There are many activities people perform for stress relief. Some outlets are healthy and others are not. For people searching for ideas to keep themselves occupied and relieve tension, Priya Puelicher encourages people to take up a form of art or craft.

While she is not a certified professional on stress treatment or therapy, from her own experience, Priya Puelicher found that arts and crafts provide her with a creative outlet to express herself and relieve tension. "The nice thing about art is that it is all about what you want to create. You may never be recognized or become famous for your work, but just to sketch out an idea or painting can feel therapeutic," says Priya Puelicher.

In her own life, Priya Puelicher enjoys many art related hobbies. "I paint, create pottery and ceramics, sew, and do needle point," says Priya Puelicher. Not everyone has the patience to sit and perform needle point, but for individuals who like to work with their hands, pottery can be enjoyable. "The wonderful thing about art is you pick what to create, your creations reflect you and your talent. Art is a way to self-express in a creative and safe way," says Priya Puelicher. Beading or jewelry making is a craft you can perform and wear to showcase your talent.

"You don't even need to create large works. There are small colored clays available in most craft stores where you can create what you want and fire them in your own oven to get them to set," Priya Puelicher explains. The nice thing about creating pottery, ceramics, or sculptures is their ability to be openly displayed. A homemade vase can be molded or custom painted to fit the desire of the creator.

"If you are frustrated and just want to create something quick then painting may be perfect. Take a brush and a canvas and with strong forceful strokes you can create a piece on canvas to redirect the feeling within," says Priya Puelicher; "If the stress is reoccurring then perhaps a longer project like needle point or sewing may give you the 20 minutes or hour of peace you need to recollect your thoughts."

About: Priya Puelicher loves arts and crafts and finds it often relieves or redirects stress.