Does your creatively driven teen engage in any sort of mindfulness practice?

Mindfulness can help heighten creativity for teens. It can deepen their connection to their art, unlock new levels of artistic expression and enhance their ability to be resilient in the face of new challenges. 

In today’s world, most teens are at least loosely familiar with the concept of mindfulness, but they still may not have connected the idea of developing a regular practice with skill development in their art. Yet, the fast-paced, high-demand world our teens inhibit, cultivating a mindfulness practice can be a secret weapon in advancing in their art.  A solid foundation for self-awareness, emotional regulation and creative ideas can come from mindfulness. 

 

What is Mindfulness?

 

Simply put, mindfulness is the practice of bringing one’s attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and non-judgment. It involves being fully engaged in the here and now, without getting caught up in worries about the future or regrets about the past.

 

What are the Benefits of Mindfulness?

For teens, mindfulness can serve as a valuable tool for developing self-awareness, fostering empathy, and tapping into better understanding of their thoughts and emotions. 

 

Enhanced Self-Awareness

By becoming better attuned to their inner world, young creative artists can connect with their internal strengths, fears, motivations, challenges – all of which can lead to more authentic creativity. 

 

Emotional Regulation

Success. Failure. Disappointment. Triumph. Being a creative artist often means leaning into vulnerability and managing the outcome. If a teen is unable to navigate these ups and downs, their creativity will suffer. 

This occurs in part due to an effort to avoid negative emotions, they may avoid vulnerability. And in the words of Brené Brown “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” Without feeling comfortable allowing for vulnerability, it’s hard for creativity to thrive. 

Emotional regulation also fosters resilience. If your teen can soothe distressing feelings, they will become more effective at bouncing back from disappointment, embarrassment, frustration or failure. They can address the emotions with a strategy that calms painful emotions.

 

Presence and Focus

The ability to be fully and authentically present when creating is essential for producing the best results. Acting, singing, songwriting, dancing, painting – these all benefit from your teens ability to sustain focused attention when skill building and generating new art. 

Mindfulness practice can help your teen to listen, respond, and adapt organically. Because mindfulness practices train your teens mind to cultivate sustained attention, it enables your teen better to immerse themselves in their art.

 

Empathy and Connection

Just like presence and focus, empathy and connection can also deepen your teens’ relationship with their art. Mindfulness promotes empathy by encouraging teens to suspend judgment and engage with their senses and emotions on a deeper level. This connection enables teens to approach their art and the people and events connected to their art from an authentic place of empathy and connection.

Mindfulness Practices for Teens

Breath Awareness 

The breath serves as an anchor to the present moment. Encourage your teen to find a quiet space, sit comfortably, and focus their attention on the sensations of their breath. They may count breaths, notice the rise and fall of the abdomen, or simply observe the breath without altering it. This practice helps calm the mind and enhance present-moment awareness.

 

Body Scan 

In this practice, your teen will systematically scan their bodies from head to toe. They should be aware of any sensations or areas of tension. By bringing awareness to their physical bodies, teens can release tension, become more connected to what is going on in their body related to their emotions. 

Encourage your teens to try various methods of releasing this tension such as progressive muscle relaxation or visualization until they find one that works for them.

 

Sensory Awareness 

Encourage your teen to engage their senses fully in everyday activities. Whether it’s savoring a meal, feeling the texture of an object, or listening to nature sounds, this practice heightens sensory perception and deepens your teens ability to engage in the same awareness – and enjoyment – of the many aspects of their art practice. 

 

Simple Short Guided Meditation

Meditation – the practice of clearing your mind and enhancing attention and awareness – can feel a little ambiguous. Teens may find they become restless or bored. 

Rather than focus on a long practice that requires your teen to manage their own distraction, encourage them to begin with trying out various ten-minute guided meditations. 

Guided meditations gives your teen direction, a place to focus and specific things to do while meditating while still giving the benefits of clearing the mind. If your teen has a hard time sitting still, look for walking meditation or other active meditations. 

 

Gratitude Practices

Encouraging your teen to engage in a regular gratitude practice can be a great – and simple – way to engage in mindfulness. 

This can be done in various ways. They may keep a gratitude journal where they write down three things they are grateful for each day. They may simply keep a list on their phones of one thing they are grateful for each day. They can make a collage of things they are grateful for or some other artistically creative form such as writing a song or choreographing a dance about gratitude.. 

A gratitude practice cultivates a positive mindset, shifts focus away from self-criticism, and fosters a sense of appreciation for the opportunities and experiences in your teens life. 

 

 

Mindfulness is a powerful tool that teens can incorporate into their lives to nurture creativity and enhance their artistic abilities. 

As your teen integrates these practices into their daily lives, they may discover the transformative benefits of mindfulness, including enhanced presence, focus, and empathy. Encourage your teen to treat their exploration of mindfulness as a journey and to explore, experiment and find what resonates with them personally. Over time, developing a personal mindfulness can help empower your teen to fully immerse themselves in their craft and express themselves authentically, develop more self-awareness, regulate their emotions, and deepen their connection with their art