Why Creativity & Design is More Than a Hobby
Creativity hasn’t just been a hobby - it’s been an anchor through some of the hardest chapters of my life.
Creativity and design is everywhere. From the phone or laptop you’re reading this on, to the font style you see before you. It is part of our lives and therefore, in all ways you can think of. Just to note: creativity looks different for everyone. Not everyone has time or access to pursue it fully, but it’s a resource that can help us process and grow in our own way.
How Creativity Genuinely Helped Me
In my teen years, I began struggling with concentration and regulating my mood. While I do have fond memories, I also recall feeling extremely unmotivated, anxious and depressed during this period. In my family and close community, there was a huge stigma around mental health and wellbeing so even though I needed to see a professional, that wasn’t an option. That’s when creativity basically saved my life. I began to draw, sketch and write through some really difficult times. I was able to externalise the pain which eventually helped me to move forward and go into young adulthood. It wasn’t until I moved out at 18, that I sought professional support from psychologists and counsellors to work through years of unsolved trauma and mindset issues.
During my twenties, a family crisis turned mine and my then boyfriend’s lives upside down. My family needed our support and while it’s the right thing to do, it’s not easy to accept the cards you were dealt when you weren’t even aware you were playing a game. Then, COVID hit. Creativity became an outlet once again. I stepped it up this time though, as I started freelance copywriting; I worked with clients from the US, Malaysia and the UK. But, once my 9am-5pm got busier and the impact of COVID slowly subsided, my creativity took a back seat.
While I will always admit that having a good support network was a huge part in getting through difficult days, creativity allowed me a short or tangible escape from reality. It gave me a break when I literally could not leave my house. Over the years, and as you have seen and will read, I began to accept creativity as part of my strength.
Creativity = a tool for clarity, resilience and self-expression.
Part of why verbal therapy works, is because you have a safe space to externalise your thoughts, fears and experiences. You are then able to organise and process these thoughts, fears and experiences. Oftentimes, you would leave the session feeling just a little lighter. Same as creativity. If you have a creative bone, you will understand what I mean when I say, getting lost in it for hours isn’t a chore. But, it doesn’t have to be a career - it might be journaling, cooking or decorating your home. Whatever it is, as long as it lights you up - design your life to be able to go do that thing.
In businesses, creativity and design is about capturing the human behind the business. While corporate companies tend to steer away from too much personality, small business owners have the opportunity to show potential clients who they truly are. They are able to connect on a deeper level with clients directly.
What I’ve learned is that creativity is not just art or ‘hobby’ - it can be a tool for clarity, resilience and self-expression. Like therapy, it helps us process and make sense of what we’re carrying. It doesn’t need to become a career; it can be as simple as journaling, cooking or decorating your home. And in business, creativity and design go beyond aesthetics: they capture the human story, giving business owners the power to connect authentically and deeply with the people they serve.
If you want your brand to reflect the real story behind your business, let’s create it with care.
