I grew up with a box of 64 Crayola Crayons. I loved-loved-loved to color… and I still do.
I still get a little giddy opening a new box of crayons with their unique fragrance, sharp fresh points and wonderful colors.
Today, the new rage is Adult Coloring Books and it seems like everyone is doing it. In fact you can buy coloring books for adults just about everywhere now, including Barnes and Nobles, Target, and any craft store.
I am a visionary artist, creating sacred mandalas – but when I am talking on the phone, which I do for hours on end these days with the Micronized Purple Rice, I color in my mandala coloring books or I doodle.
Coloring keeps the mind calm and focused. It decreases the activity of the amygdala in the brain which is the center of emotions.
Noted Psychotherapist Carl C. Jung was having his patients color mandalas over 100 years ago – to calm their anxieties and keep them centered!
And we are just now realizing the profound benefits to this therapy!
As a former yoga teacher, I look at coloring as yoga for your brain.
Here are 10 amazing things that coloring can do for you:
- Relieve stress
- Reduce anxiety
- Center the mind
- Increase attention span
- Stabilize mood
- Stimulate the senses
- Increase fine motor skills
- Augment creativity
- Serve as a sleep aid
- Produce physical evidence and decoration for your satisfaction
So grab your crayons, colored pencils, markers, or gel pens and start coloring!
It is a psychological tool to help you calm and focus your mind … and help you to feel like a kid again!
Have you been coloring too? Do you prefer coloring books or drawing and doodling?
I love to draw. When I went through treatments for the Big C… My daughter knew how I loved to draw, so she bought me a drawing pad. I found myself drawings most of the days. This was way before PR…ten years ago. I kept my pad and pencils by my bed so when I would start a panic attack or pity party, I started drawing. So, drawing and keeping in prayer help me through so much. I am not putting chemo or radiation treatments down, but they do do a number on your body…so…PR is helping me to heal my body.
Drawing, faith and PR, how can you go wrong.
God bless,
Janice
Thanks for sharing that Janice–I think it is my favorite stress reliever!
Coloring books, if I could draw, I would probably like to doodle, lol
that is what is so nice about coloring–anyone can do it–and you don’t have to stay in the lines either!
I love coloring also … I use coloring books like Balance ~ Angie’s Extreme Stress Menders by Angie Grace. I tend to like colored pencils and fine line markers mixed in my coloring … I’m not on FB anymore or I would upload a couple of my colorings … What I love is that two people could color the same picture and it would like completely different … as the colors and the chosen patterns would give a different look … and I love that instead of feeling frustrated when my husband turns on the news AGAIN I just pick up my coloring book and my attention is drawn to the art instead of the TV.
absolutely–well said <3
I too love to color, water color, etc. I have been looking at all the books out in the stores. I am waiting for one to jump out at me and when I pick it up I will know by the feeling I get, Yours are very pretty. Thank you for the list.
try a mandala coloring book–they are so centering!
I love to color and it does take your mind off of things. My daughter has brain cancer and I worry all the time.
It does–hope she is coloring too!
The Light of God surrounds you and your daughter
The Love of God enfolds you and your daughter
The Power of God protects you and your daughter
The Presence of God watches over you and your daughter
Wherever You are God is and All is Well!
Amen <3
This is why Art Classes are so important to keep in our schools, as is Music and Drama!
I used to like coloring with pastel chalks and found it to be very relaxing. I did get away from doing that as I developed other interests. I’m a retired Therapist and used drawing and coloring
as a tool in my groups of Men , women and children. It works very well especially in substance abuse TX. The very first day of Tx my first assignment for the group was to complete a timeline from birth to present time and present it to their group the last three weeks of Tx. I told them they were to draw and color 50% and then cut out pictures from Magazines that reminded them of their life for the other 50% \
As a child coloring was a big thing to do and I loved my coloring books and crayons. I think my daughter may have at least 1 picture I completed as a young person. LOL
Omg! I just bought my first adult coloring book and colorrd pencils today! Many ofy friends are doing it so I decided I would try. I loved coloring as a kid so im sure im going to love it!!!
My passion is art therapy and has been for some time.
Its always helpful in releif of life stressors as well as inspiring a positive mindset. It’s fun, most helpful, and I do consider interest
In art to be a blessing.
Happy,loving , healthy holiday to all.
Peace… Mima
I do love coloring, always have. love to color with the grandkids. I like the old coloring books, now there are too many animated. I’m partial to horses, animals of any kind. and love just about anything with color: crayons, markers, colored pencils. thanks for the info.
I have always loved coloring with my box of 64 crayons!! After my son was born, my best friend brought me up a cloring book, the good kind they used to have & my box of 64. I clored in btween visits & holding & feeding my newborn son. Now, I have discovered the Mandalas coloring books & I am having a full on blast!!! At first, it made me nervous cos I was not able to think ahead to make sure the colors would blend perfectly. But that didn’t last long!! It truly does help with my clinical depression! Have a blessed holiday season!!
Where can I buy an adult coloring book? I have zero artistic ability, so I am looking for something cheap. This may be an exercise in frustration for me.
You can buy them from Target, Barnes and Nobles, or Amazon.