You need art in your life. No, really. It might not be what you think of when you're trying to find ways to boost your mental health—you probably picture things like therapy, medication, or exercise—but there's plenty of evidence that taking up a creative hobby or returning to one you used to love can make a real difference in your overall well being.

Expressing yourself helps reinforce your identity.

Art is a way to express yourself, and expressing yourself can help you to feel more confident, connected with others and in touch with your emotions.

For example, if you're having trouble finding the words to describe how you feel about something that's happening in your life right now, art can help you find those words by giving voice to the thoughts and feelings that are swirling through your mind. And as an added bonus, expressing these thoughts and feelings through art will likely lead you down paths that lead to new insights about who you are as an individual.

Making art can help you process trauma.

Art can help you process trauma. Art is a way to externalize your feelings, and a way to get in touch with them. It's also a valuable release of the stress you might be feeling. When you're creating art, especially if it's something that has been on your mind for awhile, it can be cathartic and help release some of that tension and fear or anger. Art can also be an expression of what is going on inside of you—the good, the bad and the ugly—and by expressing those emotions through art, we are able to cope better with them.

Another benefit of making art is that it helps us focus on something else besides our pain or suffering for awhile because our creative brain is always working whether we are doing creative tasks or not!

It's a great way to meet people who share your interests.

Art can be a gateway to meeting people who share your interests.

Art is a great way to make new friends, especially if you have similar interests. If you like art or music, it may not be hard for you to find someone with similar tastes and start a conversation about it.

Art doesn't have to be expensive, and a lot of materials can be found for free.

An important part of making art is finding the supplies you need. The good news is that there are plenty of places to look for these supplies and many of them don't cost much at all. Here are some ideas:

• In your home: You may have old coloring books, markers, crayons, colored pencils and paint lying around somewhere in your house. If you do have a stash of unused art supplies at home, consider rounding up the materials on a rainy day or when you have time to kill and make something!
• Thrift stores: A thrift store might not be able to provide everything in one stop; however they can still be an excellent place to find many common art supply items like pencils or markers. They usually sell pens as well which come in handy if you have any writing assignments due soon! If you're looking for something specific like oil paints then try asking about those first before buying anything else just incase none were available but otherwise it's worth checking out since prices tend not be very high (usually less than $5).

Drawing can help you relax.

Drawing is a great way to relax. Drawing is a way to get in touch with your emotions and feelings.

Drawing can help you relieve stress and anxiety, which are often the result of being in an overly analytical mind frame. Being able to relax and let go of those stressful thoughts is important for maintaining mental health, because it allows the brain to take a break from all that thinking about problems and can help prevent burnout or depression.

Art might help you start seeing the world differently.

Art is a way to express yourself. It gives you the opportunity to see things from a different perspective and it may help you see things that you have never seen before. Art can also help you see things that you have seen before, but in a different light.

It can give you something to look forward to every week.

Art can become a regular part of your routine.

Whether you're taking an art class or workshop, or just working on your own in your studio, it's important to set aside time each week to make art. Doing this will help you build up a habit of creating—which is essential for maintaining your creative momentum over the long run. You may also find that the structure provided by having a weekly scheduled time to create helps make it easier for you to get started when inspiration strikes. Art is meant to be fun and enjoyable; don't let yourself feel guilty about dedicating time just for yourself!

It's good for your brain health as you age.

Art is a great way to boost your brain health as you age. One study found that people who participated in art activities were more likely to report better memory than those who did not. The benefits don't just stop at mental health; other research has shown that art can help reduce stress levels and even improve physical health, too! So get creative and start making!

You might realize that you have more artistic talent than you thought.

The most important thing to remember about art is that it's all about expression, creativity and communication. Art can help you express what's in your heart and mind. It can also help you communicate with others.

Art doesn't have to be something abstract or complicated—you don't need to be a professional artist or even know how to draw. You can use whatever medium feels comfortable for you, like pencils or crayons or paint on paper; if you're feeling ambitious, try using clay or wood as a medium too! The possibilities are endless!

You might not know that there are different kinds of art like figurative (depiction of people), abstract (nonrepresentational) and surrealism (surrealism).

You don't have to create something that's meant to be put on display in a famous museum.

While it's not necessary to create something that's meant to be put on display in a famous museum, the act of creating art can still be a powerful and positive experience. You don't have to create something that's perfect—you can just make it yours. Art is a way for you to express who you are and what matters most to you, so if what matters most is that your art looks exactly like Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, then by all means go paint your own version!

If creating art isn't as much fun as looking at other people’s work or buying beautiful pieces of artwork from galleries or online shops, there are still plenty of ways for you to connect with others through art:

• Join an online group where members share their work and provide constructive feedback on one another's pieces; then share some of your own creations too!
• Find an artist whose style speaks to yours and try imitating it with different mediums until finding one which feels natural for you; try being inspired by music while painting or drawing on canvas paper vs watercolor paper vs construction paper.

Art is good for your mental health!

Art is a way to express yourself. Art can help you process trauma. Art can help you meet people who share your interests. Art can help you relax, and it can even give you something fun to look forward to every week!

In high school, my art teacher told us that it's important for everyone to create something that is uniquely their own. It doesn't have to be anything big; even if it's just a tiny doodle, putting it out there into the world reminds us that we matter too much not only as human beings but also as artists ourselves.

Conclusion

Pop quiz: what do we have in common with the masters of art like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Leonardo Da Vinci? Of course, we can all point to our love for art! But more importantly, we share a passion for creating. Sharing your creative vision with the world gives you a renewed sense of self and simply makes you happier. If you've ever considered yourself an artist, but never picked up a paintbrush or have been afraid to try something new—go for it! What's stopping you? Now go out there and create your masterpiece by finding an art class at your local community center or college.