The most radical thing we can do in a time of destruction is create. 

Resilience is a word we use a lot to talk about people, communities, the planet. And yet, we often use it in a way that refers to returning to a previous state after a disturbance with a focus on putting things back the way they were. 

In biology, the idea of resilience is about building from destruction, sometimes using it to build a stronger system than what existed before. There are plants and flowers that do not grow except from the ashes of forest fires. Ecosystems rely on their adaptive capacity in order to be able to bend to disruptions but not break. Those that are not pushed beyond their limits return but they are not the same as they were before, with a balance of some things that survived and some things that never existed there before.

In the early days of this new disturbance, we are talking a lot about things going back to the way they were before. Things might not be exactly how they were before ever again. We are starting to see the cracks in the systems that we have built as humans. We may soon have an opportunity to effect change in places that until now, have felt completely outside our reach. How we respond and put things back together after this dismantling will rely on our capacity to adapt and be resilient.

One of the ways that we can build our individual and collective adaptive capacity is by making time for creating. Engaging with your creative self, however you choose to do that, can be a form of self care. The more we take care of ourselves, the more capacity we have to take care of others around us. The more we practice being creative, the better our ability will be to build on the opportunities for change that this disturbance may afford us. 

What can you do at home to practice creativity?

• Make journaling or writing a habit. Set a time for yourself to sit down with paper, pen or keyboard every day, whether it’s first thing in the morning, right before bed, or somewhere in between. Be consistent. 
• Cook a hearty meal for you and anyone you may be isolating with. Take your time with all the steps. 
• Read the book(s) that you have been meaning to get to. 
• Tackle that big knitting or sewing project that you’ve felt too intimidated to dig into. 
• Play with colour in whatever medium you have on hand. 
• Doodle. 
• Dance. 
• Listen to your favourite album. 
• Sing along to your favourite album. 
• Pick up the instrument you have been meaning to learn. Learn a song on it. Learn two songs.
• Get creative with social and connect with your community. Schedule maker dates, jams, singalongs, silent reading hangouts or movie nights over FaceTime or Skype.
• Finally: Make space for you to feel how you feel. It’s easy to want to distract ourselves by staying busy but slowing down and giving yourself permission to engage with your feelings can help you to process your emotions.