contribution — Positive Psychology and Mindfulness Practices to Help You Thrive

The Creative Remedy: Why Expressive Acts are Essential for Mental Health

What is creativity? The American Psychological Association defines creativity as “the ability to produce or develop original work, theories, techniques, or thoughts” (APA Dictionary of Psychology, n.d., para. 1). Like me, you may have favorite creations that others have made, such as a piece of music or a painting. It may seem natural to applaud new discoveries or beautiful works of art creative people have made, because they benefit us or enrich our lives in some way. My grandfather was one of the most creative people I knew. He seemed to be able to make just about anything with his hands, whether it was a welded music stand, a wooden jewelry container, a silly face carved out of a golf ball, or a thoughtful note written in calligraphy. My grandfather’s creations brought wonder and joy into my life, and he gave many of these creations away to me and other family members as personalized gifts. This is just one example of how the creativity of one person can influence another for good.

Contribution: You Have Something to Give

Ever since I was a child, I wanted what I did to matter. I wanted to make a difference in the world. At times, there was a clear path to what that looked like, and at other times, it wasn’t so clear as to what or how I could make a difference. I know many people feel the same, as evidenced by the countless contributions of others. Contribution is something you do or, more specifically, something you willingly give for the betterment of someone or something. Another word that is often associated with contribution is generosity. However, I think of generosity as the orientation or motivating force behind the desire to contribute in meaningful ways. In other words, generosity fuels the desire to act, which leads to contribution, and contribution can result in feelings of generosity that motivate us to do more or keep going.