The hallways of elementary schools are wall papered with samples of their young students’ creative expression.

Adorable self-portraits, popsicle stick crafts, clay animal blobs and even finger paintings can be seen on display in every typical grade school.

Why is it that as we get older we’re far less likely to find the time or to feel encouraged to express ourselves creatively?

Most of us need those expressive outlets in midlife more than we did in our younger years. Yet, we find a million reasons why we shouldn’t, or can’t, find the time.

If we thought not liking what was in our lunch box, or that someone called us a fatso in the third grade, was hard to deal with – fast forward forty-something years and we now have much bigger issues to deal with.

Many of us have more challenges to resolve in a single day now than we had in an entire year back then.

And yet others are finding themselves a little lost and maybe even bored with this stage of their lives.

Could having the opportunities for creative expression help us cope and problem-solve some of the challenges midlife throws at us? Could it spark new ideas and interests and even energize us?

Creativity is encouraged in grade school to help children foster mental growth, try out new ideas and problem solve. Don’t we still need these skills?

After all, we’re not finished mentally growing. Ever.

And we certainly continue to need to problem solve well into old age.

“A new antidote has emerged to cure the doldrums of midlife: creativity” writes Laura M. Holsom in her story Who Needs a Ferrari when you can pick up a paintbrush? featured on fyi50plus.com.

I think she’s on to something and that it’s worth a try. Whether it’s journaling, or learning to play an instrument, or cracking out your dusty camera, or taking up yoga – follow your instincts to how you can increase the opportunities for creative expression in your life.

Might be high time we amazon-primed ourselves some creative expression supplies like finger paints and playdough!