Spontaneity for Mental Health

There is wellness to be found in making choices or plans on a whim or unexpectedly. As a creative and expressive arts therapist, I have found great value in fostering and practicing spontaneity in day-to-day life. Whether we make a choice to do something new or novel in the foods we eat, people we meet or activities we do, the act of shaking up the regular day-to-day can produce a felt sense of wellness. 

Although there is great value in routines and structure, there can also be risk in staying in those rhythms too long. In the work I’ve done as a therapist, I have seen how many people get caught up in sequences and schedules that at the surface are meaningful and productive. However, with closer investigation, many of the situations that breed that same structure can inadvertently produce a kind of mundaneness and predictability that perpetuates dissatisfaction and resentment. When our routines become monotonous and tiring/flat, think about trying the following:

• Add something new: On the days where life can feel repetitive, consider adding a new stop on your way home. This could be a new store, a new train stop or a new connection you’ve been meaning to make socially or relationally. You never know what one addition in your life can do to improve your quality of life or outlook on the day. Do you have an instinct or intuition to reach out to that friend you’ve been meaning to connect to? Or that new acquaintance who stood out recently? Consider this a prompt to reach out to them!

• Simplify something: Are you feeling overwhelmed or busy? Consider taking something off the schedule or writing down the task to be done at a later time. This could be a to-do list that’s organized by things needing to be done today, tomorrow, end of week and end of month. Simplifying can also mean looking at your circumstances/plans, writing them down and from the list removing one thing that isn’t urgent or necessary as an act of spontaneity by freeing up your schedule to be kind to yourself.

• Put the routine in a new order: Another way to be playful in your circumstances is considering the plan you have and seeing how modular it is. It can feel refreshing to look at the schedule ahead and do the proverbial chore list in a new order. Doing things in a different manner or order can bring a new light and perspective into your day-to-day happenings. Taking that walk at 10am versus 12pm may produce a new opportunity or idea that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

This month Looking Glass Counseling is pleased to support the Massahbusetts chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. As a part of AFSP’s growing nationwide network of chapters, the AFSP Massachusetts Chapter brings together people from all backgrounds who want to prevent suicide in our communities. Families and friends who have lost someone to suicide, vulnerable individuals, mental health professionals, clergy, educators, students, community/business leaders, and many others energize our chapter.

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Lou Lim, LMHC, REAT is a licensed mental health counselor and registered expressive arts therapist (REAT) with a master's degree in Expressive Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University. He is a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association and on the committee for REAT credentialing. He has 13 years of experience in counseling and expressive therapy working with children, adolescents, teenagers, adults, and retirees.

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