Wellbeing Wednesday: Feeding the Soul. The Vital Importance of Embracing Your Creative Passion

Welcome back to Wellbeing Wednesday. Today, I want to talk about a part of our health that often gets pushed to the absolute bottom of the to-do list: our creativity. When life gets busy, the family schedule is packed, the world goes crazy, or the financial climate is loud, our creative passions are usually the first things we sacrifice. We tell ourselves that painting, singing, writing, acting, or picking up an instrument are “luxuries” we don’t have time for. We fall into the trap of thinking that if an activity doesn’t produce an income or cross an item off our chore list, it isn’t a productive use of our energy.

But as a music therapist and a theatre creative, I am here to tell you that embracing your creative passion isn’t an indulgence. It is essential maintenance for your soul. When you abandon your creative outlets, you aren’t just saving time; you are starving your authentic self.

I am very guilty of this. While I “create” every single day in my jobs, rarely do I let go and create purely for me, for my own soul.

I was spurred on to write this blog after my gig on Saturday night, where I got to sing my own arrangements just to entertain and feed my creative side. I always come alive during a gig and remember why I need my music. And I don’t say this lightly: I NEED IT. I need it to feed my soul, to remind me why I’m me, and to connect to an internal voice who, when I lose touch with her, limits my ability to love and care for myself in a very big way.

So, sitting down to write this today, I recorded this song. I intentionally made time to sit and record not only the piano and vocals, but to get my clarinet out, something I don’t do much anymore, which makes my soul sad. This recording was a half-hour’s work, tops. There is very little studio magic here; just one and a half run-throughs and away we go. It’s not perfect. It’s not going to set the world alight! There are missed pitches, dodgy recording moments, and the timing is rough, but it’s exactly how I felt today.

I adore the lyrics in this song, so I thought, why not? Creating for me, creating a song I never sing professionally, and bringing back my clarinet. Love it or hate it, I am putting it here for you to hear me, warts and all.

1. Creativity as a “Release Valve” for Stress

We swallow a lot of emotional tension throughout the week. We manage difficult conversations, handle unexpected bills, and hold space for everyone else’s worries. If that emotional energy has nowhere to go, it sits in our bodies as structural tension—tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, and an exhausted mind.

• The Music Therapy Link: The Creative Outlet. In therapy, we don’t look at creative expression as a way to make “perfect art.” We look at it as a form of non-verbal processing. Creativity is a safe highway for complex emotions to leave the body.
• The Practice: Give yourself five minutes today to engage in your passion completely free from expectations. If you love to sing, blast a track in the car and sing with zero regard for how “good” it sounds. If you love to paint, scribble colors on paper without worrying about the final image.
• The Goal: To move from “bottling up” your emotions to letting them flow.

2. Stepping into the “Flow State” (Your Mental Haven)

Have you ever been so lost in a creative project—whether it’s sewing, playing a piece on the piano, baking, or gardening—that you completely lost track of time? In psychology, this is known as the “Flow State.”

• The Science: When you are in a state of flow, your brain’s “Default Mode Network” (the part responsible for overthinking, worrying, and self-criticism) goes quiet. Your brain waves shift into an alpha or theta rhythm, which mimics deep meditation.
• Why it matters: Creativity is one of the few ways we can actively force our over-analytical, “Superwoman” brains to take a seat. It creates a portable, internal Haven where the demands of the outside world simply cannot reach you.

3. Reclaiming Identity Beyond Your “Roles”

It is incredibly easy to lose ourselves in our daily titles. We become “Mum,” “Teacher,” “Employee,” or “Caregiver.” We spend our lives performing these roles for the people around us.

• The Reconnection: Your creative passion is a direct line back to your Authentic Self. It reminds you of who you are when you aren’t serving anyone else. It honors your personal history, your unique perspective, and your individual voice.
• The Truth: When you protect your creative time, you are teaching your children, your partner, and yourself a powerful lesson: My joy matters. My inner world is worth cultivating.

Your Creative Wellbeing Toolkit:

• The “Messy Tries” Permission: Banish the “Public Critic.” Dedicate time to your passion where the goal is simply to play, fail beautifully, and enjoy the process.
• The Sonic Switch: If you can’t physically paint or write today, use music to spark your imagination. Close your eyes for three minutes and let a beautiful piece of instrumental music build a movie in your mind.
• The Tribe Share: Share your passion with someone else. Sing in a community choir, join an amateur dramatics group, or simply show a friend a poem you wrote. Connection multiplies creative joy.

You do not need to be a professional artist to live a creative life. You are the composer of your own wellbeing, and your heart song deserves to be heard. Put down the chore list for just a few moments this week, pick up your “instrument,” whatever it may be, and let yourself play.

Don’t ever be frightened to be creative, be authentic, be you!