Being creative is not just fun it’s also good for your mental health. It reduces stress and anxiety, boosts confidence, and acts as a positive distraction from negative thoughts or emotions. You can write, paint, sculpt, dance, sing, photograph, garden… the possibilities are endless. The key is getting out of your head and crafting something that is all yours.

Here is some creative inspiration from artists, writers, and photographers in their own words…

• "Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun." ~Mary Lou Cook
• “If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.” ~Marc Chagall
• “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” ~Sylvia Plath
• "Good photographs are taken not with the camera. Good photographs are taken with Mind, Soul, Eyes and Imagination." ~Parveen Sharma
• “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” ~Scott Adams
• “Art doesn’t have to be pretty. It has to be meaningful.” ~Duane Hanson
• "I tend to think of the act of photographing, generally speaking, as an adventure. My favorite thing is to go where I’ve never been.” ~Diane Arbus
• "True creativity often starts where language ends." ~Arthur Koestler
• “We are all born artists… Almost everything kids do is art.” ~Young-ha Kim
• “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Picasso

Danielle Hark is a wellness writer, photographer, and founder of BrokenLightCollective.com - the online photography gallery for people affected by mental illness. As someone who has struggled with mental health issues, her mission is to help as many other people who are struggling, using photography and creativity. Find out more at www.DanielleHark.com and twitter.com/DanielleHark.