Mood Boosters

Drawing, Doodling, & Coloring are Mood Boosters

I was listening to a LifeKit podcast episode the other day on “Boost your mood in 15 minutes.” There were several interesting suggestions, like movement and taking a cold plunge, but the one that resonated with me was creating something.

On the podcast, they spoke with Girija Kaimal, who is a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy. According to Kaimal’s research, creating or making art “helps us navigate problems that might arise in the future.” Our imagination is “preparing us to imagine possibilities.”

Creating can boost your mood and lower stress and cortisol levels.

“Engaging in any sort of visual expression - coloring, doodling, free drawing - results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated, which means that you feel good. And it's perceived as a pleasurable experience.” - Girija Kaimal

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Something about the conversation with Girija Kamal made me reflect back on drawing as a very young child. Unlike the character Stephen Dedalus in James Joyce’s book ‘A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.’ I did not grow up to feel dark and disconnected from society. Drawing, doodling, and creating have been sources of happiness for me since I was able to hold a pencil. My mother is an artist and has always encouraged me to draw and create. She always had a scrap piece of paper and pen or pencil handy for me to draw at boring adult functions. Perhaps that is why sketchnoting has always come natural to me in meetings. 😉 

When I was a Young Warthog

James Joyce’s book popped into my head at the same moment that Pumbaa’s intro to the song “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King started playing in my head. It seemed the perfect match and definitely as a mood booster. I drew the illustration above to include my version of Pumbaa in the newsletter this week.

Speaking of Hakuna Matata, have no worries when you create. Create quickly and find the joy in it. It does not have to be perfect. Just create something.

Be kind to yourself on your creative journey.

Here are my initial sketches for the illustrations.

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You made it to the end of the newsletter. You probably already guessed that the video this week would be Hakuna Matata. 😊

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