“We don’t need to look at our horoscopes to know how our day will go. We know how to create a good day.”
– Mary Pipher, New York Times
By the time we reach the age of 70, our intelligence has crystallized. Our brains have all of the recipes to solve day-to-day problems. But the recipe for happiness can sometimes remain elusive. There can be loneliness and we may start to lose our sense of purpose. And these mental & emotional issues that we face often lead to physical ailments.
“Always look to new activities to engage your mind — expand your cognitive horizons. Learn an instrument. Take an art class. Go to a museum.”
Andrea Kuszewski, Behavioral Therapist, Scientific American
Fortunately, with advancements in modern medicine, we’re living longer, and we have more time to understand what makes us happy. We’re starting new careers, exploring new hobbies, and being creative in different ways. It’s like a second adolescence.
As we age, we naturally become more generous, warm, and helpful. By taking time to be mindful, we can direct these energies where they need to go to set ourselves and our loved ones up for success. And by taking a more active role in creating a good day, we’re able to fend off the stressors that can lead to declines in mental & physical health.
Practicing mindful art gives us different ways to reframe looming problems as challenges that can be tackled piece by piece. As we learn new mindful art recipes, we gain new ways to approach and ultimately overcome the behavioral ruts that are getting in the way of happiness.
Just like exercise can be beneficial in bite-sized chunks, even small moments of self-care & self-compassion can lead to more fulfilling, happy lives. And just like the healthy recipes that improve our physical bodies, practicing the arts teaches the recipes that improve our minds.
By setting aside time & space to be creative, we’re able to work on our fluid intelligence rather than relying only on crystallized intelligence. We’re able to think more abstractly without relying on past knowledge. And we’ll have new recipes to keep up with modern life and discover new ways to be happy.
