The Quiet Power of Creativity: Why Making Matters for Our Wellbeing
There is something deeply soothing about the simple act of making. The soft sweep of a paintbrush across paper. The scratch of a pencil in a sketchbook. The way a camera lens frames the small details others might miss. Creativity often starts quietly, in moments where the rest of the world falls away and our attention settles on colours, textures, shapes or words.
For many of us who are naturally quieter, these moments can feel like home. They give us a way to express what we cannot always say out loud, and to explore parts of ourselves that can be hard to bring into busy or noisy spaces. Creativity is not about performance or perfection. It is about connection. With ourselves, with the present moment, and sometimes with others.
Why creativity matters for wellbeing
Psychologists have been exploring the link between creativity and wellbeing for decades, and the findings are encouraging.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s research on flow shows that when we are deeply absorbed in something we enjoy, time can seem to disappear. Our usual chatter of thoughts becomes quieter. In that focused state, stress eases and we often leave feeling restored.
Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory explains how moments of joy, curiosity and play help us to see more possibilities in life. These small but meaningful experiences build our emotional resilience over time. A ten-minute doodle or an evening spent making something can do more than lift our mood for a short while. It can help us to feel more grounded and capable in the weeks and months ahead.
Other studies have linked creative engagement with lower stress, a greater sense of purpose and even stronger social connections. That is not just because of the act of making, but because creative activities often help us share parts of ourselves more openly.
Why creativity is especially valuable for quieter people
When you are someone who feels deeply or prefers to take your time before speaking, creativity can become a bridge. It offers a voice without needing to speak in the moment. Through drawing, writing, making music or taking photographs, you can show the world how you see and feel things in your own way.
Creative work can also feel like a safe place to explore your identity and values. You set the pace. You choose when and how to share what you make. This sense of control can make creative spaces feel less pressured and more welcoming than environments where you are expected to speak or act quickly.
And perhaps most importantly, creativity reminds us that we are more than our roles, labels or social masks. It lets us meet ourselves again in a more honest and playful way.
Everyday creativity counts
You do not have to call yourself an artist to be creative. You do not even need to make something that anyone else will see.
Arranging flowers in a vase. Cooking a meal with care and curiosity. Snapping a photo of sunlight spilling across your table. These small acts of creativity carry the same potential for joy and connection as bigger projects. They invite you into the present moment and help you notice the details that make life feel richer.
Quieteers have shared stories at our Meet Ups of how creativity became a turning point for them. One person began taking mindful photographs on walks, noticing patterns in leaves and ripples in water. Another picked up crochet again after years and found a calming rhythm in the simple, repeated stitches. Each story is different, but the thread running through them all is the same. Creativity made space for calm, for presence, and for a stronger sense of self.
From solitude to shared moments
For many quieter people, creativity begins alone. The comfort of your own desk or kitchen table. Your favourite tunes in the background. No need to explain or justify what you are doing.
But there is also a quiet magic that happens when you create alongside others. You might be working on your own project, yet still feel the presence of people who share your love for making. You notice the gentle encouragement, the exchange of ideas, the way someone else’s experiment sparks a thought of your own. There is no need for competition. Just shared space and possibility.
Research shows that this kind of group creativity can deepen our sense of belonging. Being in a room with others who value gentleness and depth can remind us that we are not alone in our way of being.
An invitation to explore together
- This August, we’re running our Quiet Creations workshops for children ages 8-12, which you can find out more about here.
- We’d love to invite quieteers to share their creativity with out quiet community – whether that’s volunteering to run a creative session for our community; getting involved in our next exhibition; or coming up with new colouring pages or word puzzles to share at our Meet Ups like our Michael from Penzance Meet Up has, here. If you’d like to get involved, you can contact us at hello@quietconnections.co.uk
evening workshops in Camborne where you can explore your creativity in a safe, calm setting. There is no pressure to be “good” at anything. You might try something new, return to an old favourite, or simply enjoy a peaceful evening in the company of others who understand the quiet power of making.
Whether you are picking up a paintbrush for the first time or have shelves filled with craft materials, these sessions are about the process, not the product. About the joy of creating for its own sake, and the wellbeing that can grow from it.
If you feel curious, you are welcome to join us.
