This is my second run at the A to Z Challenge — 26 blog posts in a month, one for each letter of the alphabet. In 2018, I published an A to Z of British and Ireland posts. That was fun!

This year, my theme is: What to Pack on Your Creative Journey.

When I picked that theme several weeks ago, I didn’t know how appropriate it was going to be. With less travel, for a while, this is a great time for a metaphorical vacation. If more of us are spending time at home, a deep dive into creativity will be just the thing to reduce stress and increase vitality.

I shared the article 7 science-based strategies to cope with coronavirus anxiety in my post yesterday, where I talked about how strategies #1 and #2 are working for me, including my process for handling anxiety.

Creative projects are a terrific method for Strategy #6, strengthen self-care.

I’m looking forward to the month of April when I’ll encourage every one to engage in creative work as a way to take control of something when there’s so much uncertainty. We will all be mentally and emotionally healthier if we can sustain some creativity at this time.

Write a poem or screenplay or novel. Doodle flowers or paint with oils. Choreograph a dance. Put on a show and record it for YouTube. Sing a song or compose one.

Let’s take a creative journey in April. I’ll provide the packing list.

Since some of us are going to want to start our creative journeys today, I’m going to jump in with a head start and some resources.

First, a graphic of creative ideas from Australia.

Next, some resources to get started on a creative project:

• • Your local library e-resources. If you have a St. Louis County Library card, the library’s courses page features Creativebug (1000 art & craft video classes), a variety of online courses for career and academic advancement, and Mango Languages for learning another language.
  • YouTube, Pinterest, and TED Talks — just remember that browsing about a creative project and doing a creative project are two different activities. The second one is more fun, once you get into it.
  • Paper and pens and pencils. This is a good time to experience some unplugged time and let your brain pour out its thoughts. Try writing lists, making mind maps, or freewriting

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What can you add to that list of resources to push people onto a creative path, right now?