Why Your Brain is Wired for Art—and How Creating Regularly Restores Your Soul!

Have you ever noticed how simply doodling in the margin of a notebook, coloring with your kids, or flipping through a bright magazine can calm you down? That’s no accident—your brain is wired to respond to art.

The Science of Art and the Brain

When you create or look at art, your brain lights up in powerful ways:

• Color regulates emotion—warm tones lift energy, cool tones bring calm.

• Shapes and patterns create a sense of order and safety, lowering stress.

• Movement in lines and brushstrokes connects body and mind, helping release tension.

This means even a five-minute creative break can shift your emotional state without you trying.

Why Consistency Creates Change

The real magic happens when creativity becomes a habit. Just like exercise builds muscle, regular art-making builds resilience in your nervous system.

• Each creative act strengthens your brain’s pathways for calm, joy, and focus.

• Over time, art becomes an automatic “reset button” for stress.

• You start noticing beauty in everyday life—and that noticing alone boosts well-being.

 Over time, art shifts from being just an activity to becoming an automatic reset button. Instead of staying stuck in stress or overwhelm, your creative habit gently re-trains your nervous system to come back to balance. It’s not about creating a masterpiece—it’s about creating a rhythm that helps you breathe easier, think clearer, and feel more grounded.

Another beautiful outcome is that you begin to notice beauty in everyday life. Repeated creative practice sharpens your awareness: you catch the way light dances through a window, the calming symmetry of leaves, or the soothing repetition of a simple pattern. This shift in noticing doesn’t just make you a better artist—it also makes you more grateful, content, and attuned to joy in ordinary moments.

A Real-Life Example - You would think that drawing simple circles would be easy.

 I was having a REALLY FRUSTRATING day!  I knew that taking a moment to create would lift the fog....but I resisted for several hours thinking these emotions would pass.  When I finally allowed myself to start creating something, I began to feel the frustration lift.  (Image above is the project I worked on)

Something I noticed.  As I started to draw the first few circles, they were miss-shaped.  I quickly realized that it is really hard to draw a nice circle, or shape when you are filled with negative emotion.  So, I had a little talk with myself as I continued to draw. 

I told myself that I would have to put the problem on a shelf and bring my mind into total focus. I had to stop dwelling on what was not going right and allow my right side of the brain to take over.

It did not happen all at once. But, as I took a few deep breaths and directed my mind, I was able to relax and create circles that were actually round instead of ovals. 

That is the trick.

Breath, relax and stop thinking about all the problems and challenges you are facing!  I tell myself to "let go and let God be in charge."

Why breath?  Oxygen makes the muscles relax. Here is what I found in a Google search. "The Exhalation triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and calming the body. This is because longer exhales signal the vagus nerve, which plays a crucial role in regulating the body's stress response, to shift into a more relaxed state. This shift can lead to a decrease in heart rate and a sense of groundedness, making it easier to manage stress and anxiety. Now, you can follow along with this video as we make this journal page together. It is at a fast speed, but you can stop the recording and make the shapes."

An Invitation to Create

You don’t need hours or perfect supplies to benefit from art. You just need consistency and openness. Doodle, splash color in a journal, collage scraps into something beautiful. Your brain will respond automatically—and your spirit will thank you.  

 I still have the old video of me creating this project.  Click Here