Have you ever felt overwhelmed with stress and emotions? Or maybe the opposite, you have not felt anything for awhile now? There are many methods to get back in tune with your body and emotions. I found art to be an extremely useful mindfulness practice. Whether it’s painting, drawing, sculpting, even photography, let everything you have been feeling or have been wanting to feel take center stage.

Now, gather your materials and set an intention before you create this piece. Are you looking to release emotions? Are you looking to bring more joy into your life? Remember this as you dive into creating your artwork.

The more intention placed into your art, the more personal it becomes, which allows more room for healing. Make this experience memorable by picking a quiet area, playing music or guided meditation, and making every stroke matter. Every color can symbolize different emotions, like shapes. You may be looking to release anger, so you choose reds and deep oranges as your colors. While creating this piece, you envision your anger leaving your body and showcase that by splattering paint across the canvas and making more jagged lines. Remember that the whole point of this process is to become more in tune with your emotions and body. The piece should reflect your intention, and it does not matter how the finished piece looks because you designed it perfectly for the moment.

The more time you spend creating, the easier it becomes to process emotions and allow yourself to stay present. There is no skill required, just an intention and the willingness to create. This is your own form of expression, every piece is a direct reflection of your soul and your unique perspective. Art will always be there and with so many different forms to explore it opens up doorways to all kinds of creative expression.