Mind Matters: A Monthly Advisor Tip

When anxiety pops up—whether you’re waiting on a big decision, prepping for a performance, juggling a heavy workload, or navigating something socially tricky—it’s easy to think the goal is to “calm down.” But there’s another approach that can be surprisingly effective: get creative.

Author Martha Beck puts it this way: "the opposite of anxiety isn’t calm—it’s creativity." Even a few minutes of creative activity can help shift your brain out of that anxious, overthinking mode and into a more open, right‑brain space.

Try this: Set a timer for 5–10 minutes the next time you feel anxiety creeping in, and do something creative—anything that feels even a little fun or expressive. If you’re not sure where to start, Martha Beck shares four quick right‑brain‑activating exercises in this short post.