Art therapy has been known to be a very effective form of expressive therapy. Free self-expression through art uses the creative process to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Painting and drawing are two of the creative activities that can prove to be very rewarding hobbies, as they bring you a bunch of benefits, such as stimulating the brain, lowering stress levels, increasing emotional intelligence and helping you release hidden emotions.
In addition, creating art through painting or drawing provides a distraction from reality, giving your brain a break from your usual thoughts and bringing mental calm and peace.
What’s more, they are not expensive hobbies and you don’t necessarily have to be an artist to enjoy their benefits, anyone can do it. And because these activities are both accessible and enjoyable, many choose to paint or draw during their free time.
One can simply grab a pencil and a sketchbook or a paintbrush, oils and a canvas, and begin to express their feelings through their own artworks.
Besides boosting creative thinking and increasing self-knowledge, painting and drawing are amazing tools for combating stress.
How can they help you relax? It’s easy: the rhythmic and repetitive motion of drawing helps synchronise hand and eye, body and mind, enticing the so-called “relaxation response.” Similarly, painting has the same effect on our mind and frees you from tension and anxiety.
When one concentrates on creating something, they detach themselves from the usual thought flow and make use of their imagination, actually portraying their emotions and thus ditching the worries and concerns of everyday life.
Another benefit would be that both drawing and painting are activities that can be done wherever you are, as you are not confined to a specific place or setting. Just bring your sketchbook or essential painting accessories with you wherever you go!

It’s never too early to integrate some physical activity into your children’s daily routine, so being active with your family is a great way to stay healthy and make exercise fun.
For those in search of ideas to stay active and get the entire family involved, we put together a list of activities you can do with your children and the rest of the family.
It’s easy to get everyone up and moving with an entertaining game everyone enjoys, so some team sports that can be played outside and everyone knows the rule of are great for family gatherings. Tennis, basketball or volleyball are perfect for family tournaments, for instance.
Another way to engage your children is to attract them with a new game. One such game to play is the fit-deck shuffle. This is a game that involves a custom deck of playing cards that makes exercise more simple, convenient and fun, and can be played either inside or outside the house.
The playing cards feature lots of fitness exercises family-friendly exercises, so they allow you to create hundreds of random and ever-changing workouts. You can search for a deck that fits your family’s fitness style or you can create your own deck with exercises such as bear-crawling or ape-walking. The idea behind it is very simple: each family member picks a card and performs the exercise pictured until all the cards have been dealt.
Another great activity for families is to go on a scavenger hunt. This is an outdoor game in which participants have to collect a number of miscellaneous objects. Scavenger hunts are fairly easy to organise and even easier to play. You can choose teams and each team is given a list of objects to find in a predefined outdoor area. The first team to complete the list or find the most items on the list wins the game.
On sunny summer days, you can all go on a family hike. Choose a destination, pack your backpacks, dress accordingly, and go hiking. Hiking is a great opportunity to introduce your children to the world of the outdoors, and it’s also a sport that they’ll be able to enjoy their whole lives. The beauty of hiking lies in its simplicity, as it is just an extension of something we all do naturally and every day. Moreover, it’s cheap and brings all sorts of benefits for body and mind.
For water sports lovers, there are exciting activities to try out with your family. You can simply take a leisurely swim in the sea or a local pool, or if you feel adventurous and like to feel the ocean breeze in your hair, you can take your kids kayaking. You can either share one kayak with them or let them work together to try and master their own craft.
Last but not least, nothing screams family activity more than a mini-golf trip. Kids love mini-golf as it involves a friendly competition and is certainly fun. You can enjoy a beautiful natural setting or play at set area courses. You will both recharge your batteries and engage in physical exercises in a fun way.

Everybody knows that physical activity is good for you and your health, and the numerous benefits go from boosting your mood and energy level to improving your physique and attitude.
Anybody with strong ambition and desire can benefit from a good fitness program, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Regular exercise has proved to have both immediate and long-term benefits, so it can greatly change your life for the better.

You won’t be surprised to find out that busy professionals who exercise regularly feel more productive and say that physical activity helps them deal better with the demands and pressures of the job. Even if you have some health issues, proper exercise can lead to a faster recovery, just like the famous football player Daniel Sturridge got back to full fitness after his injury one month ahead of schedule. If you need some motivation to start exercising today and lead a healthier lifestyle, read on the list of benefits fitness can bring in your life.

First of all, the majority of people tend to start a fitness program in order to lose weight. And, indeed, physical activity helps reduce fat, increase your muscle mass, and thus control your body weight and prevent obesity. Basically, the more intense the activity you engage in, the more calories you burn. However, you should keep in mind that the right physical workouts must be accompanied by a proper and balanced diet in order to achieve your weight loss goal.

Additionally, the results of regular exercise also include a firmer and fit body, stronger bones and muscles, and a better-looking skin. Considering that exercise boosts oxygen to the skin, it increases the natural production of collagen, thus leading to better blood flow and plumping your skin.

In terms of health, the benefits are hard to ignore. Exercise is very efficient in combating health conditions and diseases, and it has been shown to reduce the morbidity and mortality from many chronic diseases. So if you aim for a clean bill of health, this is the way to go. Being active helps prevent or manage a wide range of health problems, like heart disease or stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, a number of types of cancer, arthritis, back pain, and the list can go on.

The list of benefits of regular exercise continues with stress relief and quality sleep. Fitness workouts tend to be associated with a reduction in stress hormones in the body, resulting in a slower heart rate, relaxed blood vessels, and lower blood pressure. Blood flow to the brain is increased, endorphins are released and your mood lifts. This leads to increased relaxation, makes you feel better and helps fight stress and depression. In addition, it will improve your sleeping habits.

Besides the physical benefits mentioned above, studies have shown that exercise also helps improve your mental function. Working out activates growth-stimulating proteins in the brain, which help form new cells there. Moreover, it increases energy levels and serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity.

Therefore, if you plan on improving your lifestyle, keep in mind that exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better and have fun at the same time.
We recommend checking with your doctor before starting a new fitness program, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time or have any health concerns.