In mainstream culture, wellbeing is often tied to goal-setting and achievement, especially during the start of the new year. While goal-setting and reaching milestones is not a bad thing in itself, having a tight focus on results and productivity can create unnecessary stress and burnout which can be one of the reasons why many people leave their resolutions behind early in the year. This is where creativity comes into play. Utilizing different methods to switch up routines and find new, refreshing ways of doing things can create fun and exciting pathways for reaching healthy outcomes.
Wellbeing is incredibly varied and personal. If I were to ask 10 different people to define wellbeing, I would get 10 different answers. Wellbeing is layered, complex, and intersectional: there are many ways to “be well” or to find happiness, health, and comfort in our bodies, minds, and states of being. Having a creative mindset contributes to finding strategies, methods, and frameworks that fit around exploration, meeting personal needs, and accessing different aspects of wellbeing.
Something I love about CampusRec is how we understand and promote wellbeing as a holistic framework, represented nicely by a wheel split into 8 dimensions: physical, social, spiritual, environmental, financial, occupational, emotional, and intellectual. While these dimensions seem separate, many overlap, interact, and relate to one another. Take the Restorative Yoga Group X Class for example. Participants move their physical bodies by practicing yoga poses and stretches while simultaneously gaining spiritual benefits with meditation. Student-led Rec Clubs offer members a chance to create social connections while engaging in physical activities, promoting wellbeing through the social and physical categories.
Through interviews of Campus Rec staff, a creative, experimental and playful approach to wellbeing emerged.
The way staff use creative strategies illustrates how a creative mindset can enhance wellbeing overall and the approach toward wellbeing goals.
August Lingbloom, a Student Building Supervisor Student Coordinator, tracks different areas of wellbeing by keeping a bingo sheet and that way he completes small, more achievable goals.
Jada, a Member Services staff, journals as a way to express emotion. She keeps what she calls a “junk journal” to write, collage, or create anything as a way to not take moments in her life too seriously while still expressing creativity.
Maddie Crocker, the Health Promotions intern, varies her exercise and movement routines to enhance wellbeing, saying “Utilizing different kinds of movement- I enjoy strength training, but lately I have also incorporated yoga and some cardio.”
If you find yourself getting stuck, or unable to reach a wellbeing goal or outcome, try changing your perspective on what it is you are trying to achieve and the methods you use to get there. Bring some creativity into your life, even in small ways, and see if it opens up new ways of thinking. Regardless of the area of wellbeing, creative thinking can provide a fresh boost to your goals and motivation to get there. Creativity means thinking outside the box, and finding new avenues to explore how you can find success in what you want to achieve. In this way, the journey of finding your way to improved wellbeing can be just as fun and playful as the end goal itself!