---
title: Art To Keep You Balanced
date: 2025-11-01T00:00:00
author: Charlie M.
category: SIGNAL
---
So, the other day, I was sitting by the window with my morning coffee, the sun barely peeking through the clouds, and I noticed how the light was hitting the old painting on my wall just right. It's this weird abstract piece I picked up at some thrift store ages ago – swirls of blues and greens, kind of like a Monet if Monet had been a little drunk or something. I don't know, but somehow it felt... grounding? Which is odd because I usually only notice it when I'm hunting for the TV remote.
Anyway, it got me thinking about art, and whether it's more than just something to fill empty walls. Like, does it really have this power to balance us? Or is that just stuff people say to justify spending a small fortune on something you can't even sit on?
I remember reading, maybe on some website – HuffPo or BuzzFeed, who knows – about this study where people spent time looking at art and reported feeling more relaxed or something like that. Can art really lower anxiety levels? Is it like how they say classical music can make you smarter? I guess it could, but then again, maybe it’s just some placebo thing. Like, you think it’s working, so it does. I don't know. I deleted the app I had that was supposed to track my mood changes based on this stuff because I never remembered to update it.
Speaking of deleting apps, I went on this digital detox once. Well, I tried. Deleted Instagram for about three days. The first couple hours, my brain felt like a hamster on a wheel, constantly reaching for the phone that wasn't there. But after a while, there was this weird calm, like when you're the only one at the gym at 5 am and everything's still and quiet. I wonder if art does the same thing, like quiet the noise we've got going on up there? Maybe the science backs it up, maybe it doesn't. It's hard to say with all the conflicting info out there.
I mean, sometimes just scrolling through my feed gives me this weird sense of calm, even if all I'm seeing is memes and restaurant pics. It's like... the endless scroll kind of numbs you, right? Or maybe that's dangerous. Who knows?
So, I tried this thing where I’d just stare at this painting, just let my mind wander. Not like meditation, because I suck at that. Just... looking. I didn’t get any profound insights or anything. But for those few minutes, my brain wasn't bouncing between to-do lists and existential dread. And hey, maybe that’s enough.
But then, I think, is it really art doing this? Or just... taking a break? Like, can a beautiful landscape painting actually replace a walk in the park? Fresh air and all that? Probably not, but it's nice to think it might.
Anyway, I'm still not sure if art is this magical balancing thing or if I'm just finding excuses to not feel guilty about leaving my walls bare. It’s like, maybe there's something there, or maybe I'm just really susceptible to pretty colors. And honestly, I kind of love that paintings don't demand anything from you. They just... exist, and you can take what you want from them or nothing at all.
I guess I'll keep staring at my fuzzy Monet-wannabe and hoping it helps. Or maybe I'll just keep drinking coffee and see what happens.