I Still Believe....

As far as the activity goes, it doesn't really matter. Writing, panting, or even doodling on a sheet of paper can do something to your attitude.

I believe everyone needs a creative past time. An emotional and intellectual outlet that has absolutely nothing to do with ones agenda. In fact, the less it has to do with a schedule the better. As a country, we are dying from symptoms of stress. When the day is done our brains crave refreshment. When a day is especially stressful i feel burned out. I can't stand normal socialization. Having to talk to anybody, even a friend and especially a family member, is absolute torture. When I look back on the previous years of my student career, i can't help feel that stress levels are at an all time high. I can tell that everyone around me is just as stressed as i am. I think many of us are missing the key solution to abolish, or at least pacify our stress.

I was very lucky to go to The Waldorf School for elementary and middle school. The whole curriculum of Waldorf was infused with creative activities that relaxed and refreshed your mind. Our daily schedule would include at lest one hands-on, creative activity a day. Activities such as knitting and sewing, water paints, gardening, form drawling, and playing various instruments were part of our natural learning process. I have grown a lot since then, still, I can't remember feeling any stress as a student at Waldorf. I believe that is because of the unique curriculum.

When i left Waldorf and went to the public high school in my area, i realized that i needed to take the time to incorporate the same theme from my previous education into my current one. Even though I enrolled in an art class at the school, it was not the same. I got into the habit of having little projects that were spontaneous and random. Often this was finding pictures or other items of personal memorabilia and attaching it to the growing collage on my wall in my room, other times it was fixing a seem on a jacket or patching a pair of old jeans. Today, when i need a break from something, I try picking up a pencil and some paper, or appropriately putting to use a bottle of spray paint can change something about my manner. Every time, even if I fail completely at my little project, I feel better after putting my mind into something hands on.