Stop the Brain Rot: Why Creativity is Your Best Defense
Fine Art Friday #41
Another meme.
Another headline.
Another reel about how I need *this trend* and *that Lulu dupe* and this thing from Amazon is *definitely* as good as the real thing…
My coffee is cold, my to-do list is untouched, and my brain feels like it is turning to mush. It’s not even noon, (I’m writing this on a Thursday before I send it on Friday!) and I already want to crawl back into bed.
My toddler runs up with a crayon-scribbled masterpiece, proudly proclaiming it was “dada” I smiled, not because it looked anything like an dada (or a anything other than scribbles bc helloooooo he’s 2), but because it reminds me of something I’d forgotten: when in doubt, create.
I grab my son’s crayons, sit down with my paper, and we start to swirl and draw and color together with no goal in mind (for me, his goal is making sure I do NOT stop drawing even for one second unless I’m coloring what he wants to color).
It’s crazy. As we sat and colored, my mind cleared. I also had some good 90s tunes playing in the background (N*SYNC obvs). The world outside stayed just as noisy, but I found myself feeling calmer, more present—like I’d reclaimed a little piece of myself.
Creativity, I realized, isn’t just something I do; it’s a way I reset. And you can, too.
Art as Medicine (No Degree Required)
When I feel the fog rolling in, I grab my paints. Something magical happens when water hits paper—the swirls of color quiet the noise in my head. The same hands that once held my phone in a death grip now hold a paintbrush, and just like that, the world feels lighter.
You don’t need to be an artist to experience this. Write a bad poem. Dance in your kitchen while dinner burns. Grab a box of crayons and color like a 5-year-old with no bills to pay. The act of creating—of making something out of nothing—is how we reconnect with the parts of ourselves we’ve let social media drown out.
Combat the Rot with Curiosity
Here’s a secret: creativity isn’t about talent. It’s about curiosity. The more you engage with the world through the lens of “What if?” the less time you have to worry about brain rot creeping in.
What if you tried painting a sunset, even if it looks more like a mud puddle?
What if you sketched your dog, even if he ends up looking like a potato?
What if you stopped worrying about the outcome and just enjoyed the process?
Creativity doesn’t have to be “good” to be good for you.
Making Time for Creativity
I know what you’re thinking: But Courtney, I don’t have time for this! Neither do I. My days are a chaos of kids, homeschool, homemaking, emails, and trying to remember if I’ve fed the dog.
But here’s the kicker—when I make time for art, everything else feels less overwhelming. Creativity is like exercise for your brain; it strengthens your ability to focus, solve problems, and see beauty in the mundane.
Your Brain is Begging You to Create
The world is LOUD. Your brain doesn’t need more noise—it needs space. It needs moments where you can step away from the madness and remind yourself what it feels like to be human. Art does that. Creativity does that.
So, the next time you feel the brain rot setting in, don’t reach for your phone. Reach for something—anything—that lets you create instead of consume.
Your brain will thank you.
Til next time —
xoxo,
Courtney
PS: If your creativity needs a little nudge, I have weekly tutorials on my Substack for paid subscribers.
Whether you want to start painting, learn new techniques, or just need some inspiration, I’ve got something for you. Let’s fight the rot together.
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