Journal

Upcycle Your Way To Creativity And Relaxation

Creativity lowers stress levels, reduces anxiety, helps process trauma, and even boosts your mood. It's also the perfect antidote to quarantine boredom with up-cycling projects that reduce waste while creating unique and useful household crafts.

Crafting a Creative Mind

Uncertain times ahead are creating societal stress that can feel hard to escape. This stress 'empties' mental and physical reserves, putting pressure on the body. Fortunately, creativity steers the mind and body towards a more relaxing, rejuvenating, and immune-boosting state.

Creativity is a mentally 'replenishing' activity, calming the nervous system, and aiding relaxation. The creation of something 'new and valuable' is neurochemically rewarding, stimulating the release of happy chemicals in the brain. Creative up-cycling is also financially beneficial with a frugality that reduces waste and so benefits the planet, which also makes us feel good!

Achieving Zero Waste

Dr. Sebi taught us to value independent thought "Look at things from outside the box, I was never in the box because I had the freedom to think as I wish for myself." A sustainable future necessitates thinking outside of established norms, and more consciously about our purchases:

• Rethink or refuse: How long will the product last, and how is it disposed of? What is the product made from, how will it decompose? Do you need the packaging, could it be reused?
• Reuse or repair: items we toss in the trash can be repaired or used again to eliminate other waste. For example, Dr. Sebi's Herbal Teas packets could be used as micro trash-bags for collecting dog-waste while walking your furry friend.
• Rot or recycle: composting transforms organic matter into natural fertilizer. Recycling returns materials to an original format but can use lots of energy. Compostable plant-based packaging rots into brand new natural resources!
• Remake or renew: with the goal of producing something useful, decorative, or even a gift it's possible to revamp rubbish to create something beautiful you feel proud of producing. This is where the fun and creativity comes in!

Cognitive Creative Crafts

Up-cycling makes you look at existing items with a fresh inquisitive perspective, engaging imaginative thinking in frontal lobes of the brain. Abstract, artistic, and creative thought diverts blood from brain regions associated with stress, so you feel calmer. Adding a dab of paint, a piece of ribbon, glitter, or glam creates an additional sense of safety as you focus the mind on beauty and decoration, not fear.

Here are some ideas for up-cycling Dr. Sebi's Cell Food packaging, what will you do with yours?

• Tubs (e.g. Bromide Plus Powder): plant pot, food container, storage jar, seed saver.
• Containers (e.g. Eva Salve): sewing box, jewelry case, tin for pins, and buttons.
• Tall Bottles (e.g. Banju): mini flower vase or to put fresh herbs in water in the fridge.
• Short Bottles (e.g. Green Food): loose dried herbs or tea, keeps it protected from light.
• Dropper Bottles (e.g. Lupulo): essential oil blends, fresh key lime juice for adding to drinks.

Sustainable Solutions

We are in a time of transformation, forcing us to rethink many aspects of our modern lives. Returning to simple home crafts and creativity is providing many people with psychological support and a focus on creative fun. Finding imaginative ways to repurpose packaging is just one way to feel calm, enjoy creativity, and craft something new and beautiful without spending a cent.

What fun gifts could be waiting to be discovered in your trash? Upload your ideas to social media and use the hashtag #DrSebiUpcycle, so the whole Dr. Sebi's community can be inspired by your creativity.

rWhat fun gifts could be waiting to be discovered in your trash? Upload your ideas to social media and use the hashtag #DrSebiUpcycle, so the whole Dr. Sebi's community can be inspired by your creativity.