Art Appreciation for a Weary World

🎧 Episode #50: Art Appreciation for a Weary World

😰Feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands?

🪬Need a buffer to preserve your optimism and sense of purpose in an increasingly stressful world?

Then, this episode is for you! Discover how art appreciation can restore energy, inspire creativity, and deepen your connection to the world. Press play and listen to this episode as I explore:

The Healing Power of Art & Why It Matters More Than Ever

• The benefits of art-making and art appreciation, especially in lessening emotional burdens and reducing stress
• Our universal need for self-expression and connection through artistic experiences
• Practical ways to embrace art in daily life, even if you don't think you're an "artist" (spoiler alert: you are)

🎨How to Appreciate Art in Its Many Forms

For many, art is as essential as family and friendship—it offers grounding, sensory pleasure, a sense of wonder, and inspiration. Whether through painting, music, literature, or performance, creativity has the power to heal and transform. Art can shield us from the negative effects of stress, anxiety, and sadness.

Here’s a poem on the healing power of reading books, in this case, a fantasy book filled with fairies, and how you can carry a book in your mind and heart forever.

Otherworldly

By Jill Hodge

I clutched that little book of twisted words
As fairies sprang off the page
From a magical forest made in my mind
The flutter of wings I made mine

Tallula, with violet wings, peered from behind the rigid snake of an ancient tree trunk
Annabelle in crimson sputtered about the mushroom tops
Flona, a yellow halo, suggested an angel
A trio of delicate spirits
They flew around, half true to page, half made within

They became my kin for a while
Otherworldly stories, an imaginary spin
I left this world to be with them
Faint sweet bells did draw me in
And for a week all the shades of life came in
Until the book ended with a full bloom

That I carried in my pocket, all wilted and worn
Till it fell out onto the street, discarded and torn
By then it was part of me
As fairies now fluttered around in my head, my heart, my bones
Their voices I now heard as my own, as my very own

💭Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• Art-making and appreciating are stress relievers. Engaging with creativity can improve mood and mental clarity.
• Creativity is self-care: Even small artistic moments can bring joy and purpose.
• A world of inspiration awaits: No matter your background, education, or training, there's an art form that speaks to you.
• Reading widely across many literary genres (fiction, non-fiction, plays, poetry) connects us to transformational ideas that anchor our thinking, inspire new ideas, entertain and transport us, and spark meaningful problem-solving.
• Dancing (or watching dance) is an immersive, sensory pleasure that can energize us, bring on moments of joy, and foster resilience as we witness and connect to beauty.
• All forms of visual art (painting, sculpture, photography, street art) help you see the unexpected, notice color, light, and contrast, and expose you to new avenues of perception that may stimulate your creativity.

Journal Prompts for Reflecting on Your Reading

Here are some journal prompts to help you reflect on your reading. Whether it’s fantasy, historical fiction, memoirs, comic books, or marketing blogs, read widely and ask yourself these questions:

We all come to art appreciation in our way, because art asks nothing more of us than to be ourselves. Your perspective is bound to be different than mine, based on our backgrounds, cultural beliefs, and experiences, but through art, we bridge the gap between your sensibilities and mine.

In a world that can feel increasingly fractured, art is an important unifier, returning us to our shared humanity and asking nothing more of us than to enjoy the paint stroke, the dance sequence, the sound of the drum, or the choice word that tickles our tongue. Let us enjoy the world’s art as we dance and sway to the bright side of the beat.🌞

Podcast Music: My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music and sound effects for my podcast are sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Songs in this podcast episode: Self Worth by GEMM; Slide by GEMM; First Day In Spring by GEMM; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

Related Episodes:

Mother Teresa on Doing Small Things with Great Love (#48)

Forward Facing: Fight for Your Creative Passions (#39)

Keep Your Creative Spirit Alive: Focus on the Journey (#29)

Creative Flow: Self-Care That Matters (#21) 

Compare Less/Grateful More (#12) 

New Resource!

On the podcast, I often explore tools and strategies to reduce overthinking. Now, I've created a fun, art-lovers practice guide to stop overthinking, worry, and rumination. Click below to read it now.

The Art-lovers Creative Practice Guide to Stop Overthinking, Worry, and Rumination

This is my creative take on the process (and practice) of releasing the grip of overthinking using four modalities -- body connection, art/creativity, nature, and writing/journaling.

Let the Verse FlowJill Hodge

Check out the resources on this website (and subscribe) to get podcast episodes, poems, articles, music playlists, and journal prompts delivered to your inbox.

Then, connect with me on Instagram. Let me know you hear me out there!

Journaling Resources

30-Day Journal Challenge (Writing Prompts to Get Started)

Here’s a fun & simple 30-day journal challenge for beginners (or those who need inspiration). Use the daily prompts to rediscover yourself.

Let the Verse FlowJill Hodge

Journaling 101: An Inspirational Guide to Start (or Revive) a Practice

Whether you write, doodle, draw, or keep memorable quotes, journaling uncovers YOU. Let your unconscious mind speak, download my free guide.

Let the Verse FlowJill Hodge

Let the Verse Flow is a community-supported, independent publication launched in June 2023 by Jill Hodge. If you subscribe today, you'll get full access to the website and newsletters. Members are vital to building a rich community of diverse voices. Join us by subscribing today; consider a paid subscription to support the community if possible. Thank you!