The Arts and Crafts of Happiness
Applying the main principles of happiness found in the book "The Art of Happiness" to cultivate creative fulfilment
Happiness. How to find and keep it, is to some one of life’s main purposes. You may locate it at the top of a mountain after a gruelling hike up, or at the bottom of a tub of ice cream. However, if you’re lucky enough, you may even discover it the moment you pick up a paint brush. Much like happiness, creativity can be viewed as a skill that gives your life meaning; with a plethora of creative arts and crafts practices at one’s disposal, it is evident to see why.
Researching the topic of happiness, you are guaranteed to come across "The Art of Happiness", written by the Dalai Lama and psychiatrist Howard Cutler. This international bestseller explores the concepts of happiness and how to achieve it through a combination of Buddhist teachings and psychological insights. From focusing on finding your source of happiness, living a spiritual life, and everything in between the teachings in this book can be viewed as “a handbook for the living”; however, this may not be its only function.
Similarities between cultivating happiness and creativity can be drawn from these teachings as both skills can be enriched by the perseverance of overcoming obstacles and transforming your outlook on life. Subsequently, applying the 5 main teachings found in “The Art of Happiness” to the way we make and think about art can therefore add valuable insight to our artistic processes and the outcomes we create
Using the book’s main principles on happiness to describe the creative process of making art magically turns the text into “a handbook for the [artist]”. Starting with:
‘Happiness is a Skill’ = Creativity is a Skill:
As discussed in the book, happiness is not just a fleeting emotion but a skill that can be cultivated and developed over time.
Artistic creativity is not (just) an innate talent bestowed upon individuals at random. Instead, view it as a skill that with time and perseverance you can refine and enrich. Shifting the narrative of creativity from a "talent" to a "skill" suddenly gives you autonomy over creativity. So rather than being a passenger of it, you have the ability to expand and challenge your creative disciplines beyond whatever you thought was possible. To put this into practice, I challenge myself to do quick drawings every day! Cultivating this skill takes time, but in time you are able to see all the progress you have made.
‘Inner Transformation’ = Change Your Perspective:
True happiness comes from within, and uncontrollable circumstances are only a part of the equation. Inner transformation and changing one's perspective play a crucial role in achieving happiness.
Sometimes there are many external reasons not to start (or finish) a piece you’ve been working on. However, altering your mindset to focus on the controllables, such as making sure you have all your materials ready, can make all the difference in
tackling your artistic ‘to do’ list and removing those self-imposed mental barriers.‘Mindfulness’ = Be Present with Your Work:
Being fully present in the moment by practising mindfulness, and developing self-awareness, are important tools for enhancing happiness.
Implementing this approach to your artwork can enrich your creative development. Connecting motives and desires from self-experiences can lead to new artistic investigations. Eliminating external factors not present in your work can free up your mental load to explore various meanings. It also gives clarity to let go and experiment with your art. To create this environment I like to listen to music, journal and reflect on my artwork; this then allows me to see clearly how I can develop my practice and what my next step could be.
‘Managing Negative Emotions’ = Learning from your Mistakes:
Learning to manage and navigate negative emotions such as anger, jealousy, and fear is vital for achieving happiness. This involves understanding their underlying causes and finding healthy ways to respond.
Creating (and more importantly learning from) mistakes are central for artistic growth. Instead of discarding your work due to a slight blunder, think about how this “setback” can reveal a “setup” in terms of creative development and artistic lessons that you have learned along the way. This shift in mindset to approach mistakes in an inquisitive way can be the most valuable tool an artist has at their disposal. One pivotal mistake I made involved tearing a canvas that I had just completed... This “setup” was my eureka moment that led me to conduct fascinating research on auto-destructive artworks from which I learned a lot about my art practice. Who would have thought!
Compassion and Kindness = Be Kind to Your Work, You’ve Come a Long Way:
Cultivating compassion and showing kindness towards oneself and others can lead to greater happiness.
Whilst being critical of your work can push you to new ideas, sometimes stopping to share some kindness with yourself (and other creatives) can give you all the encouragement you need to keep going and making. Being kind to yourself and your work can be as easy as taking a break to pause and reflect on how far your creative journey has taken you. This introspection shaped by kindness can lead to greater artistic achievement. I have found that by giving myself these moments of self-reflection and kindness, I can create the parameters to objectively view and improve my artwork.
Although these are just some of the key lessons from "The Art of Happiness", the book provides a comprehensive exploration of happiness from both spiritual and psychological perspectives offering readers practical advice on how to lead a happier and more fulfilling life.
By substituting the Dalai Lama's "happiness" for "creativity", one can apply these valuable insights to how we think about art making; leading this interpretation to suggest ways in which creativity can be challenged, harboured and expanded.
By viewing your own creativity and artistic flair as a skill, much like happiness, you are able to command the ability to create outcomes you never thought were possible!
