Unlocking the power of creativity for a healthy nervous system

There is a good chance that somewhere in your history lives a version of you who used to make things just because you enjoyed it.

Maybe you painted, baked elaborate things for no reason or made music. Maybe you wrote, folded origami, rearranged a bookshelf until it felt just right, or spent an oddly satisfying amount of time at Officeworks choosing the perfect pen. (Or was that just me…?!)

And then life got busy.

Work. Family. Friends. Mental load. Errands. Dinner – Every. Single. Night. The endless practicalities of being a grown up.

Suddenly, creativity might have started to feel like something you would get back to later. Perhaps after everything else was done, which, as we all know, is a time that never arrives!

For many women, creative time slips quietly down to the bottom of the list. It can start to feel indulgent or optional when there are so many seemingly more pressing things to do.

But what if creativity is not a luxury at all? What if making something with your hands, or choosing colours, scents, textures, and words, is not a distraction from real life but part of what helps you cope with it, enjoy it and thrive in it?

Creativity does not have to be a reward for productivity. Instead, it can be a practical and nourishing way to settle an overstretched nervous system, reconnect with the present moment and come back to yourself.

The invisible load is real

Let us be honest about what life can look like as you have the blessing of getting older.

You may be supporting children or friends who need you in ever-changing ways, while also caring for ageing parents. You may be navigating perimenopause or menopause, carrying a body that is asking new things of you while the world carries on as though nothing has changed. You may be working, managing a home, keeping track of everyone else’s needs, and quietly wondering when exactly you became the person who has to remember everybody’s appointments and things like when it is time to have the gutters cleaned again.

And often it is not one dramatic thing, but the cumulative effect of many responsibilities, decisions and small acts of emotional labour, repeated day after day.  I'm not suggesting that you necessarily mind doing those things, but it can be a lot. Your nervous system carries all of that.

After enough time, tension can begin to feel normal. An overthinking mind can feel normal. Feeling flat, scattered, or a little disconnected at the end of the day can feel normal too. This creation of a “new normal” in this way is where you have adapted to a level of strain that was never meant to feel ordinary.

It also means that what you need, or what will help you may need to be more subtle, multi-faceted and supportive than simply telling yourself to relax or rest more.

What happens when you make something

When you become absorbed in a simple creative task, something shifts.

You start choosing colours. Arranging things. Blending scents. Cutting, sticking, writing, shaping. Your attention gathers in the present moment, not because you have forced it there, but because the task itself invites you in.

Your hands have to be there for it. Your senses have to be there for it.

For a little while, the mental tabs open in your brain may begin to close. Or at least reduce from forty hundred and thirty-seven to something more manageable.

This is partly why creative activity can feel so restorative and mindful. It draws you into the present, engages the senses, and can often quieten the constant churn of thinking.

Research increasingly suggests that arts-based activities can support wellbeing and help reduce stress. The World Health Organization has noted that the arts can play a meaningful role in promoting health and supporting wellbeing.[1] Some smaller studies have also found reductions in cortisol after art making, suggesting that creative activity may influence the body’s stress response as well as mood.[2] There is also evidence that art therapy may help reduce anxiety and improve quality of life in women experiencing anxiety. [3]

That does not mean every crafty moment becomes a profound spiritual awakening.  However it does mean that doing something creative may be more supportive than you give it credit for.

You do not need to be artistic

If you’re thinking, “well that’s all very well but I am not the LEAST bit artistic”… please hear me out on this.

The kind of creativity that is often most regulating is not necessarily the kind that produces a masterpiece, or anything remotely Pinterest-worthy.

In fact, when there is pressure to make something impressive, the whole thing can become surprisingly stressful. Suddenly we are not relaxing at all. We are evaluating the colour combination as though our entire self-worth depends on it.

What often works best is low pressure, sensory creativity. The sort where the process matters more than the outcome.

Choosing a colour because you like it.

Using a sticker because it makes you smile.

Reaching for a scent because something about it feels right.

These are small acts, but they can be quietly powerful. They ask a simple question that many women do not get asked nearly often enough:

"What do I want right now?"

Why scent can be so grounding

Smell is a fascinating sense because it is so closely linked with memory and emotion. A scent can transport you somewhere instantly. To a place, a feeling, a season of life, or a version of yourself you might not have not felt in quite a while. They can also just be incredibly beautiful, grounding, joyful or just plain enjoyable to smell!

This is one of the reasons essential oils can be such a supportive part of a reflective practice.

When you pause and really smell something, your attention is drawn into the present. You notice brightness, warmth, softness, sharpness, comfort. You move out of your head and into direct experience.

And when you choose a scent for yourself, something else can happen too. You begin listening inward as you think about what you are drawn to, and what you might need more of.

Blending essential oils together adds another layer. It becomes sensory, creative, absorbing, and personal. It is not about getting it “right”. Instead it is about noticing what you like, what you respond to, and what feels good.

A quiet word on chakras

If you are new to chakra meditation, you do not need to arrive with any prior knowledge, special vocabulary, or a flowing white outfit.

The chakra system can simply be approached as a reflective map. A way of noticing different aspects of your experience such as groundedness, creativity, confidence, connection, expression, or perspective, and listening to what you need.

Used in this way, chakra meditation is about using the chakras as a structure for paying attention to your body and your experience. It invites curiosity, breath, awareness, and reflection.

When paired with colour, scent, creativity, and intention, it can become a very accessible and embodied experience.

The Aligned workshop

That is the philosophy behind the Aligned workshop on Sunday 26 April 2026, from 1.30 - 3.30 pm. It is designed to be both deeply relaxing and also fun. We will begin with a guided chakra meditation to help you settle, reconnect, and anchor into your body.

From there, we move into creative and sensory practices that are warm, accessible, and enjoyable.

You will create your own personalised essential oil roller blend to take home, along with an affirmation card that reflects something you want to carry forward. There is no right way to do any of it. No standard to meet. No expectation that you are a secret artistic genius.

Just space to slow down, tune in, and make something meaningful for yourself.

When I ran this sold-out workshop in 2025, the feeling in the room was one of warmth, presence, connection, joy and fun. People genuinely relaxed, they enjoyed the creative process, and there was something lovely about sharing that experience in community.

No experience is needed with meditation, chakras, essential oils, or creative activities. You do not need to be good at any of those things. You just need to come as you are.

If you have been craving a chance to exhale, reconnect with yourself, and do something that feels both calming and enjoyable, I would love to welcome you. Spaces are limited so please book your spot now!

Aligned: A Chakra Meditation and Essential Oils Workshop

Sunday 26 April 2026

1.30 pm to 3.30 pm. Click HERE to book.

 References:

[1] Fancourt D, Finn S. What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2019.

[2] Kaimal G, Ray K, Muniz J. (2016). Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association. 33(2):74-80.

[3] Abbing A, Baars EW, de Sonneville L, Ponstein AS, & Swaab H (2019). The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology. 10:1203.