful reminded me that I could show up for myself as well as for others. It was even more satisfying to share the finished work with my loved ones. It felt like I could communicate my emotions to them through the pieces I’d made in ways I couldn’t with words. RELATED: 69 Top Self-Care Tips for Taking Care of You During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Research on Creativity Highlights a Pandemic Boost
Initial discussions about the mental health challenges of the pandemic emphasized how to preserve productivity amidst so much uncertainty. We’ve only recently started exploring the role of creativity, particularly the ways in which it can act as a buffer to emotional turmoil. In the article “Meaning-Making Through Creativity During COVID-19,” published in Frontiers in Psychology in December 2020, researchers describe creative pastimes as “an adaptive and resilient response to the ongoing pandemic.” New forms of creativity, they say, include professional artists offering online classes to help parents engage their children during lockdowns and “laypeople turning to the creative arts to seek solace and make sense of the ongoing crisis.” The researchers also describe a mental state that psychologists call “flow.” “This sensation of being immersed in something creative, often losing track of time and one’s surroundings, can be intensely joyful,” they write. “Living a life filled with such pleasures is one way to enhance significance.” According to a survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by Canva, the online design platform, personal creativity boomed as Americans looked for new ways to find fulfillment during the pandemic. The survey, released in December 2020, found that about half the respondents had taken up a new creative hobby, or resumed an old one, since the arrival of COVID-19. The survey also identified the most commonly practiced creative pastimes of 2020. Experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen topped the list (37 percent), followed by gardening (28 percent), painting (20 percent), photography (20 percent), and drawing (19 percent). RELATED: When the Pandemic Hands Us Uncertainty, We Bake
Creativity Can Become a Business
Notably, the survey found that nearly 30 percent of respondents used their creative efforts to start a new side hustle, looking for a way to relieve the financial anxieties that accompany job insecurity during the pandemic. For Harmony Jackson, a dancer and fiber artist in Miami, the pandemic brought new opportunities for creativity, business growth, and a merging of the two. Jackson used her dance and Pilates background to launch an intensive online program for individuals looking to improve their core strength. She also developed an e-handbook for her crochet bikini boutique Hmoney Factory, giving others access to her designs.
Why It’s Important to Make Creativity Accessible to All
As a Black woman living within a network of marginalized identities, I know I am fortunate to have the stability and space to create. Despite the stressors I face, my life has a level of flexibility (and dedicated leisure funds) that many others with mental health concerns, especially parents, do not possess. Estefania Alvarez-Zumarraga, an expressive arts and mental health clinician at the therapy group Art of Counseling in St. Paul, Minnesota, notes the numerous barriers in the way of creative pursuits that historically limit (and often rob) Black, Hispanic, and other marginalized individuals. “Oftentimes, marginalized communities live in underinvested neighborhoods, and some families are still working on maintaining their basic needs and therefore have fewer resources to invest in creative opportunities,” Alvarez-Zumarraga says. Groups like Art of Counseling and the Black Art Therapist Network are working to increase access. As a personal pandemic-era project, Alvarez-Zumarraga installed a mini gallery in her front yard where she hosted free, tiny art exhibitions. Visitors could take home a piece of art, contribute their own work, or simply look. “With my project, I experienced the joy of providing a zen experience for my community,” Alvarez-Zumarraga says. “It has induced smiles from my neighbors, as well as a moment for people to stop and reflect, or prioritize their own mindfulness, that even if just for a moment, can be beneficial to one’s day.” RELATED: Self-Care, According to a Black Queer Social Justice Advocate
How to Get Started With a New Creative Pastime
Alvarez-Zumarraga says people who want to use creative hobbies to fight stress should start small and test various mediums. “Try one hour with paper and watercolors, another hour taking photos (even just from your phone), and another hour molding with a small amount of clay,” she advises. “Consider journaling along the way to track how present you feel and how your emotions changed or didn’t change.” She says individuals should see which methods work for them and gradually increase the amount of time they spend. RELATED: How to Start a Self-Care Routine You’ll Follow
Creativity Beyond the Pandemic
It’s been about a year since I’ve started using jewelry making as a coping tool, and in that time I’ve finished around 40 pieces. When I’m making a piece or scoping out the best materials for a new project, I’m learning to explore who I am and practicing joyful, self-led creation in a productivity-obsessed world. There are moments when I fear I’ll abandon this hobby, as I have given up others at other times in my life; when the pressure to stay on my self-imposed, workaholic schedule becomes a source of mild stress in itself. But then I think about the feeling of holding a new masterpiece, of how it reminds me of all the beauty in the world and makes me feel capable. Whether I end up making jewelry once a week or once every six months, I know this hobby will be important for my mental health even after the COVID-19 crisis is over. We all deserve the opportunity to be creative during the pandemic, and beyond.
