When life gets crazy and chaotic, it is so easy to want to crumple, give-up, and shut down. However, I have found that doing the exact opposite is actually beneficial. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I choose to create in the chaos. I take the overwhelming emotions, and I write them down on paper. Sometimes I do this literally and other times I write something that is a reflection of how I’m feeling. Either way it has the same effect. I am able to take those feelings and get them (at least in part) out of my head. Once I do that, I am better able to reflect on them and usually I see that it’s not as bad as I was making it out to be.
When you feel like life is chaotic, instead of getting wrapped up in the craziness, take a moment to create. I know it’s counterintuitive, but in the end you’ll find yourself in a better headspace. Take control of that chaos and create something. It can be something new like a poem, a song, a piece of art, an outfit, a meal, a hairstyle, or any other project. But it could also be something that will have a positive impact. Create a clean room, create a smile by doing an act of service for someone else, create a memory by spending time with a loved one. It really doesn’t matter what it is, but choose to create something new and/or wonderful out of the chaos. That way the chaos does not consume you, and instead you take control of the situation.
When you create something, you are able to take those overwhelming emotions and turn them into something more manageable and beautiful. When I write, I find that each word on the page acts like a release valve for the pressure building inside me. This not only helps to clarify my thoughts but also transforms anxiety into something productive. I often look back at these creations and see a journey—a visual or written narrative that captures my feelings at that moment, reminding me that even in my most chaotic times, I can create something meaningful. Now not everything I write is a next-best seller, or even ‘good’, but it does serve the purpose of helping me to calm down, and that’s all I need it to be.
So next time you find yourself in the middle of chaos, stop and take a moment to create something. No matter how small, silly, or insignificant you might think it is, you might find yourself in a much better state-of-mind, and thus better able to face the chaos and come out on top. And hey, if you can’t think of anything to create, you can always make some cookies. Cookies seem to make things better.
