Monique Bradley Get Creative
Monique Bradley Get Creative
This video, presented by Monique Bradley discusses the effects that being CREATIVE can have on your health, success and happiness! In this VLOG Monique discusses the effects of creativity and shares her own experience of using creativity help conquer depression.
Monique Bradley (BA) was first published at the age of 12 and is a multi award winning actor, singer, children’s entertainer and MC and has delivered lectures in the power of conscious language choices, communication styles, the benefits of storytelling for early childhood development and educates people in learning about their own personality strengths. Monique is also a spokesperson for the website www.depression.org.nz Monique and partner Pete Ward are the creators of the GET A LIFE platform – a website designed to help those who are interested in writing their new life story, just like they did. www.getalife.net.nz
Monique and Pete are also the brains behind STARLIGHT MEDIA HOUSE: The story people, helping you tell your story.
www.starlightmediahouse.co.nz
AND you can find their stories in music form:
www.straydogs.co.nz
TRANSCRIPT:
Hello! I’m Monique and welcome to Finding Happy, each week I choose a new topic to explore, looking at ways to amp up your happiness levels and live the life you’ve dreamed and this weeks topic is about creativity and utilising your talents.
The topic actually states ‘DANCE: step into the light. Share your gifts and talents with the world.’
Now whether you dance literally or figuratively, my question to
you is WHAT HAVE YOU DONE RECENTLY TO NURTURE THE CREATIVE PART OF YOU?
I think this is a great topic as everyone has a creative strength to
their personality. Whether you’re a creative problem solver, a great
cook or baker, an avid card maker or sculptor, songwriter, author,
florist or are creative with your home decor, we all approach
creativity in different ways and have a unique creative strength even
though it may have been hidden away somewhere amongst our other
priorities.
So let me explain WHY embracing your creative self is so important.
If you’re familiar with the work of Louise Hay, you may have heard of
a book called ‘You can heal your life’. This book teaches the
principal that when we are unhappy or harbouring bitterness, grief,
resentment, anger or hate, it basically turns our cells into a state
of dis-ease, manifesting as disease in our body. Let me show you an
example: if you are really stressed about a situation and holding that
tension say, in your shoulders – so hunch up your shoulders really
tight- can you imagine what the long term effects would be by holding
that tension?? By addressing the part of the body where we are
holding the tension, we can understand more of what is sitting in our
subconscious, address the issue and use affirmations to re-programme and let the tension go.
During rigorous studies and trials Louise discovered that a lack of
creativity can lead to issues with the thyroid gland, thus inhibiting
it’s function and affecting our metabolism! I have worked on this
issue with several of my clients who have embraced more or their
creative side, amped up their hobbies and seemingly without doing
anything, weight has shifted.
Now whether it’s the act of stimulating the creative sector of
personality and their thyroid OR building up their confidence through
their creative arts and being proud of their achievements, so they
make better food choices OR whether less time is spent on calorie
consumption and more time is spent on creative output, the result is
the same: people feel happier and more empowered. Losing weight is a by product.
I’m not saying this is the only reason to jump on board the creative
band wagon and get painting or dancing as there are many other
benefits as well. For me, when I was suffering quite badly with depression, my bestie and I used to make comedy videos for family and friends. How it worked for me was that in that process of creating, I was no longer absorbed by the heavy blanket of the depressive experience. I was able to laugh and embrace the silly part of my personality.
For some people like a wonderful experiential artist I know, being
creative has helped her find her confidence and her voice.
And for another lady, being creative is the same as meditation for her mind. Creating something to gift to others can also activate a love
language, either yours or theirs and can be a wonderful surprise for
the recipient, lifting their day and their energy and making you feel
good too! Creating a beautiful home environment can be incredibly fulfilling and make less desirable 9-5 jobs more tolerable so get those home and garden magazines out and start dreaming!
Shining your light can be as simple as sitting down with your
favourite little person and colouring in – it all helps enrich your
mind, your body and your spirit.
Remember: we can’t have the EARTH without ART so get creative, get contributing and your happiness accelerate!