According to a new study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, getting creative- just once a day- can help us to create our own happiness. Researchers Tamlin Conner, Colin DeYoung, and Paul Silvia found that spending time on creative goals could boost a person’s “Positive Affect” the next day. Positive affect is feeling more enthusiastic and positive in oneself.
In other words, people felt a better sense of well-being the day after being creative. Being happy or joyful can, in turn, encourage people to continue being creative. This is a wonderful positive feedback loop of wellbeing!
You don’t have to be an artist to be creative, though. Creative time can mean 
writing a poem, snapping pictures of everyday things that catch your eye, trying out a new recipe in the kitchen, knitting a scarf, doodling on a notepad, playing an instrument, making a page in a scrapbook, dancing in a zumba class or even belting out a song on your way to work.
So if you’re struggling with the winter blahs, or just need a little more spark in your life, give the experiment a try. Start simple, start small, but start. Each day, try just one little thing to let out your creativity. Being creative feels good. I hope it leads to many happy moments for you
Thanks,
Marla Bender
To read the entire research paper, visit:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1257049?scroll=top&needAccess=true&