Creating to Feel Grounded - The Creative Life Series (3)

There are days when our thoughts spin faster than we can catch them—when the noise of the world, our responsibilities, our worries, or our inner critic grows too loud to tune out. In those moments, the simple act of making something can be a lifeline.

When we create—even in small, humble ways—we anchor ourselves in the present moment.
We are drawn out of our spiraling thoughts and returned to our breath, our hands, our being.
We are reminded: I am here. I am safe. I am doing something that matters, even if only to me.

Creating with your hands is not a luxury or a hobby—it’s deeply human.
For millennia, our ancestors shaped the world around them with care and ingenuity. They carved, wove, stitched, cooked, built, sang. They made beauty out of necessity, and community through craft. It’s written into our very DNA to use our hands to make meaning.

In the book Beyond Anxiety, Martha Beck explains that much of our distress comes from being stuck in abstract thoughts—imagining future catastrophes or replaying past regrets. But creativity invites us back into the physical world, back into the present.
When we engage with something real and tactile, we calm our nervous system and shift our attention to what is instead of what if.

“When we do something with our hands—something physical, something real—we give our minds a break from their own noise. We don’t have to think our way to peace. We can make our way there.”
— Martha Beck, Beyond Anxiety

If you’re curious how creativity can calm your anxious soul, I highly recommend Martha’s book. You’ll find it and other recommendations on the topic on our [Bookshelf].

👐 Small Ways to Create with Your Hands—and Come Back to Yourself

You don’t need a paintbrush or a kiln to feel this grounding power.
And you certainly don’t need a degree in fine art or a studio full of supplies.

Try one of these tactile, grounding practices—even if just for a few minutes:

• ✏️ Sketch or doodle on a piece of scrap paper
  
  
• 🧁 Bake something—even just a single muffin
  
  
• 🌿 Arrange flowers or a pretty sprig of leaves in a vase
  
  
• 🎶 Play a few chords on an instrument, or hum a tune you make up
  
  
• 📚 Organize your bookshelf or pantry—touch each item, make it beautiful. (Don’t think of it as cleaning. Think of it as making order from chaos.)
  
  
• ☕ Make coffee in a French press, noticing each step
  
  
• 📝 Write a haiku about something you can see or hear right now
  
  
• 🧵 Sew something that needs mending
  
  
• 🧺 Fold laundry slowly, like a rhythm or meditation (I like to do this with towels)
  
  
• 🍓 Prepare a small plate of food that looks beautiful to you
  
  
• 💅 Paint your fingernails
  
  
• 🧱 Build some Lego—yes, Lego! You have permission. (I have a whole Lego city.)
  
  
• 🌱 Garden. Plant some seeds, cut some flowers, harvest some veggies
  
  
• 🖼️ Tackle a home decorating task—hang art or photos, switch out throw pillows, create a centerpiece
  
  

Think of the things you enjoy doing with your hands. Make a list for yourself.
 When you find that you need grounding and calm, let your hands get to work.

These acts aren’t frivolous.
They are grounding rituals.
They tell our busy minds that we are okay—
That we’re creating safety and beauty right where we are.

We celebrate these small acts of making not because they’re perfect,
but because they’re real.
Because they slow us down.
 Because they give us back to ourselves.

💫 Next time, we’ll continue on this theme and explore how creativity is the antidote to fear.
It’s time to get curious.

Warmly,
Becky